licenses?

J

Jdrichar59

I was wondering what "buying" licenses for windows XP pro will do for me?
can I have multiple computers with the same WINXP PRO operating system
and can they be transferred to others like family and friends?

I have an opportunity to buy 2 licenses fairly cheap, the guy claims that he
has been told by microsoft that he can sell them because he has dismantled
his computers and has no need for them...
a little advice here please
 
D

D.Currie

Jdrichar59 said:
I was wondering what "buying" licenses for windows XP pro will do for me?
can I have multiple computers with the same WINXP PRO operating system
and can they be transferred to others like family and friends?

I have an opportunity to buy 2 licenses fairly cheap, the guy claims that
he has been told by microsoft that he can sell them because he has
dismantled his computers and has no need for them...
a little advice here please

Have Microsoft tell *you* it's okay before you buy them. If what he's
selling are oem licenses, I'll guarantee MS didn't tell him it was okay, and
if you try to activate those keys on other computers, there's a good chance
they won't work.

If they're retail, get the cd and the cd key. That transfer will be fine, as
long as you get all the parts.
 
S

Shenan Stanley

Jdrichar59 said:
I was wondering what "buying" licenses for windows XP pro will do for
me? can I have multiple computers with the same WINXP PRO operating
system and can they be transferred to others like family and friends?

I have an opportunity to buy 2 licenses fairly cheap, the guy claims
that he has been told by microsoft that he can sell them because he
has dismantled his computers and has no need for them...
a little advice here please

Sounds like he is trying to make money off of you.. "told by Microsoft"..
right.

Yes - if he can show his copies of Windows were Retail copies (not OEM) then
he has the right to sell them. OEM copies are usually sold *with* the
system and according to their EULA (End-User Licensing Agreement) they are
permanently attached to the original system they were installed on first -
no matter what happens to that machine.

Technically - you would probably have no problems.. You can read up on
these issues (from Microsoft's perspective) here:
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell/ww/default.mspx

How to obtain additional licenses for Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/814175

If you do go ahead with the purchase and have trouble, you may need the
following articles:

You receive a "The product key used to install Microsoft Windows
may not be valid" error message when you try to install
Windows XP Service Pack 2
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/883254

You receive a "The product key used to install Windows is invalid"
error message
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326904
(Also contains a list of known bad product keys.)

Good luck.
 
M

Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)

Jd

As long as they are either retail upgrade or retail full versions (supplied
in green or blue boxes dependant on whether the version is Home or Pro), and
the vendor passes on to you the original CDs, the CD cases with product
number stickers firmly attached, and any and all packaging and documentation
relating to the original purchase, then you should be safe..

OEM CDs are NOT transferable from one system to another, and were and are
never on sale in either a green or blue box..
 
J

John

Jdrichar59 said:
I was wondering what "buying" licenses for windows XP pro will do for me?
can I have multiple computers with the same WINXP PRO operating system
and can they be transferred to others like family and friends?

I have an opportunity to buy 2 licenses fairly cheap, the guy claims that he
has been told by microsoft that he can sell them because he has dismantled
his computers and has no need for them...
a little advice here please

Caveat emptor.

Goof luck,
John
 
M

Michael Stevens

In
Jdrichar59 said:
I was wondering what "buying" licenses for windows XP pro will do for
me? can I have multiple computers with the same WINXP PRO operating
system and can they be transferred to others like family and friends?

I have an opportunity to buy 2 licenses fairly cheap, the guy claims
that he has been told by microsoft that he can sell them because he
has dismantled his computers and has no need for them...
a little advice here please

Would be very skeptical of the validy of the "guys" claims.
Click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into the address box
if using the web based newsgroup.
Sell or transfer XP to new computer.
#08 on the FAQ list.
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/xpfaq.html
--
Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm
 

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