Can I move XP Pro to another computer & install XP Home on Pro one

[Guest]

I have a full version CD of Win XP Pro and Home with service pack 1. I
bought a new computer that has Win XP Home service pack 2 on it. I must have
Pro for my Novell server. I also have a computer with no operating system but
does have a product key for Win 2000. I also have purchased a copy of an
upgrade to Win XP Pro. My original computer with XP Pro will not be on the
Novell server so it can do with Win XP Home. My new computer and the one with
the product key for Win 2000 will be on the Novell server. Is there a legal
way to change these around without having to buy more copies of Win XP?

Barbara Packard

 

[Rock]

I have a full version CD of Win XP Pro and Home with service pack 1. I
bought a new computer that has Win XP Home service pack 2 on it. I must
have
Pro for my Novell server. I also have a computer with no operating system
but
does have a product key for Win 2000. I also have purchased a copy of an
upgrade to Win XP Pro. My original computer with XP Pro will not be on the
Novell server so it can do with Win XP Home. My new computer and the one
with
the product key for Win 2000 will be on the Novell server. Is there a
legal
way to change these around without having to buy more copies of Win XP?

Barbara, you posted this earlier as a reply to someone else's thread and I
replied to you with some questions. Have you seen that?

For reference here is my reply. Next time keep in the original thread.

Quote:

In the future, you should not post a new question as a reply to another
thread. Make a new post with your issue.

For now since you're here, your post is a bit unclear and some information
is missing.

1. You say you have a "full version disk of Win XP Pro". Is this installed
on a computer or has it ever been installed on a computer and is it a retail
version or an OEM version?

2. The new computer that you bough that has Win XP Home SP2 - that is an
OEM version of XP correct - it came preinstalled by the computer vendor?

3. The old computer that has a license key for Win2000. Do you have the
Win2000 CD? If so is this a retail version of Win2000 or an OEM version?

4. You suddenly mention "My original computer with XP Pro". What computer
is this? Does this computer have the "full version disk of Win XP Pro"
installed? If so again is this a retail or OEM version of XP? If it's
another copy of XP is that copy OEM or retail?

Here are some basic rules. OEM versions cannot be moved to another
computer. It lives and dies on the first computer on which it's installed.
An OEM version can be used as a basis for an upgrade.

The XP Pro upgrade can be used to upgrade Win2k to XP Pro if you have the
Win2k CD. Just having the license key doesn't mean anything. If the
version of Win2k is OEM then only that computer on which it had originally
been installed can be upgraded to XP Pro with the upgrade. If the Win2k is
retail then it can be used as the basis of an upgrade for any of the
computers.

Or the XP Pro upgrade can be used to upgrade the new computer with XP Home
to XP Pro. The XP home license is subsumed into the XP Pro license, and
can't be used elsewhere. Since it's likely an OEM version it can't be
transferred to another computer anyway.

Give the answers to these questions about OEM v Retail and the "original
computer" and we can give you a definitive answer.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I have a full version CD of Win XP Pro and Home with service pack 1. I
bought a new computer that has Win XP Home service pack 2 on it. I must have
Pro for my Novell server. I also have a computer with no operating system but
does have a product key for Win 2000. I also have purchased a copy of an
upgrade to Win XP Pro. My original computer with XP Pro will not be on the
Novell server so it can do with Win XP Home. My new computer and the one with
the product key for Win 2000 will be on the Novell server. Is there a legal
way to change these around without having to buy more copies of Win XP?

Barbara Packard

That's all extremely muddled, but I think the answers to your
question are:

Any retail licenses can be moved around as desired, so long as each
license is installed on only one computer at a time. Which ever
specific older license is used as a qualifying product for the Upgrade
license cannot be used anywhere else, as it becomes subsumed by the
upgrade. Any OEM licenses, such as the WinXP Home, cannot be
transferred to any other computer, although they can be removed/replaced
by another full license, as desired.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

 

[Guest]

Dear Bruce,

I have a retail copy of XP Pro on the computer that I want to put a retail
version of XP Home on. So it appears that I cannot "downgrade" this computer
without wiping the hard drive. I didn't want to do that but I do have an
external hard drive that I can copy the information that I want to save onto
it and then reinstall the document that I want on each of these computers. I
can then put the upgrade of Xp Pro on my new computer that has an OEM version
of XP Home. Then I can put the retail version that I'm taking off my old
computer and put it on the one without the operating system. This is a family
thing. My son has been using some of his programs and downloading files on my
old computer. Of course I have files on my old computer that I want to keep.
My daughter still lives at home and she is getting an upgraded computer that
doesn't have an operating system on it yet. She has to have XP Pro because it
supports our Novell server. I believe this resolves my issues. I really
appreciate your advice.

Thank you again!
Barbara Packard

 

[Guest]

Dear Rock,

I aploagize for my ignorance on how to post a question/thread. I found this
site very confusing on how to post a question but I eventually figured it out.
Anyway, my new computer has the OEM version of XP Home. My old computer has
a retail version of XP Pro that is currently on it. I also have a retail
version of XP home. It looks like I can put the upgrade of XP Pro on my new
computer with the OEM version of XP Home. I can then wipe my hard drive of my
old computer that has the retail version of XP Pro. Then I can install that
XP Pro on the computer that does not have an operating system but has the Win
2000 license. (Yes, I do have a retail version of Win 2000.) I can then take
my retail version of XP Home and put it on my old computer that no longer
needs to be on our Novell server that I have now reformatted. I do have an
external drive large enough to copy my files that I want to keep before I
reformat. Thank you so much for your response.

Barbara Packard

 

[Rock]

Dear Rock,

I aploagize for my ignorance on how to post a question/thread. I found
this
site very confusing on how to post a question but I eventually figured it
out.
Anyway, my new computer has the OEM version of XP Home. My old computer
has
a retail version of XP Pro that is currently on it. I also have a retail
version of XP home. It looks like I can put the upgrade of XP Pro on my
new
computer with the OEM version of XP Home. I can then wipe my hard drive of
my
old computer that has the retail version of XP Pro. Then I can install
that
XP Pro on the computer that does not have an operating system but has the
Win
2000 license. (Yes, I do have a retail version of Win 2000.) I can then
take
my retail version of XP Home and put it on my old computer that no longer
needs to be on our Novell server that I have now reformatted. I do have an
external drive large enough to copy my files that I want to keep before I
reformat. Thank you so much for your response.

You're welcome. Yes, it does look like you have things covered. That is
the value of having retail copies.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Dear Bruce,

I have a retail copy of XP Pro on the computer that I want to put a retail
version of XP Home on. So it appears that I cannot "downgrade" this computer
without wiping the hard drive.

Correct. The only way to change from WinXP Pro to WinXP Home is to
format the drive and start over. There is no supported downgrade path
or technique.

After backing up any data you wish to transfer to the new OS
installation,, simply boot from the WinXP Home installation CD. You'll
be offered the opportunity to delete, create, and format partitions as
part of the installation process. (You may need to re-arrange the order
of boot devices in the PC's BIOS to boot from the CD.)

HOW TO Install Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;316941

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm

Then the backed up data can be restored and applications re-installed.

I didn't want to do that but I do have an
external hard drive that I can copy the information that I want to save onto
it and then reinstall the document that I want on each of these computers. I
can then put the upgrade of Xp Pro on my new computer that has an OEM version
of XP Home.

Yes, this should work.

Then I can put the retail version that I'm taking off my old
computer and put it on the one without the operating system. This is a family
thing. My son has been using some of his programs and downloading files on my
old computer. Of course I have files on my old computer that I want to keep.
My daughter still lives at home and she is getting an upgraded computer that
doesn't have an operating system on it yet. She has to have XP Pro because it
supports our Novell server. I believe this resolves my issues. I really
appreciate your advice.

It sounds like you've got it sorted out.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell