Can I Transfer License to New PC ?

[Talal Itani]

Hello,

I have an old PC with XP Pro. I am building a new PC and would like to know
if I can use the XP Pro I already have. I have the license number, yet I do
not have the disk. My friend told me that he can give me an XP Pro disk,
and all I have to do is install and plug-in the license number. Is this
true, is this a good idea? Will Microsoft disable XP on the old PC? (The
license number does not say OEM.)

Thanks.
T.I.

 

[Daave]

I have an old PC with XP Pro. I am building a new PC and would like
to know if I can use the XP Pro I already have. I have the license
number, yet I do not have the disk. My friend told me that he can
give me an XP Pro disk, and all I have to do is install and plug-in
the license number. Is this true, is this a good idea? Will Microsoft
disable XP on the old PC? (The license number does not say OEM.)

We need more information.

What is the make and model of your old PC? Did it come with an OEM
installation of XP Pro, or is this something you added on your own? If
the latter, how did you do it? Generic OEM disk? Full, Retail disk?
Upgrade disk? Why do you no longer have the disk? Is this product key
(not sure what you mean by "license number") from a sticker on the PC?
Or from the packaging to the disk you no longer have? Even if you are
legally transferring a retail license from the old PC to the new one
(using the same product key and a corresponding disk -- the same exact
type of XP, e.g., Retail, Full, Pro), you need to remove it from the old
one (you may simply format the hard drive). If not, it will eventually
be flagged by Microsoft if you are online with it.

 

[Talal Itani]

I bought that old PC used, from a garage sale. Can the license number
answer these questions?

 

[Alias]

I bought that old PC used, from a garage sale. Can the license number
answer these questions?

Maybe but if you try to install it, you'll know for sure. If the product
key won't work, you'll find out soon enough because the install won't
accept it and won't let you proceed to install. Even if the old computer
had a generic OEM XP on it, it's surely been over 120 days so it should
activate on line, become genuine and all that jazz. To find out what
kind of XP you have, right click on My Computer/Properties and look to
see if "OEM" is in the product ID.

Now, if the XP installed on the old computer was preinstalled by the
manufacturer of the computer, you're SOL and need to buy a new copy of
XP. Or, you could download the .ISO of Ubuntu and use that. It's free
and has no licensing restrictions like Microshaft has. Check it out at
http://www.ubuntu.com/

Alias

 

[Big_Al]

We need more information.

What is the make and model of your old PC? Did it come with an OEM
installation of XP Pro, or is this something you added on your own? If
the latter, how did you do it? Generic OEM disk? Full, Retail disk?
Upgrade disk? Why do you no longer have the disk? Is this product key
(not sure what you mean by "license number") from a sticker on the PC?
Or from the packaging to the disk you no longer have? Even if you are
legally transferring a retail license from the old PC to the new one
(using the same product key and a corresponding disk -- the same exact
type of XP, e.g., Retail, Full, Pro), you need to remove it from the old
one (you may simply format the hard drive). If not, it will eventually
be flagged by Microsoft if you are online with it.

OP stated that the license does not say OEM. Thus taking that into
consideration, YES, you can transfer the License to a new PC.

Just remember that if a Retail XP is used, its for one PC at a time and
the old PC must be turned off. Granted I'm sure for a day or two to
move the data files etc you can. I don't think there is a cop running
around the world making sure you don't turn the old PC on after the new
one is licensed.

 

[Alias]

OP stated that the license does not say OEM. Thus taking that into
consideration, YES, you can transfer the License to a new PC.

Just remember that if a Retail XP is used, its for one PC at a time and
the old PC must be turned off. Granted I'm sure for a day or two to
move the data files etc you can. I don't think there is a cop running
around the world making sure you don't turn the old PC on after the new
one is licensed.

I know for a fact that if one uses Auto Update, the last activation was
over 120 ago and one does not install WGA, one can use the same XP
license on two different computers. MS doesn't like that and you're in
violation of the EULA, an EULA that MS hasn't grown the balls to take
anyone to court for because they know their EULA is unconscionable and
would hate to have a court precedent stating that fact.

Alias

 

[Big_Al]

Hello,

I have an old PC with XP Pro. I am building a new PC and would like to know
if I can use the XP Pro I already have. I have the license number, yet I do
not have the disk. My friend told me that he can give me an XP Pro disk,
and all I have to do is install and plug-in the license number. Is this
true, is this a good idea? Will Microsoft disable XP on the old PC? (The
license number does not say OEM.)

Thanks.
T.I.

Sure, open explorer and click your C: drive (or whichever). Click the
search button at the top and 'search companion should open'. On mine I
have the "what size is it?" helper at the bottom of the search
companion, just below where I would put in the file name. Just expand
it and pick like 'large' or the 'specify'.
If MS wrote it right, it should work.

