OEM - Will it always work on the computer it was activated on?

[Mark Nelson]

If you can't resist the urge to call me a thief or bank robber please skip
this one.

I built a PC with parts and an OEM copy of XP Pro I bought online all at the
same time. This was around the time SP2 came out. Last week the motherboard
would not POST and I needed to get online before the holiday weekend, so as a
temporary measure I tried putting the HDD into a much older PC. It worked,
but required a repair install and telephone activation.

This week I fixed that motherboard - all that was required was to blow dust
out of the memory slots. Now I want to restore my computer - reunite the OEM
license and motherboard/CPU that belong together as far as Microsoft and the
conditions of our EULA are concerned.

I'm down to one copy of Windows and can't risk blowing it up. What will
happen when I return the HDD to its rightful PC and do another repair install
and telephone validation? Is the validation system smart enough to know I'm
just restoring things to the way they should be, or will it just assume I'm
sneaking my OEM copy onto a third PC?

Your <i>intelligent</i> answer will be much appreciated!

Thanks,

 

[Shenan Stanley]

If you can't resist the urge to call me a thief or bank robber
please skip this one.

I built a PC with parts and an OEM copy of XP Pro I bought online
all at the same time. This was around the time SP2 came out. Last
week the motherboard would not POST and I needed to get online
before the holiday weekend, so as a temporary measure I tried
putting the HDD into a much older PC. It worked, but required a
repair install and telephone activation.

This week I fixed that motherboard - all that was required was to
blow dust out of the memory slots. Now I want to restore my
computer - reunite the OEM license and motherboard/CPU that belong
together as far as Microsoft and the conditions of our EULA are
concerned.

I'm down to one copy of Windows and can't risk blowing it up. What
will happen when I return the HDD to its rightful PC and do another
repair install and telephone validation? Is the validation system
smart enough to know I'm just restoring things to the way they
should be, or will it just assume I'm sneaking my OEM copy onto a
third PC?

Your <i>intelligent</i> answer will be much appreciated!

You may end up talking to a human being. (In other words - it may not be
completely automated and what you have written here may have to be
communicated to the person on the phone.)

Otherwise - given it is back in its original home - it should be fine.