Switching OS's on Computers

[Jon]

I currently have XP on computer A and nothing on computer
B. I want to put XP on B and have another OS for computer
A. Here is the question: with the windows XP "activation"
does this mean there will be any problems in trying to
activate XP on computer B after having it activated on
computer A? Sorry it is kinda hard to follow but isn't
everything with computers?

TIA, Jon

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

As long as you remove XP from Computer A, then install it on computer B,
there should be no problems. If you can't activate over the internet, you'll
be prompted to call. Just explain the situation and they'll issue you a new
activation code.

 

[Perdita X. Nitt]

As long as you remove XP from Computer A, then install it on computer
B, there should be no problems. If you can't activate over the
internet, you'll be prompted to call. Just explain the situation and
they'll issue you a new activation code.

As brilliant as Doug undoubtedly is, he has a tendency to oversimplify at
times. The above only applies to a retail licence. If either of the
computers has an OEM licence (that which was sold with a system or an item
of hardware) then it cannot be transferred, it is tied to the computer it
was sold with/first installed on. Furthrmore, some manufacturers (e.g. Dell
and HP) BIOS lock their installations. This means that there is a code in
the BIOS that must match the code on the disc (in a hidden file). If they
don't match installation will fail.

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

Thanks for the catch, Perdita. I tend to forget about OEM versions