Reactivating Win XP on a different computer

[Bob]

I installed the full retail version of Windows XP Pro
over Windows 98 SE. Now I want to uninstall it on that
computer and reinstall it on my new computer. How do I
reactivate XP on the new hardware? And can I revert to
the original Win98 on the old computer? Thanks.

 

[RJK]

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/evaluation/overviews/activation.asp

regards, Richard

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Assuming a retail license (OEM licenses are not transferable),
simply remove WinXP from the computer it is currently on, and install
it onto the new one. If it's been more than 120 days since you last
activated that specific Product Key, you'll most likely be able to
activate via the Internet without problem. If it's been less, you
might have to make a 5 minute phone call.

Here are the facts pertaining to activation:

Piracy Basics - Microsoft Product Activation
http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/basics/activation/

Windows Product Activation (WPA)
http://www.aumha.org/a/wpa.htm


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

 

[Alex Nichol]

I installed the full retail version of Windows XP Pro
over Windows 98 SE. Now I want to uninstall it on that
computer and reinstall it on my new computer. How do I
reactivate XP on the new hardware? And can I revert to
the original Win98 on the old computer?

Provided it was a regular retail copy, and not one of the OEM ones you
can transfer it. OEM ones, sold with a piece of hardware and marked 'for
supply only with a new computer' are licensed solely for the machine
where they are first installed

For a retail one you simply remove from the present machine, and install
on the new machine in the regular way. When it comes to activation, if
it is more than 120 days since you last did it, you will find it will go
through on the net just like first time. If not, you will have to
phone a toll-free number that will be given, to explain and swap one
long number for another to check back on typing it in

As a full copy it does not need the Win98 in support of the license, so
you can re-install that on the first machine: Run its FDISK from its
startup floppy (saying Y to 'large disk support?') to delete the XP
partition (non-DOS if you used NTFS) and make a new DOS Primary one;
reboot to FORMAT C: then go to the Win98 CD and run Setup