Computer manufactures use a OEM (original equipment manufacturer) 
Disk of  Microsoft operating systems to install the OS on their 
computers. These disks will contain all the available drivers for 
their products. Large corporate manufactures, such as Dell, ACER, 
Leveno, or whatever, code their BIOS  to authorize that particular 
OEM disk. No key is necessary and after installation, even activation 
is not necessary.The assumption is made that if you purchased a Dell 
computer you are entitled to the use of the OS designed for that 
computer. A Dell OEM disk should work on any DELL computer. Well, 
anything with the correctly coded BIOS.
Mark Rode

At 01:51 PM 7/17/2010, you wrote:
>I can't imagine anyone even trying to  use an HP disk on a Dell. I
>suspect you'd get nowhere at all.
>When I get stuck, I use my OEM disk and the Windows license key on the
>computer in question. This seems to be controversial, and windows 
>licensing seems to be quite
>arcane.
>
>I also service Dells (and others) for a living. The Company specific
>installs of Windows usually contain chipset and other drivers that are
>specific to that brand of computer. If you install say an HP branded
>windows on a Dell, you'd have some drivers to fix before it would work.

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