Windows XP setup with multiple partitions

I'm going to be setting up a new computer next week and would like to
partition the hard disk with 2 or 3 boot partitions. Some of the software
I'm needing to use is less than 100% stable, and I've found in the past that
recovery points don't always work properly 100% of the time. I'd like to
run some of these programs in their own partitions so as not to impact other
well behaved software.

Under Windows 2000 this would not be a problem because there wasn't any
product activation. In Windows XP Professional that is another matter.
Obviously I can only run one installation of XP Pro at any given time, so I
don't believe that multiple XP Pro licenses should be required for this
setup. If I go to activate the XP Pro systems setup on this singular
machine with multiple boot partitions will that send a red flag up and not
allow me to do this simple (and I believe legal) activity?

rosco wrote:
> I'm going to be setting up a new computer next week and would like
> to partition the hard disk with 2 or 3 boot partitions. Some of
> the software I'm needing to use is less than 100% stable, and I've
> found in the past that recovery points don't always work properly
> 100% of the time. I'd like to run some of these programs in their
> own partitions so as not to impact other well behaved software.
>
> Under Windows 2000 this would not be a problem because there wasn't
> any product activation. In Windows XP Professional that is another
> matter. Obviously I can only run one installation of XP Pro at any
> given time, so I don't believe that multiple XP Pro licenses should
> be required for this setup. If I go to activate the XP Pro systems
> setup on this singular machine with multiple boot partitions will
> that send a red flag up and not allow me to do this simple (and I
> believe legal) activity?

What you believe to be legal is still against the gist of the EULA you agree
to when installing.
Will it work indefinitely - likely.

Perhap you'd be better off using tools like imaging.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

Windows XP is licensed on a per computer basis.
This means you can install one (1) copy of Windows XP
on one (1) computer and activate it. If you wish to
install a second copy, then you'll need to purchase
a second license.

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

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"rosco" wrote:

| I'm going to be setting up a new computer next week and would like to
| partition the hard disk with 2 or 3 boot partitions. Some of the software
| I'm needing to use is less than 100% stable, and I've found in the past that
| recovery points don't always work properly 100% of the time. I'd like to
| run some of these programs in their own partitions so as not to impact other
| well behaved software.
|
| Under Windows 2000 this would not be a problem because there wasn't any
| product activation. In Windows XP Professional that is another matter.
| Obviously I can only run one installation of XP Pro at any given time, so I
| don't believe that multiple XP Pro licenses should be required for this
| setup. If I go to activate the XP Pro systems setup on this singular
| machine with multiple boot partitions will that send a red flag up and not
| allow me to do this simple (and I believe legal) activity?