Swap OS

[Rambus]

I've ordered a new Dell desktop for my home, preinstalled with Win-XP Home
(OEM). I have an existing PC (which will now be taken over by my kids)
which has Win-XP Pro (Retail) in it.

Q1. Is it possible to 'swap' the operating systems around? i.e. put the
XP-Home (OEM) in the older PC and the XP-Pro in the Dell? This is the first
time I'm ordering from Dell, and the order form says that Win-XP Home CD
will be provided. Is it correct that if Dell activates XP-Home, the
software is stuck with the Dell forever? Can I tell Dell I'll activate it
myself?

Q2. Is it possible to 'downgrade' the Win-XP Pro on my existing PC to
XP-Home without affecting all the other installed programs? Likewise, when
I 'upgrade' the Dell from Home to Pro, I don't want to reinstall the other
pre-installed software that I ordered with the Dell.

Q3. Is anything to be gained by doing all this in the first place? The
existing PC will mainly be used for online games while the Dell will be used
by my wife & me (internet, e-mail, Office, Macromedia suite). The old PC
will be wired to internet through the LAN port of my wireless router & the
Dell will access internet wirelessly through a PCI wireless card. Nobody is
connected to any network.

Thanks for your input.

 

[Yves Leclerc]

The OEM version that is shipped with Dell WILL not allow itself to be
installed on a different machine than the original!

Yes, Dell prepares the system and installs an activated XP Home. They
usually provides a System Recovery CD only.

As per the OEM EULA license, OEM versions are not transferable to a
different PC or to someone else (without also transferring the PC.)

 

[Nepatsfan]

I've ordered a new Dell desktop for my home, preinstalled
with Win-XP Home (OEM). I have an existing PC (which will
now be taken over by my kids) which has Win-XP Pro (Retail)
in it.
Q1. Is it possible to 'swap' the operating systems around?
i.e. put the XP-Home (OEM) in the older PC and the XP-Pro in
the Dell? This is the first time I'm ordering from Dell,
and the order form says that Win-XP Home CD will be
provided. Is it correct that if Dell activates XP-Home, the
software is stuck with the Dell forever? Can I tell Dell
I'll activate it myself?
Q2. Is it possible to 'downgrade' the Win-XP Pro on my
existing PC to XP-Home without affecting all the other
installed programs? Likewise, when I 'upgrade' the Dell
from Home to Pro, I don't want to reinstall the other
pre-installed software that I ordered with the Dell.
Q3. Is anything to be gained by doing all this in the first
place? The existing PC will mainly be used for online games
while the Dell will be used by my wife & me (internet,
e-mail, Office, Macromedia suite). The old PC will be wired
to internet through the LAN port of my wireless router & the
Dell will access internet wirelessly through a PCI wireless
card. Nobody is connected to any network.
Thanks for your input.

The answer to all three of your questions is no.

Q1. The license for XP Home is tied to the Dell. You will not
be able to use the Dell supplied CD key to activate XP on your
other computer.

Q2. In order to go from XP Pro to XP Home you would need to
run a clean install. Technically, what you're proposing to do
is a downgrade.

Q3. Since you're not using any of the additional features that
XP Pro offers your plan would provide no added benefits.

Good luck

Nepatsfan

 

[Richard Urban]

You can put the Windows XP Professional Retail version anywhere you like, as
long as it's removed from the prior computer first.

You will not likely be able to install a Dell version of XP Home on an older
computer.

--
Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Rambus]

Thanks for the responses guys! Anyway, I gather there's nothing to be gained
from the whole exercise!

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I've ordered a new Dell desktop for my home, preinstalled with Win-XP Home
(OEM). I have an existing PC (which will now be taken over by my kids)
which has Win-XP Pro (Retail) in it.

Q1. Is it possible to 'swap' the operating systems around? i.e. put the
XP-Home (OEM) in the older PC and the XP-Pro in the Dell? This is the first
time I'm ordering from Dell, and the order form says that Win-XP Home CD
will be provided. Is it correct that if Dell activates XP-Home, the
software is stuck with the Dell forever? Can I tell Dell I'll activate it
myself?

No. By your own admission, you'll have an OEM license for WinXP on the
new computer. An OEM version must be sold with a non-peripheral piece
of hardware (normally a motherboard or hard rive, if not an entire PC)
and is _permanently_ bound to the first PC on which it's installed. An
OEM license, once installed, is not legally transferable to another
computer under _any_ circumstances.

Q2. Is it possible to 'downgrade' the Win-XP Pro on my existing PC to
XP-Home without affecting all the other installed programs?

No. The only way to change from WinXP Pro to WinXP Home is to format
the drive and start over. There is no supported downgrade path or
technique.

Likewise, when
I 'upgrade' the Dell from Home to Pro, I don't want to reinstall the other
pre-installed software that I ordered with the Dell.

Moot point.

Q3. Is anything to be gained by doing all this in the first place?

None whatsoever, based upon the information in your post.

--

Bruce Chambers

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