How to swap liecenses for XP Pro and Home!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

Silly question:
I have two machines one with XP PRO and one with XP HOME.
I now need to swap them over in terms of OS Version.

What is the easiest method?
Will I have any issues in activation?

Thanks
Ken
 
KenUK said:
Silly question:
I have two machines one with XP PRO and one with XP HOME.
I now need to swap them over in terms of OS Version.

What is the easiest method?
Click to expand...

Clean installs would be best, but if you want to keep the setting and
program installs intact, then:

Swap hardrives, do repair install, and then reactivate.

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/moving_xp.html
Will I have any issues in activation?
Click to expand...

That depends if these copies of XP are from major OEMs or are
Retail/Generic OEM copies.

The latter shouldn't be a problem at all, though if they were activated
within the last 120 days then you will need to phone activation.

If the former, you can get them activated by phone, but if you answer
the PA reps with answers they don't like, then you may have a problem.

--
Peace!
Kurt Kirsch
Self-anointed Moderator
http://microscum.com
"It'll soon shake your Windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'."
 
If the former, you can get them activated by phone, but if you answer the
PA reps with answers they don't like, then you may have a problem.
Click to expand...

Particularly if they are bios-locked OEM installs, in this case they cannot
swap the installations.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
 
Rick said:
Particularly if they are bios-locked OEM installs, in this case they
cannot swap the installations.
Click to expand...

With some BIOS locked installs you can switch hard drives like that then do
a repair install. The problem won't crop up until you try to do a factory
restore from the hidden partition. eMachines works this way. Not sure about
others.
 
Kerry said:
With some BIOS locked installs you can switch hard drives like that
then do a repair install. The problem won't crop up until you try to
do a factory restore from the hidden partition. eMachines works this
way. Not sure about others.
Click to expand...

What happens with every one I've seen on Dell and Gateway/eMachines, is
that it triggers activation, and then you have to call up MS.

--
Peace!
Kurt Kirsch
Self-anointed Moderator
http://microscum.com
"It'll soon shake your Windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'."
 
kurttrail said:
What happens with every one I've seen on Dell and Gateway/eMachines,
is that it triggers activation, and then you have to call up MS.
Click to expand...

I work on quite few eMachines. They seem to be prone to problems with
defective parts. They usually will activate over the Internet even after
significant changes. If the BIOS is not recognised then the factory restore
won't work. The existing install can be repaired using the COA on the case
and a generic OEM CD and activated. I have done similar with other brands
but you are right in that a phone call is usually needed with most large
OEMs. I have seen a few cases (HP/Compaq) where an existing install won't
work and can't be repaired if the BIOS is different. It seems different
manufacturers implement this in different ways.
 
Back
Top