registration of xp professional

[floyd]

Hello,
I upgraded my home computer from Windows 98SE to Windows
XP professional, with a copy from my office for evaluation
purposes.

Now, I want to buy a copy so that I can use it forever.
Can I just purchase a copy online at the upgrade price and
plug in the new license Key where it says to register and
be legal and working beyond the 60 days ?

If I buy it online can I get a license key right away to
do this with ?

I am very confused about this issue, I don't want to have
to reinstall, and I don't want to have to roll back to
windows 98.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Jim Macklin]

You buy a retail or full install XP CD (I'd buy a full if
you don't have a Windows 98 or 98se Microsoft CD [not a OEM
restore CD]).
You can order the Windows XP Pro upgrade or full CD from
many on-line stores
(see www.pricewatch.com ) for best prices.

Once your new CD arrives do a "repair install" (instruction)

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315341
use your new product key. You will have to do the Windows
Updates after the reinstall, but when you buy your CD be
sure to get one that already has SP1, all the recently
pressed CDs will have SP1.


| Hello,
| I upgraded my home computer from Windows 98SE to Windows
| XP professional, with a copy from my office for evaluation
| purposes.
|
| Now, I want to buy a copy so that I can use it forever.
| Can I just purchase a copy online at the upgrade price and
| plug in the new license Key where it says to register and
| be legal and working beyond the 60 days ?
|
| If I buy it online can I get a license key right away to
| do this with ?
|
| I am very confused about this issue, I don't want to have
| to reinstall, and I don't want to have to roll back to
| windows 98.
|
| Thanks for your help.

 

[floyd]

Thanks for your reply, but I have another question.
Currently, there is a place on my start bar that I can
click to register my key. When I click it, it gives me a
screen to type in a licence key, then it goes out and
checks if that license is valid.

Why couldn't I just buy the xp update software, and use
the licence key number off of the cd to insert into that
dialoge box.

That way I wouldn't have to reinstall, it would just
properly register my license with microsoft.

Does this make sense ? Is there a reason that will not
work ?

Thanks again.

-----Original Message-----
You buy a retail or full install XP CD (I'd buy a full if
you don't have a Windows 98 or 98se Microsoft CD [not a OEM
restore CD]).
You can order the Windows XP Pro upgrade or full CD from
many on-line stores
(see www.pricewatch.com ) for best prices.

Once your new CD arrives do a "repair install" (instruction)

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-

us;315341
use your new product key. You will have to do the Windows
Updates after the reinstall, but when you buy your CD be
sure to get one that already has SP1, all the recently
pressed CDs will have SP1.


| Hello,
| I upgraded my home computer from Windows 98SE to Windows
| XP professional, with a copy from my office for evaluation
| purposes.
|
| Now, I want to buy a copy so that I can use it forever.
| Can I just purchase a copy online at the upgrade price and
| plug in the new license Key where it says to register and
| be legal and working beyond the 60 days ?
|
| If I buy it online can I get a license key right away to
| do this with ?
|
| I am very confused about this issue, I don't want to have
| to reinstall, and I don't want to have to roll back to
| windows 98.
|
| Thanks for your help.


.

 

[Guest]

You can, thats what it's all about.

-----Original Message-----
Thanks for your reply, but I have another question.
Currently, there is a place on my start bar that I can
click to register my key. When I click it, it gives me a
screen to type in a licence key, then it goes out and
checks if that license is valid.

Why couldn't I just buy the xp update software, and use
the licence key number off of the cd to insert into that
dialoge box.

That way I wouldn't have to reinstall, it would just
properly register my license with microsoft.

Does this make sense ? Is there a reason that will not
work ?

Thanks again.

-----Original Message-----
You buy a retail or full install XP CD (I'd buy a full if
you don't have a Windows 98 or 98se Microsoft CD [not a OEM
restore CD]).
You can order the Windows XP Pro upgrade or full CD from
many on-line stores
(see www.pricewatch.com ) for best prices.

