Guest BL Posted September 9, 2007 Posted September 9, 2007 Hi, I would really like some help with this question. I have previously installed a copy of windows xp pro on my old laptop that is no longer....well with us.(fell of the balcony). I am currently building a new computer and would like to use the same copy of windows for the new comp. is this possible?
Guest Andrew E. Posted September 9, 2007 Posted September 9, 2007 RE: uninstall and new install... Upgrading some pc components would,but a diffrent pc,no.1 license per pc, youre new pc will get recognized as being "not the same pc"... "BL" wrote: > Hi, I would really like some help with this question. I have previously > installed a copy of windows xp pro on my old laptop that is no longer....well > with us.(fell of the balcony). I am currently building a new computer and > would like to use the same copy of windows for the new comp. is this > possible?
Guest GHalleck Posted September 9, 2007 Posted September 9, 2007 Re: uninstall and new install... BL wrote: > Hi, I would really like some help with this question. I have previously > installed a copy of windows xp pro on my old laptop that is no longer....well > with us.(fell of the balcony). I am currently building a new computer and > would like to use the same copy of windows for the new comp. is this > possible? Should be possible without any issues if the copy of Windows XP Pro is a retail one.
Guest Alias Posted September 9, 2007 Posted September 9, 2007 Re: uninstall and new install... Andrew E. wrote: > Upgrading some pc components would,but a diffrent pc,no.1 license per pc, > youre new pc will get recognized as being "not the same pc"... > > "BL" wrote: > >> Hi, I would really like some help with this question. I have previously >> installed a copy of windows xp pro on my old laptop that is no longer....well >> with us.(fell of the balcony). I am currently building a new computer and >> would like to use the same copy of windows for the new comp. is this >> possible? Yes, it is. If it's a retail copy, you can move it as much as you like and still be in Redmond's good graces. If it's an generic OEM XP Pro copy and it's been over 120 days since it was activated, it will activate online. If it's been less than 120 days, you're not supposed to move it to another computer and, if you want to anyway, you will have to phone activate and not tell them you moved it but reinstalled it due to viruses or some such. If the copy of XP came with the laptop, it won't work. -- Alias To email me, remove shoes
Guest Daave Posted September 9, 2007 Posted September 9, 2007 Re: uninstall and new install... BL wrote: > Hi, I would really like some help with this question. I have > previously installed a copy of windows xp pro on my old laptop that > is no longer....well with us.(fell of the balcony). I am currently > building a new computer and would like to use the same copy of > windows for the new comp. is this possible? You left out the most important information! (the type of XP CD) If it's a retail disk, you're good to go. If it's a generic OEM disk, you will be able to do it. However, the license says you are not permitted to do it. If it's a branded OEM disk, it won't work (especially if it was the disk that came with the laptop).
Guest Paul Randall Posted September 9, 2007 Posted September 9, 2007 Re: uninstall and new install... There is no 'one size fits all' answer. Yes, it will probably work. No, it may violate the EULA. Yes, laws applicable in your area may make it legal, regardless of EULA restrictions. The first thing I would do is scan the certificate of authenticity on the ruined laptop or find some way to keep the orginal COA, or perhaps you have other proof of purchase for the product ID printed on that sticker. Use a Sharpie pen to write that product ID number on the OS reinstallation media that came with the ruined laptop. Also note the type of OS, meaning OEM, full retail, retail upgrade, etc. If you only have a system restore disc, then it will probably not restore properly on a different brand or model of computer. If your system didn't come with an OS install disc, then you can borrow one from a friend (just DON'T use the friend's product ID). Find a CD with the same type of OS and install, using your ruined laptop's product ID. If, when you correctly enter the product ID, it says it is invalid, that generally means that you are trying to install the wrong type of OS for that product ID. Note that some OEM discs are internally branded in various ways. Some may not install on a different brand or model of computer. Others may install just fine if the brand matches (and may not require you to enter a product ID, and may not require you to activate). -Paul Randall "BL" <BL@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:1A8DF052-06E1-4F54-8CAE-FD98522AAB61@microsoft.com... > Hi, I would really like some help with this question. I have previously > installed a copy of windows xp pro on my old laptop that is no > longer....well > with us.(fell of the balcony). I am currently building a new computer and > would like to use the same copy of windows for the new comp. is this > possible?
Guest Ken Blake, MVP Posted September 9, 2007 Posted September 9, 2007 Re: uninstall and new install... On Sat, 8 Sep 2007 22:56:00 -0700, Andrew E. <eckrichco@msn.com> wrote: > Upgrading some pc components would,but a diffrent pc,no.1 license per pc, > youre new pc will get recognized as being "not the same pc"... To BL: Please ignore the ranting of Andrew E., our resident troll in these newsgroups. His answers are almost never correct, and often dangerous. In this case, his answer above, although not entirely wrong, is incomplete, and could easily lead you to the wrong conclusion. Here's the full correct answer: There are two types of Windows licenses: Retail and OEM. OEM licenses are those that come with the computer and also those which are sold separately at a lower than retail price, usually with hardware. If yours is a retail copy of Windows, there is no problem at all. You may not have it installed on moire than one computer at once, but you always free to take it off one computer and move it to another. You can do that as often as you need or want to. However OEM copies come with several restrictions, the most severe of which is that its license ties it permanently to the first computer it's installed on. It can never legally be moved to another computer, sold, or given away. If the computer dies the license to use Windows dies with it. This is one of the main reasons that OEM versions are less expensive than retail versions. Over and above that licensing issue, there is another potential issue with OEM versions--they are often BIOS-locked to the motherboard. If that's the case with your copy, it will not work at all on a different computer. So if your laptop came with Windows XP, you're out of luck. But if it came with an earlier version of Windows, and you upgraded to XP with a retail version, yes, you *can* reuse your copy. > "BL" wrote: > > > Hi, I would really like some help with this question. I have previously > > installed a copy of windows xp pro on my old laptop that is no longer....well > > with us.(fell of the balcony). I am currently building a new computer and > > would like to use the same copy of windows for the new comp. is this > > possible? -- Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User Please Reply to the Newsgroup
Recommended Posts