Computer upgrade

[Jim J]

Question: I would like to upgrade my computer by
installing a larger hard drive, improved mother board and
processor. Does my present installation of XP allow me
to do this or do I have to purchace another copy from
Microsoft?

 

[anyone]

If it's been more than 120 days since your last activation it will be no
problem, if it's under 120 days it will probably take a phone call.

 

[CS]

Question: I would like to upgrade my computer by
installing a larger hard drive, improved mother board and
processor. Does my present installation of XP allow me
to do this or do I have to purchace another copy from
Microsoft?

You can upgrade all you want without purchasing another copy of XP.
When changing out that much hardware though, you will probably have to
do a repair install of XP and then activate again. Go to this web
site to learn how to do a repair install:

http://michaelstevenstech.com/moving_xp.html#4

Compliments of MVP Michael Stevens. Very good instructions - follow
them and you should have no problem.

 

[Ken Blake]

In

Question: I would like to upgrade my computer by
installing a larger hard drive, improved mother board and
processor. Does my present installation of XP allow me
to do this or do I have to purchace another copy from
Microsoft?

If yours is a retail copy, absolutely. No problem at all.

If it's an OEM copy, changing the hard drive is no problem.
However changing the motherboard might be. An OEM version's
license ties it permanently to the first computer it's installed
on, but Microsoft has never officially defined what it means by a
"computer." There are those, including some Microsoft employees,
who claim that changing the motherboard is in effect changing the
computer, but other people disagree. Whether Microsoft would
refuse to activate you if you changed the motherboard, I'm not
sure.