install XP pro onto a second machine (1st one died)

[Keith Dixon]

I purchased xp pro licence from microsoft 2 years ago and shortly afterwards
the pc died.
I purchased a new pc which came with vista.

I have a laptop which runs xp home add. and is running slow / problemactic.
I am wanting to format the laptop and load xp pro.

Will i have problems installing the xp pro which i originally installed on a
previous pc?
(The original pc died as mentioned and was scrapped)

 

[JS]

As long as it was not an OEM license you
should not have any problems. However
it would be a good idea to read the terms
of the license just to be sure.

 

[HeyBub]

I purchased xp pro licence from microsoft 2 years ago and shortly
afterwards the pc died.
I purchased a new pc which came with vista.

I have a laptop which runs xp home add. and is running slow /
problemactic. I am wanting to format the laptop and load xp pro.

Will i have problems installing the xp pro which i originally
installed on a previous pc?
(The original pc died as mentioned and was scrapped)

Legally, no problem in moving your retail license to another machine.

Physically, it may not be possible to run a retail version of XP on another
machine - especially a laptop - due to the absence of drivers specifically
designed for the hardware.

XP Pro is no faster than XP Home. Why not reinstall the XP Home version that
you already have on the laptop?

 

[Paul Randall]

I purchased xp pro licence from microsoft 2 years ago and shortly
afterwards
the pc died.
I purchased a new pc which came with vista.

I have a laptop which runs xp home add. and is running slow /
problemactic.
I am wanting to format the laptop and load xp pro.

Will i have problems installing the xp pro which i originally installed on
a
previous pc?
(The original pc died as mentioned and was scrapped)

XP licenses come as full licenses or OEM licenses. Full licenses can be
transferred from one computer to another as often as you like, but online
activation may not always work, in which case you will have to activate by
phone. OEM licenses can be installed only on one computer, and can only be
reinstalled on that same computer, but the definition of 'same computer' is
kind of fuzzy. OEM licenses is typically what you get when you purchase a
computer with the OS already installed, but there are lots of places that
will sell you an OEM license separately or with one little piece of computer
hardware. Phone activation often works even when you think you may not
technically meet the requirements of 'same computer'.

-Paul Randall

 

[Keith Dixon]

Thanks Paul,
How do i tell what licence it is?
I bought it from Microsoft when i installed XP onto a machine (and it came
up saying i needed to licence the copy)

The disk came through the post and says "windows genuine advantage kit for
windows xp pro"

thanks in advance

 

[BillW50]

In Paul Randall typed on Thu, 3 Sep 2009 07:48:41 -0600:

XP licenses come as full licenses or OEM licenses. Full licenses can
be transferred from one computer to another as often as you like, but
online activation may not always work, in which case you will have to
activate by phone. OEM licenses can be installed only on one
computer, and can only be reinstalled on that same computer, but the
definition of 'same computer' is kind of fuzzy. OEM licenses is
typically what you get when you purchase a computer with the OS
already installed, but there are lots of places that will sell you an
OEM license separately or with one little piece of computer hardware.
Phone activation often works even when you think you may not
technically meet the requirements of 'same computer'.
-Paul Randall

You forgot to mention the Upgrade version. And I also have been hearing
talk about the new "One Time Choice Only" version.

 

[Paul Randall]

Sorry, I don't have experience on all the XP packaging options to help you
identify what you have. I did search the internet a little, and found this:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/932301
I'm guessing that you have a full version which can be transferred, but I
see no words to confirm it. I suppose it could be the something similar to
OEM. You would have to read the license to know for sure. Much of it is
written in ALL CAPS to make it more difficult to read and understand. You
may be able to search the CD for files/folders with the word license in
their name.

Be sure to write the product key on the CD so you don't lose it. Having the
product key separate from the installation CD is one trick that M$ uses to
get more money from people who accidently lose their key.

-Paul Randall

 

[John]

Thanks Paul,
How do i tell what licence it is?

Call Microsoft.

 

[John]

Physically, it may not be possible to run a retail version of XP on
another machine - especially a laptop - due to the absence of drivers
specifically designed for the hardware.

I don't follow this logic. The laptop already runs WinXP Home just fine. I
suppose the laptop is designed for XP. Why can't it run XP Pro? OP can
download drivers from the laptop manufacturer support site.

 

[HeyBub]

I don't follow this logic. The laptop already runs WinXP Home just
fine. I suppose the laptop is designed for XP. Why can't it run XP
Pro? OP can download drivers from the laptop manufacturer support
site.

And if the manufacturer does not HAVE drivers available? That is, they may
have the drivers but not make them available via a web site or anywhere
else.

I admit, that scenario is almost unthinkable.

Almost.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

On Thu, 3 Sep 2009 06:13:01 -0700, Keith Dixon <Keith

I purchased xp pro licence from microsoft 2 years ago and shortly afterwards
the pc died.
I purchased a new pc which came with vista.

I have a laptop which runs xp home add. and is running slow / problemactic.
I am wanting to format the laptop and load xp pro.

Will i have problems installing the xp pro which i originally installed on a
previous pc?
(The original pc died as mentioned and was scrapped)

If your copy of XP Professional is a Retail one, no, you will have no
problems. You may move it from one machine to another as often as you
want.

But if it's an OEM version, no you may not do this. An OEM version's
license permanently ties it to the first computer it's install on, and
it may never be moved to another.

However, note that your plan of installing Professional instead of
Home on a machine running slow or problematic makes no sense. XP
Professional will not solve those problems. There's no way I can be
sure from the information you've provided, but by far the most likely
cause of what you describe is malware infection.