Guest Wonderman Posted September 14, 2007 Posted September 14, 2007 I have an original purchased version of XP Pro and after doing a fresh install of Vista I wanted to sell it. Since buying an OEM machine I haven't used this version for three years. I'm sure it was activated but cant recall if I registered it. I have the original Product Key sticker. What issues if any would a buyer for this software encounter ? Does MS maintain records of all " owners " and could a new owners install of this software fail ? Due to the ability of a buyer to copy the disk and knowing the product key I cant really offer a return policy on it.
Guest Gerry Posted September 14, 2007 Posted September 14, 2007 Re: registration / activation question Is the copy of XP Pro you wish to sell Retail or OEM? -- Hope this helps. Gerry ~~~~ FCA Stourport, England Enquire, plan and execute ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wonderman wrote: > I have an original purchased version of XP Pro and after doing a fresh > install of Vista I wanted to sell it. Since buying an OEM machine I > haven't used this version for three years. I'm sure it was activated > but cant recall if I registered it. I have the original Product Key > sticker. > What issues if any would a buyer for this software encounter ? Does > MS maintain records of all " owners " and could a new owners install > of this software fail ? Due to the ability of a buyer to copy the > disk and knowing the product key I cant really offer a return policy > on it.
Guest Wonderman Posted September 14, 2007 Posted September 14, 2007 Re: registration / activation question retail "Gerry" <gerry@nospam.com> wrote in message news:uvfKWps9HHA.4432@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl... > Is the copy of XP Pro you wish to sell Retail or OEM? > > -- > > > > Hope this helps. > > Gerry > ~~~~ > FCA > Stourport, England > Enquire, plan and execute > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > Wonderman wrote: >> I have an original purchased version of XP Pro and after doing a fresh >> install of Vista I wanted to sell it. Since buying an OEM machine I >> haven't used this version for three years. I'm sure it was activated >> but cant recall if I registered it. I have the original Product Key >> sticker. >> What issues if any would a buyer for this software encounter ? Does >> MS maintain records of all " owners " and could a new owners install >> of this software fail ? Due to the ability of a buyer to copy the >> disk and knowing the product key I cant really offer a return policy >> on it. > >
Guest Poprivet Posted September 14, 2007 Posted September 14, 2007 Re: registration / activation question Wonderman wrote: > I have an original purchased version of XP Pro and after doing a fresh > install of Vista I wanted to sell it. Since buying an OEM machine I > haven't used this version for three years. I'm sure it was activated > but cant recall if I registered it. I have the original Product Key > sticker. > What issues if any would a buyer for this software encounter ? Does > MS maintain records of all " owners " and could a new owners install > of this software fail ? Due to the ability of a buyer to copy the > disk and knowing the product key I cant really offer a return policy > on it. As long as it doesn't have "OEM" in the code key, you can resell it. Note that you CAN buy OEM's retail, so if it's ever been installed, it can't be sold. Pop`
Guest Harry Ohrn Posted September 14, 2007 Posted September 14, 2007 Re: registration / activation question If it is not an OEM version then you can sell it provided you include the Certificate of Authenticity and Product Key that came with it. These will be with the box or sleeve that XP came with. It doesn't matter if you registered it or not. If you activated it within the past 120 days then the now owner may need to call the telephone center to activate it on their system but if it hasn't been activated for over 120 days a Retail version will generally activate over the internet. You must also remove any copy of XP that was installed with the specific Product Key that accompanies the disc. -- Harry Ohrn MS MVP [shell\User] http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp "Wonderman" <nospamidainc@cox.net> wrote in message news:4AuGi.93065$Mu5.53204@newsfe15.phx... >I have an original purchased version of XP Pro and after doing a fresh >install of Vista I wanted to sell it. Since buying an OEM machine I >haven't used this version for three years. I'm sure it was activated but >cant recall if I registered it. I have the original Product Key sticker. > > What issues if any would a buyer for this software encounter ? Does MS > maintain records of all " owners " and could a new owners install of this > software fail ? Due to the ability of a buyer to copy the disk and > knowing the product key I cant really offer a return policy on it. > >
