Windows – Why is the Windows XP COA product key found by winkeyfinder different from the genuine sticker product key

Dell will normally send you any disks that originally came with your system if you contact them (personal experience has shown that if the system is in warranty they will give you the first replacement for free and if it’s out of warranty you will need to pay shipping charges).

This is the option I normally take for my customer’s as Dell will send driver CDs as well as the OS disks.

Use this link to request a set of Dell XP discs.

There is a 99% chance it will activate over the Internet without a problem.

If it doesn't, it will give you a phone number to call Microsoft (in your locale), and you can explain what happened and they will help you activate it.

Here's a blurb on changing hardware and activation, from Microsoft's site under "Myths About Activation":

Product Activation keeps users from changing or upgrading their hardware.

Not true at all. Users can change or upgrade their hardware. One of the forms of piracy that Product Activation guards against is hard disk imaging. Not all forms of hard disk imaging are illegal. In the case where a pirate copies data from one PC hard drive to another to illegally run the software on two PCs, Product Activation stops that by forcing the copied software to be reactivated. It does so by comparing the hardware on which it was activated to the hardware on which it is now being booted. If the hardware is substantially different, then reactivation is required. If it is the same or similar, then the software will continue to work. Those who upgrade their PC's hardware substantially may be asked to reactivate. Reactivation for this reason is easy and can be completed by contacting Microsoft to obtain another confirmation ID.