Windows XP Home Licensing Question

  • Thread starter Thread starter Citizen Toxie
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Citizen Toxie

I used Windows XP Home up until a couple of months ago, when I switched to
XP Pro. Since I no longer have any use for XP Home, I'd like to give my copy
to someone else, but because it has already been activated, I assume it
wouldn't work on a different computer. Is there a way to ask Microsoft to
transfer the license to the new owner so they can install the OS and
reactivate it? I can find no mention of this at the Microsoft site. Thanks
for your help.
 
I think if the Home copy is a full retail version and the Pro copy is the
full retail version and you carried out a fresh install not an upgrade, then
the Home version can be installed on another PC and reactivated.

Neil
 
As I understand it.....if you used an "upgrade version"of XP Pro the XP home is
still on your system and as such you cannot give or sell it.
If you have used a NEW retail copy of XP Pro and deleted XP home during the
install of XP Pro then you can legally transfer ownership of XP home to another
person.This new person will have to activate which usually is not a
problem....worst is a phone call explaining the circumstances.
peter
 
My XP Pro is the full version but it's OEM, not retail. Would that make any
difference?
 
Your EULA states that you can install 1 (one) copy of your operating
system (XP Home or Pro) on 1 (one) machine. It doesn't matter if it's an
upgrade or full version. If you have XP Home Upgrade and you wanted to
give it to someone else, that's fine. But you MUST delete the Home
version off the computer you have. And you've done this by installing XP
Pro on your machine. Your friend can now install XP Home Upgrade on
their machine, but they must have a current O/S installed that's
upgradeable (ie Win 98). Also note that if they upgrade they must have
their original Operating System CD (ie Win 98 CD) because during the XP
Home upgrade the install will ask you to insert your previous version of
Windows to verify that you do in fact, have a previous version. They can
activate the XP Home you gave them with no problem. The EULA follows the
software, not the person. Hope this helps.
-------------------------------------
 
Thanks for the info. The XP Home that I want to transfer is a full version,
not an upgrade. Will the transfer still be possible?
 
Absolutely. Your friend will now their own full version of XP Home.
Hooray! And you're a nice person for giving it.
-------------------------------------
 
It's a fact, as long as they are "retail" copies. O.E.M. copies don't count
here.

--

Regards:

Richard Urban

aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard :-)

If you knew half as much as you think you know,
You'd realize you didn't know what you thought you knew!
 
Citizen said:
I used Windows XP Home up until a couple of months ago, when I switched to
XP Pro. Since I no longer have any use for XP Home, I'd like to give my copy
to someone else, but because it has already been activated, I assume it
wouldn't work on a different computer. Is there a way to ask Microsoft to
transfer the license to the new owner so they can install the OS and
reactivate it? I can find no mention of this at the Microsoft site. Thanks
for your help.
Click to expand...

There is no "de-activation" process, as such.

Assuming a retail license (OEM licenses are not transferable),
simply remove WinXP from the computer it is currently on and sell,
donate, or give it away. If it's been more than 120 days since you last
activated that specific Product Key, the new owner will most likely be
able to activate via the Internet without problem. If it's been less,
he/she might have to make a 5 minute phone call.

Here are the facts pertaining to activation:

Piracy Basics - Microsoft Product Activation
http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/basics/activation/

Windows Product Activation (WPA)
http://www.aumha.org/a/wpa.htm

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



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

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