Transfering windows xp license

[Guest]

I have a machine thats just bit the dust.
I have saved the hard disk and dvd writer.
Can I use the hard drive on a new machine and reinstall my licensed copy of
windows xp home?

I think it was a OEM copy of xp when I built the last machine

Cheers

Mike

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Only a "Retail Version" of Windows XP can be reinstalled and
successfully activated on a different computer. An "OEM Version"
cannot be transferred.....the license dies when the PC it is originally
installed on bites the dust.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| I have a machine thats just bit the dust.
| I have saved the hard disk and dvd writer.
| Can I use the hard drive on a new machine and reinstall my licensed copy of
| windows xp home?
|
| I think it was a OEM copy of xp when I built the last machine
|
| Cheers
|
| Mike

 

[DB]

i put a new hard drive into mine......it took the same serial number.....

DB

 

[Linda B]

Huh? I've used the same OEM CD to install XP on hundreds of computers,
works fine to this day. Of course, this is a volume-licensed copy and
requires no activation -- is it the activation that can't take place on two
different machines?

 

[Ken Blake]

In

I have a machine thats just bit the dust.
I have saved the hard disk and dvd writer.
Can I use the hard drive on a new machine and reinstall my
licensed
copy of windows xp home?

I think it was a OEM copy of xp when I built the last machine

Sorry, no. That's perhaps the biggest disadvantage of an OEM
version, and one of the main reasons it's cheaper than a retail
version. It can never be moved to another machine. If the
original machine died, the OEM license died with it.

 

[Ken Blake]

In

i put a new hard drive into mine......it took the same serial
number.....

That's the opposite of what he wants to do. You put a new hard
drive into an existing machine, which isn't changing the computer
and is permitted by an OEM license. He wants to put his old drive
into a new computer, and reuse his OEM version of Windows in that
new computer, which is *not* permitted by the license.

Actually, his reusing the hard drive is irrelevant. He can't
reuse Windows on the new machine, whether it has a new hard drive
or the old one.

 

[Guest]

Can an oem version be re-activated if hardware is added/altered on the
licensed machine?

 

[Torgeir Bakken \(MVP\)]

Can an oem version be re-activated if hardware is added/altered
on the licensed machine?

Yes.

 

[Ken Blake]

In

Can an oem version be re-activated if hardware is added/altered
on the
licensed machine?

Yes, but the answer to the question of what or how much you you
have to change before it's considered a new machine isn't spelled
out anywhere and it's something of a gray area.

Many people consider that changing the motherboard makes it a new
computer, and there's logic in that point of view. On the other
hand, it's Microsoft's requirement to affix the COA to the case,
and silly as it sounds, one might be able to argue successfully
that as long as you keep the original case, it's the same
computer.

 

[Michael Stevens]

Huh? I've used the same OEM CD to install XP on hundreds of
computers, works fine to this day. Of course, this is a
volume-licensed copy and requires no activation -- is it the
activation that can't take place on two different machines?

Then it isn't OEM, it's Volume-License and you still need a fresh valid
license key for each and every install you make with the VL XP CD. You or
your company paid a license fee for each install. Volume-Licenses do not
require activation over the internet or phone.
Retail and OEM are allowed one activation at a time on a single computer.
Retail XP versions can be moved to a different computer, OEM XP versions
cannot.
--
Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
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[Tim H]

Only a "Retail Version" of Windows XP can be reinstalled and
successfully activated on a different computer. An "OEM Version"
cannot be transferred.....the license dies when the PC it is originally
installed on bites the dust.

Actually, that's not entirely accurate.

If it is an OEM copy that came pre-installed or otherwise with a PC,
then it is true... however, it is possible to obtain a valid OEM license
with the purchase of hardware other than a complete PC. Whether it's
100% legal to sell an OEM copy of Windows with a mouse or a drive cable
isn't my concern, the point is, it's possible to purchase it that way.
In that case, the license is tied to the hardware it was purchased with,
not necessarily the entire PC.

 

[Ken Blake]

In

Carey Frisch [MVP] wrote:

Actually, that's not entirely accurate.

Actually it is.

If it is an OEM copy that came pre-installed or otherwise with
a PC,
then it is true... however, it is possible to obtain a valid
OEM
license with the purchase of hardware other than a complete PC.
Whether it's 100% legal to sell an OEM copy of Windows with a
mouse
or a drive cable isn't my concern, the point is, it's possible
to
purchase it that way.

Correct.


In that case, the license is tied to the
hardware it was purchased with, not necessarily the entire PC.

But that's not correct. It's still tied to the first computer
it's installed on. Read the EULA.

 

[Michael Stevens]

This is obviously getting off topic, but I'm curious, as it seems
very much as if there's something I don't understand about this
licensing nomenclature. OEM is Original Eqipment Manufacturer,
correct? I have a CD sitting right here on my desk that came
straight from Dell with one of the many Dell OptiPlex GX270/280
machines I have in my office. I'm assuming this is an OEM CD, as it
did come from the Original Manfacturer of the Equipment in question.
I know it's not a Retail edition, as I obviously didn't buy it at
retail. We have a volume license for XP (we bought X number of
licenses, but were provided with limited media), but I suppose this
CD here isn't actually a Volume Licensed copy -- poor choice of
wording in my previous post. Anyway, I have used this exact same OEM
(I think) CD on maybe 100 computers in the past six months or so,
with no problems. What is more, this CD doesn't require me to put in
a keycode, either. Not that I use the same keycode every time -- I
*never* put in a keycode. None of these require activation, either
(thank God -- that would make my job a *huge* pain in the ass). And
this is by no means the only company I've ever worked for that had a
similar setup.

