Changing hardware under Win XP

E

Eric

I'm about to replace the motherboard in my computer and
rebuild my whole hard drive by stripping everything off
then reinstalling the O/S along with all my apps.
How would I go about this with microsoft's registration
and activation process???
 
R

Ray Taylor

This will require a call to Microsoft to re-register windows. (usually free)
If your version of windows is OEM then you wont be able to put it on the new
machine.


Ray Taylor
(e-mail address removed)
 
K

Ken Blake

This will require a call to Microsoft to re-register windows.


It requires a call to re*activate*. Registration, as always, is
entirely optional.

(usually free) If your version of windows is OEM then you wont be
able to put it on the new machine.


That's highly questionable. He's replacing the motherboard. Does
that make it a new machine? This is a gray area in the EULA, and
as far as I know, Microsoft has never clarified how much you have
to change before it's considered a new machine.

So under those circumstances, if it were me I would *not* assume
that it was a new machine, and could not install my OEM version
on it.
 
L

Len Segal

Ken,

There is a "technical issue" if this OEM is BIOS-locked by the system mfr
(assuming it is a major brand), in which case Eric would not be able to
physically install the OEM OS on that new mobo (unless by same mfr and
perhaps model, not likely).

Legally, I'm with you on this issue . . . if the case is re-used and mobo
and HDD are replaced I have always contended that this is a legit upgrade
and the OEM (assuming a generic MS created OEM, not a major brand customized
OS) could be re-used. IANAL and thus, this isn't legal advice!
 
K

Ken Blake

Ken,

There is a "technical issue" if this OEM is BIOS-locked by the system
mfr (assuming it is a major brand), in which case Eric would not be
able to physically install the OEM OS on that new mobo (unless by
same mfr and perhaps model, not likely).


Yes, that's certainly so. I was assuming, perhaps incorrectly,
that we weren't talking about that kind of OEM version.

Legally, I'm with you on this issue . . . if the case is re-used and
mobo and HDD are replaced I have always contended that this is a
legit upgrade and the OEM (assuming a generic MS created OEM, not a
major brand customized OS) could be re-used. IANAL and thus, this
isn't legal advice!


I've said before that, since Microsoft's requirement is to put
the sticker on the *case*, one could perhaps legally defend the
position that as long as you keep the case, with the sticker on
it, you could replace everything else and still consider it the
same computer.

That's just my guess, though. I'm certainly not a lawyer.
 

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