Install xp legally?

[opensky42]

Hello. I recently purchased a used Dell PC, as a secondary computer for my
household. It turned out that the hard drive was bad, and I need to get a new
one. This computer did not come with any disks, but it does have a original
sticker on the side with the product number for its copy of windows XP. My
question is, can I install my copy of Windows XP from my other computer on
this one, and change the registration # to match the OS that was originally
installed on it? When you buy a used computer, does the OS legally convey
with it as long as it was not installed on another computer by the first
owner? as far as the no disks issue goes, my primary computer, which I
purchased new, did not come with any disks...It came already installed, and I
had to make my own backup copies. Any help on this issue would be greatly
appreciated.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Hello. I recently purchased a used Dell PC, as a secondary computer for my
household. It turned out that the hard drive was bad, and I need to get a new
one. This computer did not come with any disks, but it does have a original
sticker on the side with the product number for its copy of windows XP. My
question is, can I install my copy of Windows XP from my other computer on
this one, and change the registration # to match the OS that was originally
installed on it?

Maybe. Is your other Windows CD a retail one or an OEM? Your Dell
product ID is an OEM one and will not work with a retail CD.

When you buy a used computer, does the OS legally convey
with it as long as it was not installed on another computer by the first
owner? as far as the no disks issue goes, my primary computer, which I
purchased new, did not come with any disks...It came already installed, and I
had to make my own backup copies.

In that case, it is almost certainly OEM, and it might work.

 

[VanguardLH]

Hello. I recently purchased a used Dell PC, as a secondary computer
for my
household. It turned out that the hard drive was bad, and I need to
get a new
one. This computer did not come with any disks, but it does have a
original
sticker on the side with the product number for its copy of windows
XP. My
question is, can I install my copy of Windows XP from my other
computer on
this one, and change the registration # to match the OS that was
originally
installed on it? When you buy a used computer, does the OS legally
convey
with it as long as it was not installed on another computer by the
first
owner? as far as the no disks issue goes, my primary computer, which
I
purchased new, did not come with any disks...It came already
installed, and I
had to make my own backup copies. Any help on this issue would be
greatly
appreciated.

Since you *recently* purchased the computer, contact the seller to
tell them that they MUST relinquish the Windows installation CD.
Otherwise, what you bought was just the hardware, not the software.
That is, you got a polluted hard drive and you have to go buy or get
whatever OS you want to install on that computer. If the OS was
supposed to get included in the sale, and if the seller did not
include it, then the seller committed fraud. For the seller to
include the OS, they must have included the installation or
restoration media for it.

If the OS was supposed to be included in the sale of the used
computer, contact the seller to get the installation media for that
OS. Without it, the seller only sold you hardware.

 

[opensky42]

My primary computer does have an OEM version of windows, but it is an HP, not
a dell. Will that make any difference? Also, the computer was bought from a
University auction... Would the computer have come with OEM Windows, or would
they have installed retail version on it?

 

[Ch33zst34k]

My primary computer does have an OEM version of windows, but it is an HP, not
a dell. Will that make any difference? Also, the computer was bought from a
University auction... Would the computer have come with OEM Windows, or would
they have installed retail version on it?

Ahhhh - if it was purchased from a University auction, it is likely
under an Educational Agreement and therefore not "legal" for home or
office use (remember "legal" is by Microsoft terminology) - Microsoft
(and Apple) extend much more latitude with educational licensing
however it is not expected to be passed through on a resale to the
public.. An OEM license is "attached" to the machine, and even in a
professional environment, an enterprise cannot transfer an OEM o/s and
remain compliant. That is precisely the reason that major enterprises
purchase licensing by number of seats so a seat can be applied to a
new machine as long as it is removed from the old one - if they did
not remove the o/s then the company would be creating seats outside
the terms of their agreement.

My guess is that the "spirit" of your purchase included an o/s however
the reality is that the University may be out of bounds in it's resale
to you. Bottom line is that using your HP OEM disc would be non-
compliant and probably would not even work.

Here's a tip - consider becoming a Microsoft Partner (ie- a one-man
consulting business) and you qualify to purchase the Microsoft Action
Pack for Partners for $399. With it you get multiple licenses for ALL
Microsoft products (Including the developer tools and server products)
as well as quarterly updates - so Office 2007, XP SR2, Vista, etc etc.
Its a big nut up front but you never worry about licensing again.

Good luck.

