Can I reuse a Windows XP license key?

[Brian Kendig]

I have some Windows XP Certificate of Authenticity stickers (each with
a 25-character license key) that I pulled from some dead PCs that were
going into the trash. The copy of Windows on these computers had
originally been preinstalled, but now nothing remains of the computers;
I even reformatted their hard drives. These Windows licenses are no
longer being used on any PC.

Will Microsoft let me use these license keys to activate Windows XP on
another PC? As long as I'm only using each key on a single PC, will
Microsoft allow me to do this?

Or is there some rule saying that a bundled Windows XP license may only
be used on the computer which originally had it preinstalled, and when
the PC goes away then I have to throw away the license as well?

 

[DanS]

I have some Windows XP Certificate of Authenticity stickers (each with
a 25-character license key) that I pulled from some dead PCs that were
going into the trash. The copy of Windows on these computers had
originally been preinstalled, but now nothing remains of the computers;
I even reformatted their hard drives. These Windows licenses are no
longer being used on any PC.

Or is there some rule saying that a bundled Windows XP license may only
be used on the computer which originally had it preinstalled, and when
the PC goes away then I have to throw away the license as well?

Dign, ding, ding.....we have a winner! The answer to your last question is
Yes, the license stays with that actual hardware it was sold on, legally,
those licenses have 0 (zero) value.

 

[Brian Kendig]

Yes, the license stays with that actual hardware it was sold on, legally,
those licenses have 0 (zero) value.

Thanks for the info. This raises another question: since the definition
of "PC" seems nebulous (I've been able to purchase an OEM copy of
Windows XP from NewEgg with the purchase of a power Y-adapter, since
the three inches of wire counted as a "new PC"), I could conceivably be
installing this copy of Windows into a system with the same chassis and
power supply, but completely different electronics...

Do you know of anyone who's ever been denied activation from Microsoft?
Has the Microsoft phone rep ever told someone, "No, that license was
tied to the original hardware which is now gone, we're not going to let
you activate it on another PC"?

 

[Leythos]

Thanks for the info. This raises another question: since the definition
of "PC" seems nebulous (I've been able to purchase an OEM copy of
Windows XP from NewEgg with the purchase of a power Y-adapter, since
the three inches of wire counted as a "new PC"), I could conceivably be
installing this copy of Windows into a system with the same chassis and
power supply, but completely different electronics...

Do you know of anyone who's ever been denied activation from Microsoft?
Has the Microsoft phone rep ever told someone, "No, that license was
tied to the original hardware which is now gone, we're not going to let
you activate it on another PC"?

Since you purchased an OEM copy of XP, you are now a Systems Builder and
have agreed to the stated restrictions on the Systems Builders site -
any ethical place that sells OEM directly will inform you of this before
allowing you to purchase OEM XP.

Why not take a look at the Systems Builder website and see what you've
agreed to and how MS defines "PC" or "Computer" and what limitations
they impose?

 

[John Doe]

Since you purchased an OEM copy of XP, you are now a Systems
Builder and have agreed to the stated restrictions on the Systems
Builders site -

As if everything Microsoft says is the law.

Why not take a look at the Systems Builder website and see what
you've agreed to and how MS defines "PC" or "Computer" and what
limitations they impose?

Maybe the original poster wants to know his rights instead of just
what Microsoft wants him to believe are his rights.


The XNoArchive troll is spewing nonsense, as usual.

--

spam999free rrohio.com
remove 999 in order to email me


Path: newssvr29.news.prodigy.net!newsdbm05.news.prodigy.com!newsdst01.news.prodigy.net!prodigy.com!newscon04.news.prodigy.net!prodigy.net!pd7cy3no!shaw.ca!nx01.iad01.newshosting.com!newshosting.com!204.127.204.223.MISMATCH!wns13feed!worldnet.att.net!24.30.200.11!news-east.rr.com!news.rr.com!news-server.columbus.rr.com!tornado.ohiordc.rr.com.POSTED!53ab2750!not-for-mail
From: Leythos <void nowhere.lan>
Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
Subject: Re: Can I reuse a Windows XP license key?
References: <1164643801.153572.25480 l39g2000cwd.googlegroups.com> <Xns98887957EB1ECthisnthatadelphianet 194.177.96.26> <1164648481.761791.188450 j72g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
User-Agent: MicroPlanet-Gravity/2.70.2067
X-Face: GdB\,+)nB_`=bi~37a!$XsV?,J0P;Mn)uP="TZP>NbO2\<7d4';Nf!QJi2uH;-[#3>hjr1G 3+Lq:jkuw%Y1-wLmm$=B$QsV+m~+g}r[(#C;(#f,h{;c_^;laO^h"V8.gHDVB$+SkqF8MZw:>=#XWh asX3=0EPo}"~n/.W[ba5ch0R)yb-|++q<lWMZ,VlP5"74UE?)"p)'
X-No-archive: yes
Lines: 31
Message-ID: <ZmFah.33844$Cq3.9276 tornado.ohiordc.rr.com>
Date: Mon, 27 Nov 2006 17:36:57 GMT
NNTP-Posting-Host: 70.63.22.34
X-Complaints-To: abuse rr.com
X-Trace: tornado.ohiordc.rr.com 1164649017 70.63.22.34 (Mon, 27 Nov 2006 12:36:57 EST)
NNTP-Posting-Date: Mon, 27 Nov 2006 12:36:57 EST
Organization: Road Runner High Speed Online http://www.rr.com
Xref: prodigy.net microsoft.public.windowsxp.general:1672718

 

[Leythos]

As if everything Microsoft says is the law.

