Dual Boot: XP & XP, Must I Pay Twice?

[HKEK]

I am considering creating a dual boot disk with both partitions
running XP Pro. Is Microsoft going to allow this, or must I purchase
another COA/CD key for activation?

 

[Guest]

No, just clone one partition to the other.

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

Technically, yes, but since the hardware is the same, it will activate with no problems.

 

[HKEK]

I have read that, on dual boot systems, one should NOT use the same
computer name (elected during installation) for both operating systems
(partitions). If cloning is used, the computer names will be the same.
Do you also see this as a problem?

Of course the computer name can be changed after cloning, but will
this effect Windows product activation?

Should this install be performed BEFORE product activation or can it
be performed after Windows has been activated?

Thanks for your help.

 

[HKEK]

What actual "hardware" is activation tied to? thanks.

 

[HKEK]

from the Mocrosoft web site: Note reference to cloning...

"Product Activation Overview

Microsoft Product Activation is an anti-piracy technology designed to
verify that software products have been legitimately licensed. This
aims to reduce a form of piracy known as casual copying. Activation
also helps protect against hard drive cloning. Activation is quick,
simple, and unobtrusive, and it protects your privacy."

 

[HKEK]

more on cloning (Ghost, Drive Imaging) from extremetech.com (seems
special version is needed):

"Corporate Power
Recognizing the inconvenience and nightmare that upgrading dozens,
hundreds, or even thousands of activated machines will cause,
Microsoft will be offering volume licensing. Window XP volume license
product keys (VLK's) will not require activation, hardware checking,
or limitations on using imaging for installation (Ghost, Drive Image,
etc.). Corporate IS departments will be able to create a standard
installation and deploy it using imaging, or remote installation,
without requiring activation."

 

[HKEK]

I think I understand it now. I found a list through Microsoft with
information on the components/configurations that are used to
establish the "hardware" to which the OS is coupled.

 

[HKEK]

OK, I have found some more information and I think I understand the
cloning issue. One should not be able to produce a clone and
successfully use it on another machine; however, a clone should work
if used on the same machine from which it originated.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Well, the EULA does explicitly state "... a single copy on a
single computer..."


Bruce Chambers

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having both at once. -- RAH

 

[HKEK]

Well I guess I need to read the EULA.

I want to use one version for testing (disabling various services,
startup items, etc.) and leave one version alone. Of course I will
only run at a time. I am not really sure that I can install 2 copies
on one machine, but then I have read that people have inadvertantly
installed a second version on their computer while trying to repair an
existing one.