Legalizing a pirate install of XP

[Patrick Harren]

I have learned that friend has a bootleg copy of Windows
XP on his computer. He paid for a legal license and did
not realize that he had been ripped off. He wants to buy
a licensed copy. His situation now is that he has
several licenced applications installed on this
computer. Can the legal copy be installed on his
computer without wiping out his currently installed
applications? Are there any special steps that need to
be taken to preserve his applications?

Regards

 

[davetest]

I have learned that friend has a bootleg copy of Windows
XP on his computer. He paid for a legal license and did
not realize that he had been ripped off. He wants to buy
a licensed copy. His situation now is that he has
several licenced applications installed on this
computer. Can the legal copy be installed on his
computer without wiping out his currently installed
applications? Are there any special steps that need to
be taken to preserve his applications?

Regards

Usually all you need to do is boot from the legal
XP CD and choose install.
XP recognizes that an installation already exists
and so you choose the "repair" option.
You'll need to enter the new serial and go thru
activation.
In general, installed apps should be fine.
Xp maintenance will probably be regressed to the
base level, so you'll have to redo SP1 and everything else
to get the system upto date fix-wise.

Dave

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Are you trying to install Service Pack 1 and getting the
following:

The Product Key Used to Install Windows Is Invalid
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q326904

You need to purchase and use a legitimate full retail copy of
WinXP Pro to perform a repair (a.k.a. in-place upgrade) installation,
using the new CD and Product Key.

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/directory/article.asp?ID=KB;EN-US;Q315341

Remember, you should also report whomever sold you the pirated
software to the pertinent law enforcement agencies; you've been
defrauded.


Bruce Chambers

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[Michael Stevens]

I have learned that friend has a bootleg copy of Windows
XP on his computer. He paid for a legal license and did
not realize that he had been ripped off. He wants to buy
a licensed copy. His situation now is that he has
several licenced applications installed on this
computer. Can the legal copy be installed on his
computer without wiping out his currently installed
applications? Are there any special steps that need to
be taken to preserve his applications?

Regards

Click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into the address box
if using the web based newsgroup.
Change CD key.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/xpfaq.html#need2
--

Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
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