Activation

[Guest]

Do I have to buy a seperate copy of Windows Xp for each computer I own? I
loaded it on my laptop and on 2 of my computers at home. They all require
activation, but I activated one and know I can't activate the others. You
got to be kidding if I have to spend over $100 a piece to load these on my
personal computers inside my home.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

If you have two vehicles, can you use just one registration?
When you take your wife out to dinner, do you pay for her meal,
or is it buy one - get one free?

Windows XP requires an individual license (Product Key) for
each installation on a different computer. Therefore, you w­ill
need to purchase a new license for each additional installat­ion
of Windows XP. However, you can use the same Windows XP
CD to install with a new Product Key.

In case you overlooked it:

On the back of the Windows XP box, please read the statement­:

"For installation and use on one computer"
(see License Agreement for license terms).

Go to Start >Run box type: WINVER , and hit enter. Then c­lick on the
"End-User License Agreement" and read it. Your answer
lies in that agreement.

You can also open XP's "Help and Support" and type: EULA
and hit enter. Click on "Questions and answers about the EU­LA".

How to obtain additional licenses for Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;814175&Product=winxp

How To Change the Product Key at the Time of Activation
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;810892&Product=winxp

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.mspx

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:

| Do I have to buy a seperate copy of Windows Xp for each computer I own? I
| loaded it on my laptop and on 2 of my computers at home. They all require
| activation, but I activated one and know I can't activate the others. You
| got to be kidding if I have to spend over $100 a piece to load these on my
| personal computers inside my home.

 

[Guest]

A simple yes, "you have to buy a copy for each computer you own", would have
done smarta$$. And for your information you can't compare vehicle
registrations and taking my wife out to eat to purchasing a XP OS. So
brain-e-ake can I unistall the XP before my computer quits working without
any implications? And please leave out the sarcasm.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

One license, one computer, the way it has always been since at least Windows
95.
There is no need to install Windows XP on all computers,simply leave some or
all with the original operating system.
Read your specific EULA for details.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

That depends on whether you can roll back to the previous version of Window
on the computer. If you have not deleted any files that were made during
the setup then you should be able to roll back fine.

For your information, Carey has helped thousands on this and other
newsgroups respectfully and professionally. You may have felt defensive or
frustrated when you posted and when you posted back and took the comments in
the wrong way. The licensing issue is the most commonly one asked about and
we (regulars here) have all developed examples to help people see how it
works. I respectfully suggest you reconsider your having flamed Carey.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Yes, you have to buy a copy for each computer you own.

How to uninstall Windows XP and revert to a
previous operating system
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/303661/EN-US/

"Uninstall Option Not Available" Error Message When You
Upgrade Your Computer to Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;303160

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.mspx

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

:

| A simple yes, "you have to buy a copy for each computer you own", would have
| done smarta$$. And for your information you can't compare vehicle
| registrations and taking my wife out to eat to purchasing a XP OS. So
| brain-e-ake can I unistall the XP before my computer quits working without
| any implications? And please leave out the sarcasm.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Do I have to buy a seperate copy of Windows Xp for each computer I own?

Certainly. As it has *always* been with *all* Microsoft operating
systems, it's necessary (to be in compliance with both the EULA and U.S.
copyright law http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/117.html), if not
technically) to purchase one WinXP license for each computer on which it
is installed. (Consult an attorney versed in copyright law to determine
final applicability in your locale.) The only way in which WinXP
licensing differs from that of earlier versions of Windows is that
Microsoft has finally added a copy protection and anti-theft mechanism,
Product Activation, to prevent (or at least make more difficult)
multiple installations using a single license.

I
loaded it on my laptop and on 2 of my computers at home. They all require
activation, but I activated one and know I can't activate the others.

That's the way it's supposed to work.

You
got to be kidding if I have to spend over $100 a piece to load these on my
personal computers inside my home.

Haven't had much exposure to the real world, have you? Can you buy a
set of license plates for a single automobile, and use them on every
other car that your family members own/drive? Can you take your
family to a local restaurant, feed them all separate meals from the
menu, and pay for only one entree? If you purchase a single loaf of
bread, can you leave the store with four loaves?

Anyway, who making you load the same OS on every computer in your
house? This is an entirely personal choice on your part. If you don't
want to buy the additional licenses, don't.

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Bruce Chambers]

A simple yes, "you have to buy a copy for each computer you own", would have
done smarta$$. And for your information you can't compare vehicle
registrations and taking my wife out to eat to purchasing a XP OS.

Carey wasn't being a "smarta$$." He was simply pointing out a fact of
life of which you were apparently unaware: if you pay for only one of
something, one is all you're entitled to use. It doesn't matter whether
the item being purchased is a meal, a toaster oven, a dental
examination, or a software license.

So
brain-e-ake can I unistall the XP before my computer quits working without
any implications? And please leave out the sarcasm.

The normal way to "uninstall" any operating system is to format
the hard drive and install a new OS of your choice.

Only if you performed an upgrade from Win98/Me, elected to backup
the old system files, and didn't convert the partition to NTFS, can
you then boot into Safe Mode and click Start > Control Panel

Add/Remove Programs. All of these conditions must be met for the

uninstall option to be available.

Otherwise:

How to Manually Remove Win XP and Restore Win9x
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q314052


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your help. I apologize for my previous post. My next purchase
will be 2 more windows XP Pro OS for my other computers. Xp is great and I
want to have it on all my computers.

Thanks again!

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Pro is very nice to work with.

 

[Ron Martell]

Thanks for your help. I apologize for my previous post. My next purchase
will be 2 more windows XP Pro OS for my other computers. Xp is great and I
want to have it on all my computers.

Thanks again!

Actually there is zero difference in either performance or stability
between XP Pro and XP Home. The two versions are produced from the
same source code base and the differences between them consist of
certain specific features and functions which are not found in XP Home
but are included in XP Pro.

So unless you have an actual or anticipated need for at least one of
these specific items that are unique to XP Pro there is no need for or
value in having the Pro version rather than the Home.

For information on the specific differences between the two versions
see
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/whichxp.asp
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/choosing2.asp
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_home_pro.asp

One additional difference that is not included on the above web sites
is that in a peer-to-peer networking configuration Windows XP Home
will allow only 5 concurrent logins to a shared network resource
whereas XP Pro will allow 10.

Good luck


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

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."