 

[Ron Badour]

By license number, do you mean product key (five groups of five
alpha/numeric characters)? If so, it will not contain OEM even if it is an
OEM system. How did you get the product key--is it on a sticker on the
computer placed there by the computer maker? If so, you probably have an
OEM system and it cannot be transferred.

 

[Talal Itani]

Surely I do not plan to reformat the drive of the old PC and un-install XP
Pro. What happens if I just keep it, and take it off-line?

T.I.

 

[Big_Al]

Sure, open explorer and click your C: drive (or whichever). Click the
search button at the top and 'search companion should open'. On mine I
have the "what size is it?" helper at the bottom of the search
companion, just below where I would put in the file name. Just expand
it and pick like 'large' or the 'specify'.
If MS wrote it right, it should work.

Sorry, Replied to the wrong message. Right reply, just wrong reply to.
OOPS.

 

[Talal Itani]

I know for a fact that if one uses Auto Update, the last activation was
over 120 ago and one does not install WGA, one can use the same XP license
on two different computers. MS doesn't like that and you're in violation
of the EULA, an EULA that MS hasn't grown the balls to take anyone to
court for because they know their EULA is unconscionable and would hate to
have a court precedent stating that fact.

Alias

Thanks. What is WGA? Did you mean to say, that Auto Update should be
turned off?

 

[Big_Al]

Surely I do not plan to reformat the drive of the old PC and un-install XP
Pro. What happens if I just keep it, and take it off-line?

T.I.

"Out of sight, out of mind" might apply. Its like running a red light
at 2 am. If there is no one there to see you do it, is it wrong?

We're stating facts, you can bend them any way you need. Not trying to
be sarcastic. I know where you are headed.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Hello,

I have an old PC with XP Pro. I am building a new PC and would like to know
if I can use the XP Pro I already have.

If it's an OEM version, no. If it's a retail version, yes, assuming
that you remove it from old PC. You may not have it on both computers
simultaneously.

I have the license number, yet I do
not have the disk.

Why not? That suggests that it's an OEM version.

My friend told me that he can give me an XP Pro disk,
and all I have to do is install and plug-in the license number. Is this
true,

Maybe. The two versions (your friend's CD and your Product ID) have to
match with respect to Professional vs. Home (which yours does, as you
say), OEM vs. Retail, and Full vs. Upgrade. Otherwise your number
won't work with his CD.

 

[HeyBub]

Hello,

I have an old PC with XP Pro. I am building a new PC and would like
to know if I can use the XP Pro I already have. I have the license
number, yet I do not have the disk. My friend told me that he can
give me an XP Pro disk, and all I have to do is install and plug-in
the license number. Is this true, is this a good idea? Will
Microsoft disable XP on the old PC? (The license number does not say
OEM.)

Put the old hard drive in the new machine as its primary drive.

Boot the old hard drive.

Use cloning software available from the manufacturer of the new hard drive
to clone the old hard drive to the new (larger) hard drive.

Remove the old hard drive and re-connect the new hard drive.

 

[Alias]

Thanks. What is WGA?

Windows Genuine Advantage. It's a program that scans your computer to
see if you're running a kosher copy of Windows.

Did you mean to say, that Auto Update should be
turned off?

No, set Auto Update to inform but not download or install. When it
informs, use the personalized radial button and make sure the WGA isn't
one of the updates and, if it is, untick it and, when asked, tell it to
never offer that update again. SP3, btw, does not include WGA.

Alias

 

[Daave]

I bought that old PC used, from a garage sale. Can the license number
answer these questions?

Again, Talal, you need to answer the questions!!!

What is the make and model of this old PC? When you purchased it, was
anything else included in the purchase? Does it have a Certificate of
Authenticity sticker on it (this contains the Product ID)? If so, a have
a look at the following Web page and let us know what kind of license it
is:

http://wiki.lunarsoft.net/wiki/Product_IDs

What exactly do you mean by "license number"? Do you mean Product ID? Or
the Product Key? And are you getting this "license number" from the COA
sticker or from somewhere else? That is, did this as-of-yet unidentified
PC come with XP Pro pre-installed (and is this what the COA sticker
indicates)? Or was it something added along the way, either by the
person who sold it to you or by yourself?

 

[Talal Itani]

Ok, I guess I do not have the answers because I do not have the answers. I
have to look, to find out.

Thanks.

 

[Talal Itani]

I think I will just buy a new license.

 

[Lisa]

The answer to your question is that you need to purchase a new license for
sure if you plan on keeping XP running in the old machine. My OEM disk does
not say OEM in the license so you can't tell that way. Also if you got that
license number from a sticker attached to the machine then it is tied to
that machine.