Harry said:
I'd like someone to show a brief outline or comments about how to go
about switching an XP-pro licensed OS from one machine to another.
I seem to recall a couple of yrs ago, just doing it by reinstalling on
the new machine and running into troubles on updates being denied and
the OS seen as pirated.
Are there certain steps to be followed... deactivate/reactive or
something like one does with Adobe tools?
"XP-pro licensed OS" does not state which version of Windows that you
have. Could be an generic OEM version. Could be a BIOS-locked OEM
version by a pre-built manufacturer, that will only work with specific
models from that manufacturer. Could be a retail version which could
either be a full version or an upgrade version. Could even be a
volume-licensed copy of Windows for which all licenses are to remain
within the same organization (i.e., you are not allowed to slice up a
volume license to resell or redistribute to different organizations or
entities). Can't tell WHAT you have from your description regarding the
*licensing* for that Windows XP product.
Retail versions (non-OEM) let you reinstall the licensed copy of Windows
on another host but it must be *running* on only one computer (which is
NOT the same as *residing* on only one computer). If it is an "Upgrade"
version, it is also a retail version (OEM versions only do full
installs, not upgrade installs).
OEM versions stick to the first host on which they are installed.
However, the EULA does not bar you from upgrading or replacing
components in your computer. The EULA just stipulates the OEM license
gets tied to the "COMPUTER". So you can upgrade your old host: get a
new mobo, replace or add memory (to get more space), replace or add hard
disks, replace the video card or add a 2nd in an SLI configuration, etc.
All these are upgrades to the same "COMPUTER". So is getting a new
case, PSU, CD/DVD drives, sound card (say to replace onboard audio), and
so on. You can literally upgrade your old host until it is effectively
a completely new host. After this major overhaul upgrade, you are left
with all the parts for the old host (sans the Windows install) and a new
host on which Windows is installed. That the old parts are stored
separately or in the old case is unimportant. The EULA does not require
that you dispose of the old parts, defective or otherwise. The whole
idea with the OEM license is to try to regulate how many hosts on which
the license is installed and that it doesn't change ownership without
the accompanying hardware (once you install an OEM version, you cannot
transfer it alone to someone else unless you also transfer the entire
"COMPUTER"). Before it was on one host. After the massive "upgrade",
it is still on one host. Yes, this is a workaround to the EULA by
upgrading every component within your computer which the EULA cannot
restrict. Obviously Microsoft cannot require users to never replace
defective components nor can they restrict you from increasing memory,
getting larger hard disks, upgrading your video card to newer and more
potent versions to support newer games, and so on. You can even replace
the CPU (to a faster one or move from single- to dual-core) because the
EULA for the OEM version is tied to the "COMPUTER", not to the serial
number of the CPU, especially since CPUs can die and must also be
replaced. Do a massive "upgrade" for which there are no restrictions
established in the EULA. If you have to do the phone call to activate,
don't lie. Tell them you replaced the motherboard. They probably won't
ask why, but if they do then say you upgraded it to have more features
(as it really wasn't a defective motherboard regarding why you got a
different motherboard).
Where the "upgrade" path for an OEM version gets iffy (and I'd side with
Microsoft or the common understanding) is if you buy pre-built
computers. In that case, you aren't upgrading the old host ("COMPUTER")
to a new host (same "COMPUTER"). Instead you are replacing the old host
("COMPUTER") to a new host (different "COMPUTER"). You are asking in a
Windows XP newsgroup. I believe the OEM license for Windows Vista got
more restrictive regarding the definition of "COMPUTER" (but that's
regarding the "system builder" license for Vista). I have followed this
upgrade path on my 8-year old host but retained the same Windows XP Pro
OEM license. Almost everything has been replaced or upgraded at some
time, including the motherboard; however, those were incremental
upgrades and not all at once but the EULA doesn't restrict upgrades, so
it also doesn't stipulate the rate at which they are performed. The
Windows XP EULA does not permit you to transfer an OEM license from one
computer to another computer hence the upgrade scheme on the same
computer lets you keep the OEM license; however, getting another new
pre-built is not upgrading the old host.
Be sure to actually read the EULA. There is what it actually says and
what many users claim it says (i.e., their interpretation). Don't ever
read more into a contract than is there; otherwise, you kowtow to the
other party's wishes more than is required by the contract. You agreed
to what is in the EULA, not to someone's overly generous interpretation
of it. There is what it says and then there is what other users think
what might have been intended. Read it at %windir%\system32\eula.txt.
Another difference between retail and OEM versions regards who does the
support. Retail has Microsoft provide the support (2 free incidents,
paid thereafter). OEM versions has the OEM'er doing all the support
(free or paid). Whomever installs the OEM version is the OEM'er, so if
you do the install then you provide the support.
You could clone the old hard disk to the new hard disk when migrating
(retail license) or "upgrading" (OEM license). However, if the hardware
changes, like for the motherboard or video card, cloning might not work
well as all the drivers would be wrong for the new hardware. You might
end up having to do a repair install (aka in-place upgrade) along with
installing all the correct drivers. You probably want to do a fresh
install of the OS on the new hard disk in the upgraded hardware
configuration.
There is nothing you have to do regarding the old install of Windows on
the old host. You do not have to deactivate it. You don't even have to
uninstall it or wipe the hard disk. You just have to never run it on
that old host. Wiping the OS partition on the old hard disk is how many
ensure that the old install will not be used again. All you really have
to do is just install it on the new or upgraded host and activate it.
If it won't activate online then you have to make the phone call for
which it gives you the number to call.
