Will Microsoft transfer/activate registered XP to new motherboard?

[Guest]

I want to install my existing components from a noisy Dell into a new quiet
Shuttle Zen barebone system that has a different motherboard. Will Microsoft
transfer/activate/register my same Windows XP Pro to the new motherboard???

Has anyone out there moved their existing CPU, memory, hard drive, and cd-rw
to a new barebone system and had problems with Microsoft not allowing the
Windows XP transfer???

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I want to install my existing components from a noisy Dell into a
new quiet Shuttle Zen barebone system that has a different
motherboard. Will Microsoft transfer/activate/register my same
Windows XP Pro to the new motherboard???

Has anyone out there moved their existing CPU, memory, hard drive,
and cd-rw to a new barebone system and had problems with Microsoft
not allowing the Windows XP transfer???

Normally, and assuming a retail license (many OEM installations
and licenses are not transferable to a new motherboard - check yours
_before_ starting), unless the new motherboard is virtually identical
(same chipset, same IDE controllers, same BIOS version, etc.) to the
one on which the WinXP installation was originally performed, you'll
need to perform a repair (a.k.a. in-place upgrade) installation, at
the very least:

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/directory/article.asp?ID=KB;EN-US;Q315341

As always when undertaking such a significant change, back up any
important data before starting.

This will also require re-activation, unless you have a Volume
Licensed version of WinXP Pro installed. If it's been more than 120
days since you last activated that specific Product Key, you'll most
likely be able to activate via the internet without problem. If it's
been less, you might have to make a 5 minute phone call.

--

Bruce Chambers

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

 

[Jerry]

After you finish moving the hardware from old to new boot from the XP CD and
do a repair install. You will have to activate again. That's it. Mnay folks
in these newsgroups have done it with no problems.

If it's been over 120 days since you first installed XP the activation
process should be as if it had never been installed or activated.

 

[Opinicus]

I want to install my existing components from a noisy Dell
into a new quiet
Shuttle Zen barebone system that has a different
motherboard. Will Microsoft
transfer/activate/register my same Windows XP Pro to the
new motherboard???

Sure. Did it myself. If you have a retail (or a generic OEM)
version of WinXP no problem. You'll certainly have to do a
repair installation at the very least though you might end
up finding that a clean installation is a better idea.
Activation should be no problem.

 

[Michael Stevens]

I want to install my existing components from a noisy Dell into a new
quiet Shuttle Zen barebone system that has a different motherboard.
Will Microsoft transfer/activate/register my same Windows XP Pro to
the new motherboard???

Has anyone out there moved their existing CPU, memory, hard drive,
and cd-rw to a new barebone system and had problems with Microsoft
not allowing the Windows XP transfer???

Click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into the address box
if using the web based newsgroup.
Move XP to new hardware.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/moving_xp.html
--
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

 

[Alex Nichol]

I want to install my existing components from a noisy Dell into a new quiet
Shuttle Zen barebone system that has a different motherboard. Will Microsoft
transfer/activate/register my same Windows XP Pro to the new motherboard???

If this is a system that came installed on the Dell, it is an OEM
license, solely for use on that machine and may *not* be transferred
to a different one. While upgrading such a machine is a rather grey
area, I do not see how what you propose could be seen as being the 'same
or substantially the same' one