Question about ownership of WinXP license on stolen laptop.

[fh983q7]

My Dell latop was recently stolen. We filed a police report.

I still have the Dell WinXP install disk. Do I still own the license to
use this software?

Do I have the legal right (recognized by Microsoft) to install that OS on
another computer?

How would I get the COA number?

Thanks for your advice

Tony

 

[GreenieLeBrun]

My Dell latop was recently stolen. We filed a police report.

I still have the Dell WinXP install disk. Do I still own the license to
use this software?

Do I have the legal right (recognized by Microsoft) to install that OS on
another computer?

How would I get the COA number?

Thanks for your advice

Tony

As it is a Dell computer and Dell is an OEM then the license for XP is most
probably tied to that particular computer. You could check your EULA if you
still have it or contact Dell support for confirmation

 

[Michael D. Alligood]

I agree. This is an OEM install. The license is tied to that laptop. As
far as the COA number, Dell might give it to you. But you have a better
chance at finding the laptop and getting it off there before that will
happen.

--
Michael D. Alligood,
MCSA, MCDST, MCP, A+,
Network+, i-Net+, CIW Assoc.,
CIW Certified Instructor

 

[S.Lewis]

My Dell latop was recently stolen. We filed a police report.

I still have the Dell WinXP install disk. Do I still own the license to
use this software?

Do I have the legal right (recognized by Microsoft) to install that OS on
another computer?

How would I get the COA number?

Thanks for your advice

Tony

Try this:

Report the system stolen to Dell and they will flag the service tag as such.
After you've completed that procedure, then ask if there's any recourse
regarding the license COA.

I'm afraid the answer will be that you're stuck. In effect, your notebook
AND your license have been stolen, thereby rendering your OS disk pretty
much worthless unless you can use it on another Dell machine with the
appropriate/matching license.

Even if they were to provide you with a COA, it's not one that could
(legally) be used on either a homebuilt or non-Dell machine. I'm
speculating that will be their response and that they will not be able to
simply replace the COA/license.

Stew

 

[Bruce Chambers]

My Dell latop was recently stolen. We filed a police report.

Good. Have you also filed a claim with your insurance company?

I still have the Dell WinXP install disk. Do I still own the license to
use this software?

Yes, but *only* on the Dell computer with which it was originally
purchased. Unless the police recover your laptop (to which the OEM
Product Key was affixed), that CD is essentially useless to you.

Do I have the legal right (recognized by Microsoft) to install that OS on
another computer?

No. An OEM version must be sold with a 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 legally transferable to another computer under _any_
circumstances. This lack of transferability is of the primary reasons
an OEM license costs so much less than a transferable retail license.

How would I get the COA number?

From the bottom of the stolen laptop.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

 

[PeterD]

My Dell latop was recently stolen. We filed a police report.

I still have the Dell WinXP install disk. Do I still own the license to
use this software?

Only on the stolen computer!

Do I have the legal right (recognized by Microsoft) to install that OS on
another computer?
No...


How would I get the COA number?

You wouldn't be able to.

Thanks for your advice

Tony

Now, that's acording to the license agreement. You might be able to
get Microsoft to buy into your story and they'll give you a 'free'
transfer. But they'll ask you "what about the copy of Windows on the
'new' computer?"

My suggestion, file a police report (you did do that, right?). Then
file a claim against your insturance. You won't get anything, but the
paper work helps verify your theft claim. Then, go to Microsoft...
Tell then the truth, explain that because of insurance deductable you
are in a bad way, and ask (NICELY!) if they can accomodate you.

Be nice! Do NOT get pissed off, do not threaten, anything they do for
you is because they feel your pain: they have no legal obligation to
extend your license to a new/different computer.