Product Registration

[RBeckner]

We bought a new computer from dell last year around
august. Two weeks after we had bought it we had it stolen
and had never registered windows xp pro or office pro. We
found the cds for both windows xp pro and office xp the
other day. The boss wants me to install these on our
computer we are using. My question is can I do this and
register them. I am unsure of how this works. Thanks in
advance.

 

[cimex]

If, by "registered," you mean "activated," you can try to do this, since you
have the Product Key. If the thieves did not manage to get the key, they
will not be able to successfully activate the copy of XP they stole with
your computers. You will know soon enough whether they did succeed, as your
attempt to activate XP will fail if the Product Key is in use by another
party. Unfortunately, the other party cannot be traced via the key for
purposes of prosecution.

 

[DMMi]

We bought a new computer from dell last year around
august. Two weeks after we had bought it we had it stolen
and had never registered windows xp pro or office pro. We
found the cds for both windows xp pro and office xp the
other day. The boss wants me to install these on our
computer we are using. My question is can I do this and
register them. I am unsure of how this works. Thanks in
advance.

If Windows XP was installed in the Dell computer by Dell, then Dell likely
pre-activated the product as most OEMs do. Registration of the computer is
your choice.
If the Windows XP and Office XP CDs you found are Dell OEM versions, likely
they will not install on another computer.

Don

 

[cimex]

Actually, I assumed you have the product keys, but, as the other poster
points out, Dell ships pre-activated XP operating systems. This means that
your disks are completely useless for your intended purpose. Sorry, the bad
guys won.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

If those CDs are Dell OEM installation CDs, then you may not use
them on another computer. OEM versions must be sold with a piece of
hardware (normally a motherboard or hard drive, if not an entire PC,
although Microsoft has greatly relaxed the hardware criteria for
WinXP) and are _permanently_ bound to the first PC on which they are
installed. An OEM license, once installed, is not legally
transferable to another computer under any circumstances. The only
legitimate way to transfer the ownership of an OEM license is to
transfer ownership of the entire PC. This is the best reason to avoid
OEM versions; if the PC dies or is otherwise disposed of (even
stolen), you cannot re-use your OEM license on a new PC.


Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH

 

[rbeckner]

I do have the product keys and the packaging the cd's came
in.I know the office XP disks will install on this
computer but unsure about the Windows XP. I tryed the
office xp disks but did not try to activate them. Thanks
for the help.

 

[RBeckner]

The boss didn't like this answer too much. I had to listen
to him complain about paying for software he can't use for
half and hour. He said he was thinking of writing a
complaint letter to MS about this or having his lawyer do
it. Oh well just wanted to say thanks for the help.

 

[cimex]

That is very good news. There is no harm or risk in attempting to activate.
You should be prompted to activate by XP each time you start up.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

The restricted licensing is one of the key reasons OEM licenses
are significantly less expensive than retail licenses. Your boss
really has no grounds for complaint; he would have paid a lot more
for retail licenses, although those could be transferred to other PCs.
Anyway, since his insurance will pay to replace the stolen PC, all he
need do is ensure that the replacement PC comes with the same OS and
software; he's not out any additional expenses.

Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH