Two boot drives

[Monkey]

I have XP Pro on a system that I use for ONLY video and
audio production. It is imperative that I have a
dedicated hard drive for the video work, so I have bought
another drive and a "mobile" rack so I can use two
separate boot drives. Can I legally do this in XP-Pro?
After all, it is used on ONLY one computer, and never will
both drives be in use. I need to load XP-Pro onto the new
drive, but I want to be sure I can use the same ID # on
two drives and still get updates, etc.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

You need an individual license in order to install and activate Windows XP
on two different drives installed in the same computer, even though you will
be using one drive at any one time.

On the back of the Windows XP box, please read the statement
"For installation and use on one computer"
(see License Agreement for license terms).

To access the License Agreement on your XP computer, go to:

Start > Run and type: WINVER , and hit enter.

Then click on "End-User License Agreement".

You can also open XP's "Help and Support" and type: EULA
and hit enter. Click on "Questions and answers about the EULA".

The End-User License Agreement states quite clearly:

"You may install, use, access, display and run one copy
of the Software on a single computer...."

You can install one (1) copy of Windows XP on one (1) computer.
Additional installations requires additional licenses (Product Keys)
for each installation on a different computer.

HOW TO: Change the Product Key at the Time of Activation
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;810892&Product=winxp

Additional Licenses for Windows XP Home Edition
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/addlic.asp

Additional Licenses for Windows XP Professional
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/howtobuy/addlic.asp

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

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

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


|I have XP Pro on a system that I use for ONLY video and
| audio production. It is imperative that I have a
| dedicated hard drive for the video work, so I have bought
| another drive and a "mobile" rack so I can use two
| separate boot drives. Can I legally do this in XP-Pro?
| After all, it is used on ONLY one computer, and never will
| both drives be in use. I need to load XP-Pro onto the new
| drive, but I want to be sure I can use the same ID # on
| two drives and still get updates, etc.

 

[M$]

As you say:

"> "You may install, use, access, display and run one copy

of the Software on a single computer....""

Installing the same OS on one single PC over and over again still falls
within the spirit of the copyright law given that only one instance of the
OS can be running/used at any one time. I have done it with a XP OEM (from
Dell) and it works and it does not even ask for a CD key and is activated by
default.



I don't claim to know everything about the letter of the copyright law, but
I cannot see how this will infringe on MS copyright in any way. More over, I
don't think that any court would ever convict any one given that the user is
not cheating MS out of a license. Do you work for MS? I know that MS is good
in promoting this kind of fear, but I just don't see it having any legal
basis. Maybe MS should learn to live within the legal boundaries itself
first, and then, maybe, it can point fingers at others. The bottom line is
that having a legally licensed copy of the OS on one single PC is what
really matters! After all, for all practical purposes it is just one
instance of the OS running at any one time. It requires a reboot to switch
OS which ensures that a single OS license cannot be used multiple instances
concurrently. This is very different from making/installing the same OS
license on more then one PC, which then allows you to run multiple instances
of the same OS concurrently and having the benefit of multiple PCs/OSs
running concurrently which does run against the letter & spirit of the
copyright law!



Now, why would some one do multiple installs of an OS in the first place?
The reason I tried it is because XP requires games to run with administrator
privileges and they have a nasty tendency to corrupt the OS, on occasion,
and keeping my kids from doing nasty things to the OS. This way I can keep
my apps & internet access separate from games - it does require a reboot to
switch though. The only part I'm still working on is the permissions so that
I can limit cross partition access to prevent the OS on the current portions
from accessing the partition of the other boot partitions.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

No, I do not work for Microsoft. I also do not try and
interpret the EULA, but rely on the specific language therein.
If you install Windows XP twice, I doubt you'll be able to
activate the second installation since it was already activated
the first time you installed it.

