I'm planning to upgrade both my mobo and cpu, and am worried about keeping my
current XP Pro installation. I have a legal copy(I assume - it's been
correctly activated), but my OEM was a little shady and I never got a CD or
COA or anything of the sort (although I'm working on this). Nor will my
chipsets be anything close to one another. Is there any way to do this?
--
To email me, contact atomichael at yahoo dot com to get my real addy

Please read the following:

Changing a Motherboard or Moving a Hard Drive with XP Installed
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/moving_xp.html

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User
Microsoft Community Newsgroups
news://msnews.microsoft.com/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Phoenix Enigma" wrote:

| I'm planning to upgrade both my mobo and cpu, and am worried about keeping my
| current XP Pro installation. I have a legal copy(I assume - it's been
| correctly activated), but my OEM was a little shady and I never got a CD or
| COA or anything of the sort (although I'm working on this). Nor will my
| chipsets be anything close to one another. Is there any way to do this?
| --
| To email me, contact atomichael at yahoo dot com to get my real addy

OEM versions of XP are almost NEVER able to be moved to new hardware. So,
unless your OEM does this for you, and handles the licensing/activation
issues, you will probably need to buy a new version of XP in order to (1)
perform the necessary repair installation of XP, (2) be able to successfully
activate after the repair. Without a repair, the PC will likely not even
boot into windows. Without the ability to activate, XP will stop working in
0 to 3 days.

I recommend that you get a "retail" version of XP. If you buy an OEM
version, and those are for sale to individuals, you might run into the same
problem in the future.

However, you might qualify for the "upgrade" version of XP, and thus save
about $100. All you need is a valid win98, winME, or win2000 CD. The XP
installer will ask to read the qualifying CD as proof that you own ac opy of
the earlier operating system.

"Phoenix Enigma" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:99889BCB-93FC-4AF1-A03E-(E-Mail Removed)...
> I'm planning to upgrade both my mobo and cpu, and am worried about keeping
> my
> current XP Pro installation. I have a legal copy(I assume - it's been
> correctly activated), but my OEM was a little shady and I never got a CD
> or
> COA or anything of the sort (although I'm working on this). Nor will my
> chipsets be anything close to one another. Is there any way to do this?
> --
> To email me, contact atomichael at yahoo dot com to get my real addy

"Bob Harris" <rharris270[SPAM]@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:OzQ%23t2$(E-Mail Removed)...
> OEM versions of XP are almost NEVER able to be moved to new hardware. So,
> unless your OEM does this for you, and handles the licensing/activation
> issues, you will probably need to buy a new version of XP in order to (1)
> perform the necessary repair installation of XP, (2) be able to
> successfully activate after the repair. Without a repair, the PC will
> likely not even boot into windows. Without the ability to activate, XP
> will stop working in 0 to 3 days.
>

I update many computers with new hardware. Generic OEM versions of XP almost
always re-activate with no problems. In most of cases when I upgrade the
computer I was the original OEM so I am quite happy to keep supporting the
customer. I do insist that some part of the original pc is still there to
satisfy Microsoft's licensing policy. Even when I have had to phone to
activate it has never been a problem when I explain what I am doing. If I
was not the original OEM I explain to the customer that they will lose the
support of the original OEM. If it is not a generic OEM version e.g. Dell,
HP/Compaq, eMachines, etc. then you cannot change the motherboard to a
different brand. This is a limitaion of their version of XP and has nothing
to do with activations.

To answer the OP. Without a COA, key, and installation media you do not have
a license. You will run in to many problems trying to upgrade. You will most
likely have to do at least a repair install and then re-activate. You will
need a CD for the repair install and if you have to phone to activate they
may ask you to describe the COA, CD etc.

Kerry

Can my OEM legally provide me XP without providing without a COA and/or disc?
I didn't get restore discs, nor is there a restore partion or folder on my
HDD. Can he actually force me to come back to him and pay (what I now know
is an exorbiant) service fee to do this?
--
To email me, contact atomichael at yahoo dot com to get my real addy


"Kerry Brown" wrote:

> "Bob Harris" <rharris270[SPAM]@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:OzQ%23t2$(E-Mail Removed)...
> > OEM versions of XP are almost NEVER able to be moved to new hardware. So,
> > unless your OEM does this for you, and handles the licensing/activation
> > issues, you will probably need to buy a new version of XP in order to (1)
> > perform the necessary repair installation of XP, (2) be able to
> > successfully activate after the repair. Without a repair, the PC will
> > likely not even boot into windows. Without the ability to activate, XP
> > will stop working in 0 to 3 days.
> >
>
> I update many computers with new hardware. Generic OEM versions of XP almost
> always re-activate with no problems. In most of cases when I upgrade the
> computer I was the original OEM so I am quite happy to keep supporting the
> customer. I do insist that some part of the original pc is still there to
> satisfy Microsoft's licensing policy. Even when I have had to phone to
> activate it has never been a problem when I explain what I am doing. If I
> was not the original OEM I explain to the customer that they will lose the
> support of the original OEM. If it is not a generic OEM version e.g. Dell,
> HP/Compaq, eMachines, etc. then you cannot change the motherboard to a
> different brand. This is a limitaion of their version of XP and has nothing
> to do with activations.
>
> To answer the OP. Without a COA, key, and installation media you do not have
> a license. You will run in to many problems trying to upgrade. You will most
> likely have to do at least a repair install and then re-activate. You will
> need a CD for the repair install and if you have to phone to activate they
> may ask you to describe the COA, CD etc.
>
> Kerry
>
>
>
>
>
>

