How can I check validity of XP?

[Steve Jones]

I bought a copy of XP Home a few years ago but never ended up using it, so
it's still in the wrapper. I'm buying a laptop and want to change it from
Vista to XP, but I'm wary of wiping off Vista and then finding that the
registration key on my copy of XP is no longer valid. The reason I'm worried
is that the key is clearly visible through the wrapper, and I suspect it's an
'OEM version'? I've been told that it's possible that the shop I bought it
off will have already registered that copy of XP on another PC? Can anybody
advise how I can check the XP key before removing Vista?

 

[Richard Urban]

No way to know until you install the system and try to activate the system.

 

[Mike Torello]

I bought a copy of XP Home a few years ago but never ended up using it, so
it's still in the wrapper. I'm buying a laptop and want to change it from
Vista to XP, but I'm wary of wiping off Vista and then finding that the
registration key on my copy of XP is no longer valid. The reason I'm worried
is that the key is clearly visible through the wrapper, and I suspect it's an
'OEM version'? I've been told that it's possible that the shop I bought it
off will have already registered that copy of XP on another PC? Can anybody
advise how I can check the XP key before removing Vista?

Have to install it to find out.

FIRST... you should check to make sure the laptop manufacturer has
provided Vista drivers for what you buy. Chances are there won't be
any. If that is the case, you won't be able to install XP
successfully.

 

[Gerry]

Mike

"Chances are there won't be any." I think you mean no Windows XP drivers but
this statement is ambiguous.

--


Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Touch Base]

I bought a copy of XP Home a few years ago but never ended up using it, so
it's still in the wrapper. I'm buying a laptop and want to change it from
Vista to XP, but I'm wary of wiping off Vista and then finding that the
registration key on my copy of XP is no longer valid. The reason I'm worried
is that the key is clearly visible through the wrapper, and I suspect it's
an
'OEM version'? I've been told that it's possible that the shop I bought it
off will have already registered that copy of XP on another PC? Can anybody
advise how I can check the XP key before removing Vista?

========================================================

Your main problem may be that the laptop internal components you are
considering buying are not compatible with XP. It may only have drivers
available for Vista and may not have XP drivers available. This I would
check first. You can usually do this by checking out the website of the
brand with the model number and have a look under support for driver
downloads and see if they list both XP and Vista drivers for that model or
ring and speak to the company.

As far as the XP licence is concerned, you can do a manual check over the
phone with MS to check whether the key is valid, but you or they won't know
if the key is already in use on another machine until you try and activate
the key after install because they won't have the ability on the phone to
check whether it is in use yet until the computer does a physical check
during the online activation process.

Activation
You must activate your Microsoft product to confirm that each copy of the
product is not installed on more than the limited number of computers that
is indicated in the software end user license agreement (EULA). The
activation process can be performed by using the telephone, a modem, or the
Internet. None of the information that is collected during activation will
be used to personally identify you.

To activate your product over the telephone, use one of the following
numbers: [It says Volume Licensing but it's the same for single licences.]
a.. Office activation (U.S. only): (888) 652-2342
b.. Windows activation: (888) 571-2048
c.. TTY number: (800) 718-1599
d.. If you are an International customer, visit the following Microsoft
Web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/resources/vol/numbers.mspx
When you get through just tell them your concerns and ask if they can check
the validity of the key for you.

 

[Paul]

I bought a copy of XP Home a few years ago but never ended up using it, so
it's still in the wrapper. I'm buying a laptop and want to change it from
Vista to XP, but I'm wary of wiping off Vista and then finding that the
registration key on my copy of XP is no longer valid. The reason I'm worried
is that the key is clearly visible through the wrapper, and I suspect it's an
'OEM version'? I've been told that it's possible that the shop I bought it
off will have already registered that copy of XP on another PC? Can anybody
advise how I can check the XP key before removing Vista?

Imaging such a "validity checker" existed. Abusers could use the checker,
to make up their own keys, by testing the keys one at a time. The
"validity checker" website would be constantly overloaded, as everyone
with an invalid copy of WinXP, attempted to find a valid key value to
use Someone would write an application, to pummel the "validity
checker" in an automated way, so 100's of requests could be sent per
second. Sounds like fun...

Before doing the installation, see if you can find a thread on the web,
where someone else has determined where all the drivers can be found.
Some drivers may take you a while to locate.

Paul

 

[Richard Urban]

Lots of luck! Have you done this? Doubtful!

If MS offered this service people would be calling with any set of made up
keys trying to find a lucky guess that was valid.

 

[Mike Torello]

Mike

"Chances are there won't be any." I think you mean no Windows XP drivers but
this statement is ambiguous.

I definitely meant XP drivers.

 

[Patrick Keenan]

I bought a copy of XP Home a few years ago but never ended up using it, so
it's still in the wrapper. I'm buying a laptop and want to change it from
Vista to XP, but I'm wary of wiping off Vista and then finding that the
registration key on my copy of XP is no longer valid. The reason I'm
worried
is that the key is clearly visible through the wrapper, and I suspect it's
an
'OEM version'? I've been told that it's possible that the shop I bought it
off will have already registered that copy of XP on another PC? Can
anybody
advise how I can check the XP key before removing Vista?

