Registering the Same OS on a Second Computer

[Tim Meddick]

You won't be able to do this.

Although you would be able to install WinXP Home from a setup disk that
came with another computer as part of it's backup and support package, it
will ask you to register or "Activate" the new installation with Microsoft
online.. It will give you a maximum of 21 days to do this and will then
"lock up" all access to it until an "Activation" number obtained from
Microsoft is entered (*NB *not* the same as the "product key").

This is because the disk is irrevocably linked with the PC it was meant for
(this case "Dell") and although you can re-install XP onto your wife's
laptop without having to validate it online with Microsoft, this is because
the disk and new installation will recognise the difference between the PC
it was meant for and another.

This is to prevent people from installing Windows onto more PCs than they
have rights to do so - It is a big "bad" to install a copy of Windows
onto a second PC without multiple licences....

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

 

[John John - MVP]

Hi,

I may install WinXP Home Edition SP2, that came with my Wife's Dell
laptop (part of her "system restore"), on my NEC desktop computer after
I format the HDD (has Win98se). Note: I have other computers with
Win98se that I am keeping as is.

This WinXP OS was registered at Microsoft. Will I be able to register
it again (on a different computer)?

Thank You in Advance, John

It would be against the EULA and in any case I doubt that you will be
able to use the Dell laptop's restoration CD on the NEC computer, it
won't make it past the BIOS lock...

John

 

[jaugustine]

Hi,

I may install WinXP Home Edition SP2, that came with my Wife's Dell
laptop (part of her "system restore"), on my NEC desktop computer after
I format the HDD (has Win98se). Note: I have other computers with
Win98se that I am keeping as is.

This WinXP OS was registered at Microsoft. Will I be able to register
it again (on a different computer)?

Thank You in Advance, John

PS, Remove "ine" from my email address