Now my company owns licenses for however many computers we have in
here, several hundred at least, and when I rebuild one or another of
them, I don't worry about installing the OS from the same CD as
originally shipped with the computer; I install it from this CD I
have on my desk right here. In fact it's a little absurd to me to
think that Microsoft would require us to keep on hand 500 copies of
the same CD -- at a previous job we actually destroyed and threw away
95% of the OS CDs, just keeping a few on hand with which to do the
installs.

You say OEM versions can't be moved from computer to computer, I know
this isn't a Retail version, and you say that Volume License copies
require a different keycode for each install (which honestly doesn't
make much sense to me). Pardon my ignorance, but what am I missing
here? I thank you in advance for humoring me (and for taking the
time to read my new novel).

LB

Actually, the "key" part was a mistake, I only intended to say license. As
you say the company purchases the licensing rights to install on X number of
computers.
The Dell CD is OEM requires a Product Key to install, and can not be
transferred to another computer or can the same key be used. That being
said, since the Dell CD is bios locked, the same CD and PK can be used to
install or reinstall on all similar Dell bios locked computers. If used on
non-Dell computers, it will trigger activation and require a fresh valid PK
to comply with the EULA.

--
Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

 

[Michael Stevens]

Actually, that's not entirely accurate.

If it is an OEM copy that came pre-installed or otherwise with a PC,
then it is true... however, it is possible to obtain a valid OEM
license with the purchase of hardware other than a complete PC. Whether
it's 100% legal to sell an OEM copy of Windows with a mouse
or a drive cable isn't my concern, the point is, it's possible to
purchase it that way. In that case, the license is tied to the
hardware it was purchased with, not necessarily the entire PC.

Click on or copy and paste the link below into your web browser address box.
OEM clarification.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/oemeula.htm
--
Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I have a machine thats just bit the dust.
I have saved the hard disk and dvd writer.
Can I use the hard drive on a new machine and reinstall my licensed copy of
windows xp home?

I think it was a OEM copy of xp when I built the last machine

Cheers

Mike

OEM versions must be sold with a piece of hardware (normally a
motherboard or hard drive, if not an entire PC, although Microsoft has
greatly relaxed the hardware criteria for WinXP) and are _permanently_
bound to the first PC on which they are installed. An OEM license, once
installed, is not legally transferable to another computer under any
circumstances. This is the main reason some people avoid OEM versions;
if the PC dies or is otherwise disposed of (even stolen), you cannot
re-use your OEM license on a new PC.

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Huh? I've used the same OEM CD to install XP on hundreds of computers,
works fine to this day. Of course, this is a volume-licensed copy and
requires no activation

Well, which is it? An OEM or a Volume License? The two are completely
different.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Whether it's
100% legal to sell an OEM copy of Windows with a mouse or a drive cable
isn't my concern, the point is, it's possible to purchase it that way.
In that case, the license is tied to the hardware it was purchased with,
not necessarily the entire PC.

No, that's not correct. Read the OEM EULA. It makes it quite clear
that once installed onto the PC into which the qualifying hardware
component is installed, an OEM license becomes bound to the *computer*,
rather than remaining linked to the hardware component.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Venger]

Only a "Retail Version" of Windows XP can be reinstalled and
successfully activated on a different computer. An "OEM Version"
cannot be transferred.....the license dies when the PC it is originally
installed on bites the dust.

Huh? What constitutes the PC? The motherboard? This is what makes the OEM
thing so blasted stupid - what constitutes "the PC" - the case? Just because
the sticker is on the case, doesn't mean that's what the license is attached
to. In fact, I don't think a computer case is one of the things you can use
to "bundle" and OEM license with, it's got to be a card, memory, MB or drive
methinks... what if he moved the MB and drives to a new case - is the
license still valid?

I would argue that the OEM license could be considered to attach to ANY of
the internal components that the OEM bundle stipulates is valid.

Venger

 

[Venger]

Huh? I've used the same OEM CD to install XP on hundreds of computers,
works fine to this day. Of course, this is a volume-licensed copy and
requires no activation -- is it the activation that can't take place on
two
different machines?

Whoopsie! I think the discussion is not so much "can" as in able, but "can"
as in permission...

Venger

 

[Venger]

OEM versions must be sold with a piece of hardware (normally a motherboard
or hard drive, if not an entire PC, although Microsoft has greatly relaxed
the hardware criteria for WinXP) and are _permanently_ bound to the first
PC on which they are installed. An OEM license, once installed, is not
legally transferable to another computer under any circumstances. This is
the main reason some people avoid OEM versions; if the PC dies or is
otherwise disposed of (even stolen), you cannot re-use your OEM license on
a new PC.

Asked elsewhere, but I'll repeat here - what constitutes the "PC"?

I mean lets think about this - they have built into the activation process
an understanding that parts of the computer are subject to replacement or
upgrade - at what point is that PC no longer THAT PC? Microsoft will
re-activate OEM licenses if you make upgrade or replacements, hell I've done
it.

It seems the argument comes down, of all things, to the CASE, which not only
doesn't qualify for OEM bundling (unless I'm wrong, can someone verify?),
but just doesn't make any sense...

I mean I think we all forget why OEM bundling was even done in the first
place - to give manufacturers a lower price to guarantee market penetration
of the product. Make it cheap to bundle Windows, and computer makers will
bundle it, ensuring that there is a huge installed base for your REAL
moneymaker... Office.

Venger