Once your new CD arrives do a "repair install" (instruction)

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-

us;315341
use your new product key. You will have to do the Windows
Updates after the reinstall, but when you buy your CD be
sure to get one that already has SP1, all the recently
pressed CDs will have SP1.


| Hello,
| I upgraded my home computer from Windows 98SE to Windows
| XP professional, with a copy from my office for evaluation
| purposes.
|
| Now, I want to buy a copy so that I can use it forever.
| Can I just purchase a copy online at the upgrade price and
| plug in the new license Key where it says to register and
| be legal and working beyond the 60 days ?
|
| If I buy it online can I get a license key right away to
| do this with ?
|
| I am very confused about this issue, I don't want to have
| to reinstall, and I don't want to have to roll back to
| windows 98.
|
| Thanks for your help.


.

.

 

[Jim Macklin]

You must have a 30 day trial copy that has an feature
built-in to register a full version when you buy it. If so,
that would be the way to handle it.


| Thanks for your reply, but I have another question.
| Currently, there is a place on my start bar that I can
| click to register my key. When I click it, it gives me a
| screen to type in a licence key, then it goes out and
| checks if that license is valid.
|
| Why couldn't I just buy the xp update software, and use
| the licence key number off of the cd to insert into that
| dialoge box.
|
| That way I wouldn't have to reinstall, it would just
| properly register my license with microsoft.
|
| Does this make sense ? Is there a reason that will not
| work ?
|
| Thanks again.
| >-----Original Message-----
| >You buy a retail or full install XP CD (I'd buy a full if
| >you don't have a Windows 98 or 98se Microsoft CD [not a
| OEM
| >restore CD]).
| >You can order the Windows XP Pro upgrade or full CD from
| >many on-line stores
| >(see www.pricewatch.com ) for best prices.
| >
| >Once your new CD arrives do a "repair install"
| (instruction)
| >
| >http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-
| us;315341
| >use your new product key. You will have to do the
Windows
| >Updates after the reinstall, but when you buy your CD be
| >sure to get one that already has SP1, all the recently
| >pressed CDs will have SP1.
| >
| >
| >| >| Hello,
| >| I upgraded my home computer from Windows 98SE to
Windows
| >| XP professional, with a copy from my office for
| evaluation
| >| purposes.
| >|
| >| Now, I want to buy a copy so that I can use it forever.
| >| Can I just purchase a copy online at the upgrade price
| and
| >| plug in the new license Key where it says to register
| and
| >| be legal and working beyond the 60 days ?
| >|
| >| If I buy it online can I get a license key right away
to
| >| do this with ?
| >|
| >| I am very confused about this issue, I don't want to
| have
| >| to reinstall, and I don't want to have to roll back to
| >| windows 98.
| >|
| >| Thanks for your help.
| >
| >
| >.
| >

 

[floyd]

Actually, what i have is a developers licence copy. It is
the full version but needs to be verified within 60 days.

 

[Ron Martell]

Actually, what i have is a developers licence copy. It is
the full version but needs to be verified within 60 days.

Then the product key from the version that you purchase may not work
with that installed version.

Product keys are generally unique to a specific version of Windows XP.

But you could try it. The worst that would probably happen is that it
would reject the key as not being valid.

In that event the options would be to:

1. Do a Repair Install with your newly purchased version as per the
instructions at http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

or

2. Uninstall the evaluation version using Control Panel - Add/Remove
Programs which will put you back to Windows 98 SE at it existed at the
time of the upgrade. Then upgrade from that with your newly purchased
version of XP.

If you want to have the less expensive Home version of XP then the
second option is going to be your only choice. If you are going to
spend the extra money and purchase the Professional version of XP then
the other options may be possible.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."

 

[Alex Nichol]

I upgraded my home computer from Windows 98SE to Windows
XP professional, with a copy from my office for evaluation
purposes.

Now, I want to buy a copy so that I can use it forever.
Can I just purchase a copy online at the upgrade price and
plug in the new license Key where it says to register and
be legal and working beyond the 60 days ?

If I buy it online can I get a license key right away to
do this with ?

You can't buy windows online in the sense of downloading it: you can
order over the net from retailers, but you might find your local bestbuy
cheaper.

You may be able to plug in the new key in that way, if you buy a Pro
(not Home) upgrade CD. Or you may have to use that to run a repair
reinstall after booting the CD direct, entering Setup, repair reinstall,
so as to get the correct logon aspects. At the very worst you would
have to do a clean install, using your Win98 to support the upgrade
license