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Don Scammell said:
We have multiple machines loaded with XP Pro and Project
Manager which have been registered with Microsoft. Due
to problems with the machines, we are returning them all
to our supplier but need to un-load and de-register the
licences with Microsoft so we can use them again.
No, there is no such thing as "de-registering," nor is such a
thing necessary.
First of all, note that registration is always completely
optional; it's activation that's required. There's no such thing
as "de-activation" either.
As long as the XP copies are retail versions, all you need to do
is remove them from the machines on which they are installed.
There is no restriction on moving XP to another machine, as long
as it's not on more than one machine at once.
When you move it to a new machine, you'll have to activate it, of
course. If it's been over 120 days, activation will proceed over
the internet just as the first time. If it's fewer than 120 days,
you'll be given an 800 number and prompted to make a voice call
to Microsoft. Just do so and explain what you've done, and
they'll give you an activation code to enter at your keyboard.
It's almost as quick and easy as doing it over the
internnet--normally under five minutes.
I should point out, however, that if your copies are OEM ones,
you can not do this. The license for an OEM version ties it
permanently to the first computer it's installed on, and it can
never be moved to another.