And just what can you offer?

Maybe the original poster wants to know his rights instead of just
what Microsoft wants him to believe are his rights.

What part of that didn't you seem to understand - and to be informed of
HOW MS views it is a valid thing to know/understand, even if you don't
agree with it.

 

[Brian Kendig]

Since you purchased an OEM copy of XP, you are now a Systems Builder and
have agreed to the stated restrictions on the Systems Builders site -
any ethical place that sells OEM directly will inform you of this before
allowing you to purchase OEM XP.

Huh? I purchased an OEM copy of XP from NewEgg.com for my own PC. They
threw in a Y-adapter power cable so that I could qualify for the OEM
license. What's this about me being a "Systems Builder" now? NewEgg
didn't inform me of anything out of the ordinary...

Why not take a look at the Systems Builder website and see what you've
agreed to and how MS defines "PC" or "Computer" and what limitations
they impose?

It looks like Microsoft says that if the motherboard changes, then the
Windows license is no longer valid; if the motherboard is thrown away,
the Windows license also has to be thrown away.

Has this stood up in court? Has anyone ever challenged this rule? Has
Microsoft ever refused to let someone reactivate Windows on a new PC
after the old one was trashed? It seems like a terrible example of
collusion, a blatant ploy to make more money, for Microsoft to say that
its license isn't transferrable between products made by another
company... isn't it kind of like saying, "this car radio is only
licensed for use in the first car you install it in, and if someday you
get a new car, you're not legally allowed to take the car radio out of
the old car and put it into the new one - you have to throw out the
radio instead"?

 

[Leythos]

Huh? I purchased an OEM copy of XP from NewEgg.com for my own PC. They
threw in a Y-adapter power cable so that I could qualify for the OEM
license. What's this about me being a "Systems Builder" now? NewEgg
didn't inform me of anything out of the ordinary...

Take a gander at the walmart site for their explanation on it:
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=1957320

It looks like Microsoft says that if the motherboard changes, then the
Windows license is no longer valid; if the motherboard is thrown away,
the Windows license also has to be thrown away.

It's changed this year, it use to be the Motherboard, not it's the
motherboard any more, it's the PC now.

Has this stood up in court? Has anyone ever challenged this rule? Has
Microsoft ever refused to let someone reactivate Windows on a new PC
after the old one was trashed? It seems like a terrible example of
collusion, a blatant ploy to make more money, for Microsoft to say that
its license isn't transferrable between products made by another
company... isn't it kind of like saying, "this car radio is only
licensed for use in the first car you install it in, and if someday you
get a new car, you're not legally allowed to take the car radio out of
the old car and put it into the new one - you have to throw out the
radio instead"?

All good questions, but in all the years I've been using MS products
I've never seen a reputable answer to them.

 

[Guest]

Just perusing posts when fell upon this.......interesting.

In my case I had purchaes a PC from MEDION. which had a Medion 3000 Mobo.
This was an renamed Micro Star International (MSI) mobo. It blew up so I
purchased another bunled kit of ASUS A7V333 and AMD 2100+.

Now all I had was recovery CD. All existing hardware components were used
with new board so only change was mobo.

Now this was a few years back and from what I remember when I started PC up
I wasn't asked to reactivate. I think it noted the change and stated that I
might have to reactivate but that was it. I never did. Still working today.

The question: Do I have a legal copy of windows running or is it pirated???
So much for WGA???

 

[DanS]

Just perusing posts when fell upon this.......interesting.

In my case I had purchaes a PC from MEDION. which had a Medion 3000
Mobo. This was an renamed Micro Star International (MSI) mobo. It
blew up so I purchased another bunled kit of ASUS A7V333 and AMD
2100+.

Now all I had was recovery CD. All existing hardware components were
used with new board so only change was mobo.

Now this was a few years back and from what I remember when I started
PC up I wasn't asked to reactivate. I think it noted the change and
stated that I might have to reactivate but that was it. I never did.
Still working today.

The question: Do I have a legal copy of windows running or is it
pirated??? So much for WGA???

I would say you have a completely legal installation. If Windows itself and
WPA & WGA do not complain, then it HAS to be valid.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I have some Windows XP Certificate of Authenticity stickers (each with
a 25-character license key) that I pulled from some dead PCs that were
going into the trash. The copy of Windows on these computers had
originally been preinstalled, but now nothing remains of the computers;
I even reformatted their hard drives. These Windows licenses are no
longer being used on any PC.

Will Microsoft let me use these license keys to activate Windows XP on
another PC? As long as I'm only using each key on a single PC, will
Microsoft allow me to do this?

No, No, No, a thousand times *NO!*

Or is there some rule saying that a bundled Windows XP license may only
be used on the computer which originally had it preinstalled, and when
the PC goes away then I have to throw away the license as well?

Exactly. By your own admission, you are dealing with OEM licenses for
WinXP. An OEM version must be sold with a piece of hardware (normally
a motherboard or hard rive, if not an entire PC) and is _permanently_
bound to the first PC on which it's installed. An OEM license, once
installed, is not legally transferable to another computer under _any_
circumstances.


--

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