As far as I know, there is no way to do this. And frankly, it's not
particularly likely that it's been activated already.

You do need to be sure that there actually are XP drivers for your laptop,
and have them on hand. If they don't exist, don't downgrade.

I removed Vista from my laptop and put XP Pro on it. I soon found that the
laptop ran *slower* with XP, so I put Vista back on, turned UAC off, and the
machine runs very well now.

If you want to be able to very quickly go back to Vista if there's a
problem, purchase a new hard disk and install XP to that. Set the Vista
drive aside. This will cost you perhaps $60 - $90 more.

HTH
-pk

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

On Tue, 28 Apr 2009 02:14:10 -0700, Steve Jones <Steve

I bought a copy of XP Home a few years ago but never ended up using it, so
it's still in the wrapper. I'm buying a laptop and want to change it from
Vista to XP, but I'm wary of wiping off Vista and then finding that the
registration key on my copy of XP is no longer valid. The reason I'm worried
is that the key is clearly visible through the wrapper, and I suspect it's an
'OEM version'? I've been told that it's possible that the shop I bought it
off will have already registered that copy of XP on another PC?

Just because it's an OEM version doesn't mean that they did that. And
if they did, and sold you a copy that's already installed on another
computer, they have been entirely dishonest. You should tell them that
they either will give you another clean, unused copy or you will
report them to the police.

However, more important, you should realize that if you are buying a
new laptop that comes with Vista, there is an excellent chance that
there are no XP drivers available for it and it will never
successfully run XP.

 

[Jon]

If as you say you haven't bought the laptop yet, make sure that it has a recovery disk or recovery
partition. This can be used to re-install Vista if your XP copy fails or if you have driver or other
problems.

If it has a recovery partition rather than a recover disk, when installing XP, make sure you don't
delete partition on the hard drive that stores the recovery, and don't overwrite this partition. To
be ultra safe, also buy an extra hard drive for the laptop, then install XP on this. If it all goes
wrong, put the original Vista hard drive back in. Whichever you choose, you will have a spare hard
drive - you could get a USB adapter to fit this as an external removable drive - very useful for
backups.

Check that the laptop you intend to buy has drivers for XP - some companies (eg Dell) make their
business range of laptops with drivers for both XP and Vista. You can download the XP drivers from
the support section of their website.



I bought a copy of XP Home a few years ago but never ended up using it, so
it's still in the wrapper. I'm buying a laptop and want to change it from
Vista to XP, but I'm wary of wiping off Vista and then finding that the
registration key on my copy of XP is no longer valid. The reason I'm worried
is that the key is clearly visible through the wrapper, and I suspect it's an
'OEM version'? I've been told that it's possible that the shop I bought it
off will have already registered that copy of XP on another PC? Can anybody
advise how I can check the XP key before removing Vista?

 

[Erwin Moller]

Mike Torello schreef:

Have to install it to find out.

FIRST... you should check to make sure the laptop manufacturer has
provided Vista drivers for what you buy. Chances are there won't be
any. If that is the case, you won't be able to install XP
successfully.

Why does he need Vista drivers if he wants to install XP?

Erwin Moller

--
"There are two ways of constructing a software design: One way is to
make it so simple that there are obviously no deficiencies, and the
other way is to make it so complicated that there are no obvious
deficiencies. The first method is far more difficult."
-- C.A.R. Hoare

 

[Mike Torello]

Erwin Moller

Why does he need Vista drivers if he wants to install XP?

Already explained <sigh>

 

[Erwin Moller]

Mike Torello schreef:

Erwin Moller


Already explained <sigh>

Not by you.
I guess you refer to the posting of Touch Base.

I must admit it suprises me hardware is released that only has Vista
drivers. Sounds like a commercial mistake to me to ommit the XP drivers.

Regards,
Erwin Moller


--
"There are two ways of constructing a software design: One way is to
make it so simple that there are obviously no deficiencies, and the
other way is to make it so complicated that there are no obvious
deficiencies. The first method is far more difficult."
-- C.A.R. Hoare

 

[Mike Torello]

Erwin Moller

Mike Torello schreef:

Not by you.

Yes. By me. Here. Yesterday afternoon:

====

Mike

"Chances are there won't be any." I think you mean no Windows XP drivers but
this statement is ambiguous.

I definitely meant XP drivers.

 

[Erwin Moller]

Mike Torello schreef:

Erwin Moller


Yes. By me. Here. Yesterday afternoon:

====



I definitely meant XP drivers.

Ah, Excuse me.
I totally misread that one.
My bad.

Regards,
Erwin Moller

--
"There are two ways of constructing a software design: One way is to
make it so simple that there are obviously no deficiencies, and the
other way is to make it so complicated that there are no obvious
deficiencies. The first method is far more difficult."
-- C.A.R. Hoare