need help updating my old pc(dell optiplex gx1).

[dustylights]

i got this for free and have been trying to update it,except every time i try to
load up a program i get failure messages. this is a dell optiplex gx1 with an
intel pentium 2/398mhz/256mb ram/win xp home ver. 2002/service pack 1.
i am using a boot disc with ie6 to get online then upgrade from there,the problem with this is that i only get a 30 day trial.i dont have the needed info
to activate windows,i have searched the web but honestly have no clue as to what i need.any help would be grateful for

[littaum]

Do you have the CD key provided with windows XP? It may also be on the bottom or back of the PC.

[megasdkirby]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307890

[dustylights]

no i do not have any cd key # for the disc that i have, it came with another that was stolen also i have been to the ms site looking for what needed to register the windows and read it is to old.sorry if not make sense
on this i dont know very much on this subject and so am learning this myself with no one close to give advice, such as how to load up .net v.2.0?
i have 1.1 but some games/programs wont load/work with out 2.0
and when i try to load it says can not open/read sorce? so with out
sounding like a tard this is where im at

[todesengel]

Check all over the computer, since it's a Dell it should have a Windows serial key sticker somewhere on it.

[Darkman2K5]

i got this for free and have been trying to update it,except every time i try to
load up a program i get failure messages. this is a dell optiplex gx1 with an
intel pentium 2/398mhz/256mb ram/win xp home ver. 2002/service pack 1.
i am using a boot disc with ie6 to get online then upgrade from there,the problem with this is that i only get a 30 day trial.i dont have the needed info
to activate windows,i have searched the web but honestly have no clue as to what i need.any help would be grateful for

That computer was not meant to run windows xp. It was made for windows 98, windows nt 4.0, and windows 2000. You can technically run windows xp on it, but it will be very slow, especially with that amount of ram. What you need is a crack to activate windows, google that and you should find results easily.

[NayusDante]

XP "requires" 800mhz PIII, and 256mb RAM is pretty low too.

If you really must update it, download the SP3 standalone installer. I would recommend running ME or lower on it, though.

[Compute]

I would recommend running ME or lower on it, though.

Save yourself the trouble of trying to make Windows ME work well: Just have a friend kick you in the face 4 times. If it can't run XP, then do 98SE. Most software requirements I've seen forget that windows ME ever existed, and for good reason.