 

[Enkidu]

Since you *recently* purchased the computer, contact the seller to tell
them that they MUST relinquish the Windows installation CD. Otherwise,
what you bought was just the hardware, not the software. That is, you
got a polluted hard drive and you have to go buy or get whatever OS you
want to install on that computer. If the OS was supposed to get
included in the sale, and if the seller did not include it, then the
seller committed fraud. For the seller to include the OS, they must
have included the installation or restoration media for it.

If the OS was supposed to be included in the sale of the used computer,
contact the seller to get the installation media for that OS. Without
it, the seller only sold you hardware.

Many systems from large manufacturers do not come with CDs. Well,
actually some come with a plethora of disks, none of which is an OS disk.

Cheers,

Cliff

 

[VanguardLH]

Many systems from large manufacturers do not come with CDs. Well,
actually some come with a plethora of disks, none of which is an OS
disk.

If there are no CDs then there is a hidden partition from which you
execute a command to restore the image saved in that hidden partition.
The OP will have to read the manual that came with the computer or get
one online from Dell's site for whatever unnamed model that he bought
to find the instructions on restoring the OS partition or on how to
create recovery CDs.

From the OP's description of the computer that he bought from a school
auction, he did not get the OS in the sale.

 

[opensky42]

Ahhhh - if it was purchased from a University auction, it is likely
under an Educational Agreement and therefore not "legal" for home or
office use (remember "legal" is by Microsoft terminology) - Microsoft
(and Apple) extend much more latitude with educational licensing
however it is not expected to be passed through on a resale to the
public.. An OEM license is "attached" to the machine, and even in a
professional environment, an enterprise cannot transfer an OEM o/s and
remain compliant. That is precisely the reason that major enterprises
purchase licensing by number of seats so a seat can be applied to a
new machine as long as it is removed from the old one - if they did
not remove the o/s then the company would be creating seats outside
the terms of their agreement.

My guess is that the "spirit" of your purchase included an o/s however
the reality is that the University may be out of bounds in it's resale
to you. Bottom line is that using your HP OEM disc would be non-
compliant and probably would not even work.

Here's a tip - consider becoming a Microsoft Partner (ie- a one-man
consulting business) and you qualify to purchase the Microsoft Action
Pack for Partners for $399. With it you get multiple licenses for ALL
Microsoft products (Including the developer tools and server products)
as well as quarterly updates - so Office 2007, XP SR2, Vista, etc etc.
Its a big nut up front but you never worry about licensing again.

Good luck.

Do you have more info on that "action Pack" deal? I looked at the microsoft
site, and didnt really understand :multiple licensing", and to get more info
it wanted me to sign up first.. How does it work?

 

[Patrick Keenan]

Many systems from large manufacturers do not come with CDs. Well, actually
some come with a plethora of disks, none of which is an OS disk.

This is true, but new systems are supposed to comply with OEM licensing
requirements and provide the end-user a method of recovering and
reinstalling the OS. This doesn't *necessarily* mean they provide disks,
just installation media of some type.

Some have chosen the incredibly bad idea of a recovery partition, which of
course dies with the rest of the hard disk; at this point the purchaser has
to buy a new hard disk AND a new OS license.

Others provide a method for creating your own restore media, which saves the
manufacturer perhaps a dollar.

While these approaches are frankly inadequate and put the consumer at risk
of loss, they do technically comply with the recovery requirement.

This is quite differerent from the sale of *used* equipment. In this case,
the OS license, being assigned to an education institution, may not
actually even be transferrable.

That said, finding another similar Dell system, borrowing and using its XP
install CD with the COA number on the back of the system, might well work.
If the install key is accepted, all should be well, as long as it then
passes activation.

HTH
-pk

 

[Ch33zst34k]

Re:Action Pack

The Action Pack is a "subscription" that is available to registered
Microsoft partners, ostensibly to provide a full set of Microsoft
tools to computer professionals. The deal is that you register your
"firm" as a Microsoft partner - it's free. And once approved (usually
instantly) you are eligible to purchase the AP. there is no
requirement that your "firm" actually uses the tools or even does any
work - its a little known and porrly advertised program but a great
deal.

Upon paying your $399, you receive an initial shipment of all the
desktop apps, server products etc in CD form along with licensing keys
for each and a nice binder to hold them. Additionally they include a
bunch of marketing discs they you'll probably immediately throw out.
Then, each quarter, you receive a box in the mail of all the new
products that have been released that quarter as well as all patch
discs (ie - SR) and more marketing.

Its a great deal and you stay legal. Ping me directly with any
additional questions.

G