Kate said:
to make a copy of my windows xp home edition on a disc. my pc came with
windows already installed on my pc and i have another pc that the hard drive
crashed, and i want to put my windows on that one too... thanks for any help
You can't do that. By your own admission, you'll have an OEM licenses
for WinXP on the computers. An OEM version must be sold with a
non-peripheral piece of hardware (normally a motherboard or hard rive,
if not an entire PC) and is _permanently_ bound to the first PC on which
it's installed. An OEM license, once installed, is not legitimately
transferable to another computer under _any_ circumstances.
You need to purchase a separate WinXP license for each computer on
which you install it. (As long as you have multiple identical licenses,
it doesn't matter if you use the same CD for the installations, as long
as you use a different license each time.)
Just as it has *always* been with *all* Microsoft operating
systems, it's necessary (to be in compliance with both the EULA and U.S.
copyright law
http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/117.html), if not
technically) to purchase one WinXP license for each computer on which it
is installed. (Consult an attorney versed in copyright law to determine
final applicability in your locale.) The only way in which WinXP
licensing differs from that of earlier versions of Windows is that
Microsoft has finally added a copy protection and anti-theft mechanism,
Product Activation, to prevent (or at least make more difficult)
multiple installations using a single license.
One can buy additional licenses, assuming one already has a retail
license. Naturally, Microsoft cannot sell additional OEM licenses. Be
aware, however, that you'll probably pay more this way than you would if
you were to buy a second copy of WinXP from a discount retailer;
Microsoft will only offer you a 15% discount off their MSRP.
Additional Licenses for Windows XP Home Edition
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/addlic.asp
Additional Licenses for Windows XP Professional
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/howtobuy/addlic.asp
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