Has me confused, never had a Dell and they may be different, plus I'm far from a computer expert, but I've powered and run laptops before off just the charger with the battery packs pulled.
Another thought tibs, on that software lic, I have a lifetime subscription with ASV4YOU, when I updated my computer with new version of Windows I had to email them, explain I updated the computer and they sent me a new key code. Couple years later when I updated to a new mother board, CPU and memory again I contacted them, this time they emailed me back and said that was the same as a "new computer" and I would need to
buy a new key. So I called them, we went back and forth on what was just updating a computer and what constitutes a "new computer", so I asked what they considered "the original computer" and they told me the case/tower, when I explained I used the same tower and be happy to email them a pic of it, I just updated the components they coincided and gave me a new key. It might be worth fighting for!
To me, my simple mind, a lifetime key should mean just that, that key should be "mine" and good for my lifetime, for as long as "I" am alive. Not for how long I use my computer, or before updating it or even replacing my computer.
When I bought this Compaq desktop at BestBuy I was planning down the road. I asked they open the tower so I could see inside, wanted to make sure I'd have room to add and update, it's a big tower with lot's of extra bays. The only thing left original is the tower itself, I've had
three new motherboards, CPU, memory, combo's since along with a lot of different HD's, PSU's and fans in it, I guess I picked a good one.

It still has the Win XP key sticker on it LoL.
