Jupiter Jones [MVP] wrote:
You are wrong.
Microsoft does not connect the Product Key to the Motherboard.
The OEM, in your case Dell made the connection.
That is one of several choices computer manufacturers have.
Another of the many choices is to provide a retail OS, but that would
greatly increase the cost for them and thus to the customer.
The ability to freely transfer retail Windows XP to another computer is only
one of the many reasons you paid less for your OEM.

If you like such a system, buy another computer similarly configured next
time.
If not, buy a computer configured the way you want from a competitor.
Do not forget to mail Dell and explain exactly why they lost your business.
As long as many continue to buy computers configured like this, the computer
manufacturers will continue to choose this less expensive path for their
customers

The horrible thing about it Dell charged me the same as retail for the
move to XP Pro. The machine was XP home, and during the order process I
upgraded to Pro. When my new system is ready I will go through the steps
with Microsoft.