Reinstalling XP after a crash

[R Wuchter]

My computer crashed and I need to purchase a new tower.
Can I reinstall Windows XP on the new computer, or do I
need to purchase Windows with the computer?

 

[Steve C. Ray]

If your copy of XP is a legal retail copy it can be installed on your new
machine. If it has been more than 120 days since you first installed XP it
will install normally on your new machine; if less you will have to do a
phone activation. Follow screen prompts.

 

[Alex Nichol]

My computer crashed and I need to purchase a new tower.
Can I reinstall Windows XP on the new computer, or do I
need to purchase Windows with the computer?

If the copy you had was a retail one, you can install it to a successor
machine, having removed it from the old one. If it was an 'OEM' one,
sold with hardware and for 'supply only with a new machine' then the
license is tied to that machine and dies with it.

For the retail case, just go ahead and install. When it comes to
activation, you may find it will go through on the net anyway - if more
than 120 days since you last did it certainly will. 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 as you type it in