In message <B62D9ADC-9644-4DEB-95CF-(E-Mail Removed)> "Phoenix
Enigma" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Can my OEM legally provide me XP without providing without a COA and/or disc?
> I didn't get restore discs, nor is there a restore partion or folder on my
>HDD. Can he actually force me to come back to him and pay (what I now know
>is an exorbiant) service fee to do this?

Without the disk, yes. However, they are required to provide a COA.

--
Tonight on eye on Springfield: Just miles from your doorstep, hundreds
of men are given weapons and trained to kill. The government calls it
/The Army/ but a more alarmist name would be "The Kill-Bot Factory"

"Phoenix Enigma" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Can my OEM legally provide me XP without providing without a COA and/or disc?
> I didn't get restore discs, nor is there a restore partion or folder on my
>HDD. Can he actually force me to come back to him and pay (what I now know
>is an exorbiant) service fee to do this?

The OEM licensing agreements used by Microsoft in Canada and the U.S.
require the OEM to provide *some method* by which the computer can be
returned to it's factory fresh condition, complete with a newly
installed copy of Windows.

The details as to just which method a particular OEM uses to
accomplish this are left pretty much to the OEM to decide, but some
method of doing so must be provided. Available methods include
providing an actual Windows XP Installation CD, providing a "System
Recovery" CD containing a disk image of the factory fresh install, or
providing a hidden "System Recovery" partition with the disk image.

OEM licensing terms and conditions may vary in other countries.

However if you are in Canada or the U.S. and you have no method of
reinstalling your Windows and if the OEM is unwilling to rectify this
situation then you might get some satisfaction by reporting the
complete details to (E-Mail Removed)

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm

"Phoenix Enigma" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:B62D9ADC-9644-4DEB-95CF-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Can my OEM legally provide me XP without providing without a COA and/or
> disc?
> I didn't get restore discs, nor is there a restore partion or folder on my
> HDD. Can he actually force me to come back to him and pay (what I now
> know
> is an exorbiant) service fee to do this?
> --

They are extorting you and providing pirated software. Report them to
Microsoft and take your business elsewhere.

Kerry



> "Kerry Brown" wrote:
>
>> "Bob Harris" <rharris270[SPAM]@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:OzQ%23t2$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> > OEM versions of XP are almost NEVER able to be moved to new hardware.
>> > So,
>> > unless your OEM does this for you, and handles the licensing/activation
>> > issues, you will probably need to buy a new version of XP in order to
>> > (1)
>> > perform the necessary repair installation of XP, (2) be able to
>> > successfully activate after the repair. Without a repair, the PC will
>> > likely not even boot into windows. Without the ability to activate, XP
>> > will stop working in 0 to 3 days.
>> >
>>
>> I update many computers with new hardware. Generic OEM versions of XP
>> almost
>> always re-activate with no problems. In most of cases when I upgrade the
>> computer I was the original OEM so I am quite happy to keep supporting
>> the
>> customer. I do insist that some part of the original pc is still there to
>> satisfy Microsoft's licensing policy. Even when I have had to phone to
>> activate it has never been a problem when I explain what I am doing. If I
>> was not the original OEM I explain to the customer that they will lose
>> the
>> support of the original OEM. If it is not a generic OEM version e.g.
>> Dell,
>> HP/Compaq, eMachines, etc. then you cannot change the motherboard to a
>> different brand. This is a limitaion of their version of XP and has
>> nothing
>> to do with activations.
>>
>> To answer the OP. Without a COA, key, and installation media you do not
>> have
>> a license. You will run in to many problems trying to upgrade. You will
>> most
>> likely have to do at least a repair install and then re-activate. You
>> will
>> need a CD for the repair install and if you have to phone to activate
>> they
>> may ask you to describe the COA, CD etc.
>>
>> Kerry
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>

In message <e$(E-Mail Removed)> "Kerry Brown"
<(E-Mail Removed)*a*m> wrote:

>
>"Phoenix Enigma" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>news:B62D9ADC-9644-4DEB-95CF-(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Can my OEM legally provide me XP without providing without a COA and/or
>> disc?
>> I didn't get restore discs, nor is there a restore partion or folder on my
>> HDD. Can he actually force me to come back to him and pay (what I now
>> know
>> is an exorbiant) service fee to do this?
>> --
>
>They are extorting you and providing pirated software. Report them to
>Microsoft and take your business elsewhere.

And if you paid by credit card, reverse the charges unless they can show
that the software license was provided.

--
Tonight on eye on Springfield: Just miles from your doorstep, hundreds
of men are given weapons and trained to kill. The government calls it
/The Army/ but a more alarmist name would be "The Kill-Bot Factory"