Guest Ken Blake, MVP Posted September 14, 2007 Posted September 14, 2007 Re: registration / activation question On Fri, 14 Sep 2007 04:50:20 -0700, "Wonderman" <nospamidainc@cox.net> wrote: > I have an original purchased version of XP Pro and after doing a fresh > install of Vista I wanted to sell it. Since buying an OEM machine I haven't > used this version for three years. I'm sure it was activated but cant > recall if I registered it. I have the original Product Key sticker. > > What issues if any would a buyer for this software encounter ? If it's a retail copy, there should be no issues at all. Retail copies are fully transferable (however OEM copies are not, so be sure yours is not OEM). > Does MS > maintain records of all " owners " No. Activation ties the license to the computer, not to the individual. However, the tie can be changed when the product is moved and reactivated. Registration is irrelevant, since, although it does identify the individual, it is used only for Microsoft's marketing purposes. > and could a new owners install of this > software fail ? Installations can fail for lots of different reasons, and I don't want to tell you that installation of your CD could not fail. But there's no reason why having sold the product should make any difference, *as long as* it's a retail product, not an OEM one. By the way, some people think that OEM copies are only those that are sold preinstalled on computers. Note that that is *not* correct, and generic (non-branded) OEM copies are also sold by many large discount houses, as well as by smaller local computer builders. Be sure yours is retail, not OEM. -- Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User Please Reply to the Newsgroup
Guest Wonderman Posted September 14, 2007 Posted September 14, 2007 Re: registration / activation question Should I assume that an OEM version has OEM in the product key and a retail version does not ? Mine dosnt but I did want to clarify that. "Ken Blake, MVP" <kblake@this.is.am.invalid.domain> wrote in message news:6qgle3ljqu88aano6cbvpd3qiu2hhsu9db@4ax.com... > On Fri, 14 Sep 2007 04:50:20 -0700, "Wonderman" <nospamidainc@cox.net> > wrote: > >> I have an original purchased version of XP Pro and after doing a fresh >> install of Vista I wanted to sell it. Since buying an OEM machine I >> haven't >> used this version for three years. I'm sure it was activated but cant >> recall if I registered it. I have the original Product Key sticker. >> >> What issues if any would a buyer for this software encounter ? > > > If it's a retail copy, there should be no issues at all. Retail copies > are fully transferable (however OEM copies are not, so be sure yours > is not OEM). > > >> Does MS >> maintain records of all " owners " > > > > No. Activation ties the license to the computer, not to the > individual. However, the tie can be changed when the product is moved > and reactivated. > > Registration is irrelevant, since, although it does identify the > individual, it is used only for Microsoft's marketing purposes. > > >> and could a new owners install of this >> software fail ? > > > Installations can fail for lots of different reasons, and I don't want > to tell you that installation of your CD could not fail. But there's > no reason why having sold the product should make any difference, *as > long as* it's a retail product, not an OEM one. > > By the way, some people think that OEM copies are only those that are > sold preinstalled on computers. Note that that is *not* correct, and > generic (non-branded) OEM copies are also sold by many large discount > houses, as well as by smaller local computer builders. Be sure yours > is retail, not OEM. > > > -- > Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User > Please Reply to the Newsgroup
Guest Ken Blake, MVP Posted September 14, 2007 Posted September 14, 2007 Re: registration / activation question On Fri, 14 Sep 2007 12:47:57 -0700, "Wonderman" <nospamidainc@cox.net> wrote: > Should I assume that an OEM version has OEM in the product key and a retail > version does not ? Mine dosnt but I did want to clarify that. Yes, that's one way to tell. > "Ken Blake, MVP" <kblake@this.is.am.invalid.domain> wrote in message > news:6qgle3ljqu88aano6cbvpd3qiu2hhsu9db@4ax.com... > > On Fri, 14 Sep 2007 04:50:20 -0700, "Wonderman" <nospamidainc@cox.net> > > wrote: > > > >> I have an original purchased version of XP Pro and after doing a fresh > >> install of Vista I wanted to sell it. Since buying an OEM machine I > >> haven't > >> used this version for three years. I'm sure it was activated but cant > >> recall if I registered it. I have the original Product Key sticker. > >> > >> What issues if any would a buyer for this