Questions regarding the EULA should be addressed to:

Microsoft Corporate and Legal Affairs
Microsoft Corporation
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052-6399
USA

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

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

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


| As you say:
|
| "> "You may install, use, access, display and run one copy
| > of the Software on a single computer....""
|
|
|
| Installing the same OS on one single PC over and over again still falls
| within the spirit of the copyright law given that only one instance of the
| OS can be running/used at any one time. I have done it with a XP OEM (from
| Dell) and it works and it does not even ask for a CD key and is activated by
| default.
|
|
|
| I don't claim to know everything about the letter of the copyright law, but
| I cannot see how this will infringe on MS copyright in any way. More over, I
| don't think that any court would ever convict any one given that the user is
| not cheating MS out of a license. Do you work for MS? I know that MS is good
| in promoting this kind of fear, but I just don't see it having any legal
| basis. Maybe MS should learn to live within the legal boundaries itself
| first, and then, maybe, it can point fingers at others. The bottom line is
| that having a legally licensed copy of the OS on one single PC is what
| really matters! After all, for all practical purposes it is just one
| instance of the OS running at any one time. It requires a reboot to switch
| OS which ensures that a single OS license cannot be used multiple instances
| concurrently. This is very different from making/installing the same OS
| license on more then one PC, which then allows you to run multiple instances
| of the same OS concurrently and having the benefit of multiple PCs/OSs
| running concurrently which does run against the letter & spirit of the
| copyright law!
|
|
|
| Now, why would some one do multiple installs of an OS in the first place?
| The reason I tried it is because XP requires games to run with administrator
| privileges and they have a nasty tendency to corrupt the OS, on occasion,
| and keeping my kids from doing nasty things to the OS. This way I can keep
| my apps & internet access separate from games - it does require a reboot to
| switch though. The only part I'm still working on is the permissions so that
| I can limit cross partition access to prevent the OS on the current portions
| from accessing the partition of the other boot partitions.

 

[M$]

You did not read my post. I did install it twice on two separate partitions
on the same PC and it does not ask for a CD Key and it is pre-activated. The
PC was not connected to the internet nor a LAN when I tied this. BTW I
re-formatted the HD again and just installed a single copy again. I did this
at work as a test, but it would be useful at home especially to keep games
and apps on separate partitions/OSs given that most, 99.9%, of games require
administrator privileges to run.

What I have found out about Dell XP OEM is that it is tied to the hardware,
BIOS, and therefore is pre-activated. i.e. if the OS dies and you format the
HD and install XP on that machine again it never prompts for a CD Key and is
activated already. This is not true of all OEM XP versions, for others do
require activation, but in the case of XP versions that come with a Dell PC
that does work. Also, if I understand correctly how activation work, it
should work with other version of XP, both OEM and retail, since it is being
install on the same HW which means that it is 100% identical for each
installation. But only an actual test will very that.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

I read your post thoroughly and you did not mention
you had a Dell OEM version of Windows XP. Regardless,
and within the parameters of the EULA, you are permitted
to install Windows XP once on one computer. Installing
two copies of Windows XP on the same computer is a technical
violation of the EULA. You originally asked:
"Can I legally do this in XP-Pro?". The answer is NO!.

BTW, using "M$" is a rather adolescent way to refer to Microsoft.
Please refrain from using this contrite identification in the future.

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

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

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


| You did not read my post. I did install it twice on two separate partitions
| on the same PC and it does not ask for a CD Key and it is pre-activated. The
| PC was not connected to the internet nor a LAN when I tied this. BTW I
| re-formatted the HD again and just installed a single copy again. I did this
| at work as a test, but it would be useful at home especially to keep games
| and apps on separate partitions/OSs given that most, 99.9%, of games require
| administrator privileges to run.
|
| What I have found out about Dell XP OEM is that it is tied to the hardware,
| BIOS, and therefore is pre-activated. i.e. if the OS dies and you format the
| HD and install XP on that machine again it never prompts for a CD Key and is
| activated already. This is not true of all OEM XP versions, for others do
| require activation, but in the case of XP versions that come with a Dell PC
| that does work. Also, if I understand correctly how activation work, it
| should work with other version of XP, both OEM and retail, since it is being
| install on the same HW which means that it is 100% identical for each
| installation. But only an actual test will very that.