Windows Product Key Question

[Guest]

I have a computer that was pre-install with windows XP but until now it
worked prefectly. So I wipe and repartition my harddrive and reinstall
Windows XP with a OEM CD where I got at a local computer store. I install
windows XP using the new code from the OEM CD. I just wanted to know can i
using my old pre-install windows XP product key and use it for my new
computer that i just build, since the pre-install XP code is not being used
and the harddrive is repartitions and running an OEM version of Windows XP.

Thanks

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I have a computer that was pre-install with windows XP but until
now it worked prefectly. So I wipe and repartition my harddrive and
reinstall Windows XP with a OEM CD where I got at a local computer
store. I install windows XP using the new code from the OEM CD. I
just wanted to know can i using my old pre-install windows XP
product key and use it for my new computer that i just build, since
the pre-install XP code is not being used and the harddrive is
repartitions and running an OEM version of Windows XP.

According to the EULA (End-User License Agreement) that came with both
copies of of Windows XP you have (they are both OEM versions) --> No. You
now have two copies licensed to that one computer in accordance with the
EULA - and in strict sense of the EULA - if that computer melted to slag and
became a "work of abstract art", you might as well top it off with both
CDs/CD-Keys - because they cannot be transferred to another machine.

Technically speaking - it probably would work. Not guaranteed, however -
that the product key from your pre-installed system would work with the
generic OEM key. It probably would - and it probably would activate.

Why did you not use the key for installing back onto that machine
originally?

 

[Guest]

According to the EULA (End-User License Agreement) that came with both
copies of of Windows XP you have (they are both OEM versions) --> No. You
now have two copies licensed to that one computer in accordance with the
EULA - and in strict sense of the EULA - if that computer melted to slag and
became a "work of abstract art", you might as well top it off with both
CDs/CD-Keys - because they cannot be transferred to another machine.

Technically speaking - it probably would work. Not guaranteed, however -
that the product key from your pre-installed system would work with the
generic OEM key. It probably would - and it probably would activate.

Why did you not use the key for installing back onto that machine
originally?

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way



I wasn't thinking at the time. So i used the new code instead of the old code.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I have a computer that was pre-install with windows XP but until
now it worked prefectly. So I wipe and repartition my harddrive
and reinstall Windows XP with a OEM CD where I got at a local
computer store. I install windows XP using the new code from the
OEM CD. I just wanted to know can i using my old pre-install
windows XP product key and use it for my new computer that i just
build, since the pre-install XP code is not being used and the
harddrive is repartitions and running an OEM version of Windows
XP.

According to the EULA (End-User License Agreement) that came with
both copies of of Windows XP you have (they are both
OEM versions) --> No. You now have two copies licensed
to that one computer in accordance with the
EULA - and in strict sense of the EULA - if that computer melted
to slag and became a "work of abstract art", you might as well top
it off with both CDs/CD-Keys - because they cannot be transferred
to another machine.

Technically speaking - it probably would work. Not guaranteed,
however - that the product key from your pre-installed system
would work with the generic OEM key. It probably would - and it
probably would activate.

Why did you not use the key for installing back onto that machine
originally?

I wasn't thinking at the time. So i used the new code instead of
the old code.

Okay - I was merely curious as to why you did that - in case there was a
technical issue you were getting around.

 

[Larry Samuels]

Simply change the product key to the old key on the original machine and use
the new copy on the new machine.

You may have to call for activation on both machines,but it is a relatively
painless process. It sure beats having two copies tied to a single machine.

--
Larry Samuels Associate Expert
MS-MVP (2001-2005)
Unofficial FAQ for Windows Server 2003 at
http://pelos.us/SERVER.htm
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