software encounter ? > > > > > > If it's a retail copy, there should be no issues at all. Retail copies > > are fully transferable (however OEM copies are not, so be sure yours > > is not OEM). > > > > > >> Does MS > >> maintain records of all " owners " > > > > > > > > No. Activation ties the license to the computer, not to the > > individual. However, the tie can be changed when the product is moved > > and reactivated. > > > > Registration is irrelevant, since, although it does identify the > > individual, it is used only for Microsoft's marketing purposes. > > > > > >> and could a new owners install of this > >> software fail ? > > > > > > Installations can fail for lots of different reasons, and I don't want > > to tell you that installation of your CD could not fail. But there's > > no reason why having sold the product should make any difference, *as > > long as* it's a retail product, not an OEM one. > > > > By the way, some people think that OEM copies are only those that are > > sold preinstalled on computers. Note that that is *not* correct, and > > generic (non-branded) OEM copies are also sold by many large discount > > houses, as well as by smaller local computer builders. Be sure yours > > is retail, not OEM. > > > > > > -- > > Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User > > Please Reply to the Newsgroup > -- Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User Please Reply to the Newsgroup
Guest Paul Randall Posted September 15, 2007 Posted September 15, 2007 Re: registration / activation question "Ken Blake, MVP" <kblake@this.is.am.invalid.domain> wrote in message news:ivtle3pojri56b4jv1vgn81qh13rv2ihbe@4ax.com... > On Fri, 14 Sep 2007 12:47:57 -0700, "Wonderman" <nospamidainc@cox.net> > wrote: > >> Should I assume that an OEM version has OEM in the product key and a >> retail >> version does not ? Mine dosnt but I did want to clarify that. > > > Yes, that's one way to tell. Now I'm confused as to what the 'product key' is. In the General tab of my system properties window, there is a 24-character sequence containing 4 dashes like : XXXXX-OEM-XXXXXXX-XXXXX, but I don't consider this the product key. I thought the 25-character thing is the product key. What is the correct terminology for these two character sequences? -Paul Randall
Guest Bruce Chambers Posted September 15, 2007 Posted September 15, 2007 Re: registration / activation question Paul Randall wrote: > > > Now I'm confused as to what the 'product key' is. > In the General tab of my system properties window, there is a 24-character > sequence containing 4 dashes like : XXXXX-OEM-XXXXXXX-XXXXX, but I don't > consider this the product key. I thought the 25-character thing is the > product key. > > What is the correct terminology for these two character sequences? > > -Paul Randall > > The Product *Key* is a 25-character alphanumeric code used to "prove" ownership of a legitimate license and is required to perform the installation, and is either stored on the CD packaging on a bright orange sticker that says "Do not lose this number," or is on a label affixed to an OEM computer. The Product *ID* is created during the installation process and is displayed on the General Properties tab of the My Computer icon. The Product ID of a retail or volume license is entirely numeric, while that of an OEM license will contain all numbers except for the letters "OEM." If retail, it is used to obtain/qualify for technical support (limited though that may be) from Microsoft. -- Bruce Chambers Help us help you: http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell
Guest Ken Blake, MVP Posted September 15, 2007 Posted September 15, 2007 Re: registration / activation question On Fri, 14 Sep 2007 20:27:55 -0600, "Paul Randall" <paulr901@cableone.net> wrote: > > "Ken Blake, MVP" <kblake@this.is.am.invalid.domain> wrote in message > news:ivtle3pojri56b4jv1vgn81qh13rv2ihbe@4ax.com... > > On Fri, 14 Sep 2007 12:47:57 -0700, "Wonderman" <nospamidainc@cox.net> > > wrote: > > > >> Should I assume that an OEM version has OEM in the product key and a > >> retail > >> version does not ? Mine dosnt but I did want to clarify that. > > > > > > Yes, that's one way to tell. > > Now I'm confused as to what the 'product key' is. > In the General tab of my system properties window, there is a 24-character > sequence containing 4 dashes like : XXXXX-OEM-XXXXXXX-XXXXX, but I don't > consider this the product key. I thought the 25-character thing is the > product key. > > What is the correct terminology for these two character sequences? You are correct. The string with the "OEM" in it is called the "Product ID." My statement above didn't make that clear. -- Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User Please Reply to the Newsgroup
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