Windows XP deployment

[Graham Vanstan]

On my home network, how many PC's can I legally install
the same copy of Win XP Home on. I currently have 2 and
would like to install a third pc

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Go to Start > Run and type: WINVER , and hit enter. Then click
on "End-User License Agreement" and read it.

Also, open XP's "Help and Support" and type: EULA
and click on "Questions and Answers about the
End-User License Agreement".

Your license to use Windows XP permits you to
install one copy of Windows XP on one computer.
A second installation of Windows XP, installed on
another computer, will require another license.

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

How to Change the Product ID in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;321636

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

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


| On my home network, how many PC's can I legally install
| the same copy of Win XP Home on. I currently have 2 and
| would like to install a third pc

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

One.

Does your local department of motor vehicles allow you to drive
three cars on a single registration and set of license plates? So why
would you get the idea that software manufacturers would sell their
product licenses any differently? In real life, it doesn't matter
whether the product being purchased is a physical item, a service, or
a software license - if all you buy is one, one is all you get.

As it has *always* been with *all* Microsoft operating systems,
it's necessary (to be in compliance with both the EULA and copyright
laws, if not technically) to purchase one WinXP license for each
computer on which it is installed. The only way in which WinXP
licensing differs from that of earlier versions of Windows is that
Microsoft has finally added a copy protection and anti-theft
mechanism, Product Activation, to prevent (or at least make more
difficult) the sort of multiple installations you're asking about.


Bruce Chambers

--
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having both at once. -- RAH

 

[Jeff Wade [MSFT]]

Graham,

Unfortunately your copy of Windows XP if a single user liscence. Meaning
that you are only license to install that copy on a single computer. There
is nothing stopping you from installing it on muptile computer, but Windows
Product Activation comes into play.

Microsoft Product Activation (MPA) is designed to reduce software piracy.
MPA is an umbrella term for technology such as Windows Product Activation
(WPA) in Microsoft Windows XP and Office Activation Wizard (OAW) in
Microsoft Office XP. Products that include MPA technology need to be
activated with the Microsoft License Clearinghouse. To track individual
licenses, standard installations of MPA-enabled product requires a unique
Product Key.

Product Activation works by confirming that the software product key or
Product Identification number (required as part of product installation)
has not been used on more computers than is permitted by the software
license. Activations on the same computer that use the same product key
are unlimited. Product Activation discourages piracy by limiting the number
of times that a product key can be activated on different computers.

For more information about Windows Product Activation, visit the following
Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/basics/activation/mpafaq.asp#policies

For more information about how to purchase a second license for your
current copy of Windows XP, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/howtobuy/pricingretail.asp

You can also purchase an additional license for a retail version of
Windows XP by calling (888) 571-2048 (United States only).

For additional information about Windows Product Activation, click the
article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

302806 Description of Microsoft Product Activation
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=302806

302878 Frequently Asked Questions about Microsoft Product Activation
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=302878

Sincerely,
Jeff Wade [MS]

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| Content-Class: urn:content-classes:message
| From: "Graham Vanstan" <[email protected]>
| Sender: "Graham Vanstan" <[email protected]>
| Subject: Windows XP deployment
| Date: Sat, 8 Nov 2003 20:01:10 -0800
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| On my home network, how many PC's can I legally install
| the same copy of Win XP Home on. I currently have 2 and
| would like to install a third pc
|

Sincerely,

Jeffrey L. Wade
Microsoft Enterprise Platforms Support