Motherboard systems upgrades

I need to know if you are able to still use your systems copy of windows(oem)
after you have upgraded the motherboard or cpu. Could I enter fixmbr or do a
system repair to get the system tot work?.

If not thats a tad on the silly side since mocrosoft expects you to buy a
different copy every time you want to make an upgrade. Should be just
limited to switching hard disks.

In most instances you cannot use an OEM version of Windows on a motherboard
different from that on which it was originally installed.

If you had bought a full, retail version then you could swap out the cpu
and/or the motherboard and then do a reapir install.

Don't blame Microsoft; blame the vendor that convinced you OEM was equal to
full, retail.

"RAVEN" <RAVEN@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:BBF5E70E-259C-4726-BEFB-0BDBBF5E9265@microsoft.com...
>I need to know if you are able to still use your systems copy of
>windows(oem)
> after you have upgraded the motherboard or cpu. Could I enter fixmbr or
> do a
> system repair to get the system tot work?.
>
> If not thats a tad on the silly side since mocrosoft expects you to buy a
> different copy every time you want to make an upgrade. Should be just
> limited to switching hard disks.

"RAVEN" <RAVEN@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>I need to know if you are able to still use your systems copy of windows(oem)
>after you have upgraded the motherboard or cpu. Could I enter fixmbr or do a
>system repair to get the system tot work?.
>
>If not thats a tad on the silly side since mocrosoft expects you to buy a
>different copy every time you want to make an upgrade. Should be just
>limited to switching hard disks.

At the moment it depends on the specific details of your OEM version.

If your Windows XP is the generic OEM version that Microsoft supplies
to the smaller OEMs and Assemblers then you configure your Windows XP
to the new motherboard by doing a Repair Install as described at
http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

If your Windows XP is an OEM version from a larger
manufacturer/assembler and the CD bears the name and/or logo of that
manufacturer then you are probably dealing with a BIOS Locked OEM
version of Windows XP. BIOS Locked OEM versions can no longer be
activated unless they are installed on a motherboard that is from that
particular OEM. So if you need to replace the motherboard you have to
get the replacement from that company.

Upgrading the CPU on the same motherboard is not going to be a problem
under the present activation system.

Note:
To determine if your installed Windows XP is an OEM version open
Control Panel - System and lool at the 20 character product i.d. code
shown on the last line of the "Registered to:" section. If the second
segment (3 characters) of that code reads OEM then you have an OEM
version of Windows XP.

To determine if your OEM version of Windows XP is a BIOS Locked
version use Start - All Programs - Accessories - System Tools and look
for an "Activate Windows" item on the menu. If that item is not
present then your OEM Windows XP is a BIOS Locked version.

Caveat:
If you replaced the motherboard on your system prior to 1 March 2005
then your OEM Windows XP may in fact be BIOS Locked and in that
situation you are going to have difficulties should you ever need to
reactivate Windows.

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

In news:BBF5E70E-259C-4726-BEFB-0BDBBF5E9265@microsoft.com,
RAVEN <RAVEN@discussions.microsoft.com> replied with a ;-)
> I need to know if you are able to still use your systems copy of
> windows(oem) after you have upgraded the motherboard or cpu. Could I
> enter fixmbr or do a system repair to get the system tot work?.
>
> If not thats a tad on the silly side since mocrosoft expects you to
> buy a different copy every time you want to make an upgrade. Should
> be just limited to switching hard disks.

Move XP to new hardware.
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/moving_xp.html
--
Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
xpnews@bogusmichaelstevenstech.com
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
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