Windows XP OEM reinstallation

[Bradas]

I built my own computer, and with the parts that I bought
to build it I bought the OEM version of Windows XP Home,
installed it and activated it.

I now want to get a new hard drive and re-install Windows
on the new hard disk.

Am I able to do this and if so will I have to re-activate
it? If I have to re-activate it can I still do this
online.

Thanks

 

[Guest]

Sure, if it's the only change it may not trigger a re-
activation, If it does and it's been over 120 days it
will activate on-line otherwise it' a automated phone call

 

[Ken Blake]

In

I built my own computer, and with the parts that I bought
to build it I bought the OEM version of Windows XP Home,
installed it and activated it.

I now want to get a new hard drive and re-install Windows
on the new hard disk.

Am I able to do this

Yes.


and if so will I have to re-activate
it?

Yes.


If I have to re-activate it can I still do this
online.

Yes.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

There's no limit to the number of times you can reinstall and
activate the same WinXP license on the same PC. 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.

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

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[Bradas73]

Thanks for the replies.

What I was concerned about was the fact that it is only
the OEM version of XP, am I was worried that you might
not be able to do a re-install with the OEM version (as I
thought the OEM version was only meant to be used with
the original hardware it was bought with)

Do you think that I still will be able to re-install the
OEM version with a new harddisk and re-activeate okay?

Thanks

 

[Ken Blake]

In

Thanks for the replies.

What I was concerned about was the fact that it is only
the OEM version of XP, am I was worried that you might
not be able to do a re-install with the OEM version (as I
thought the OEM version was only meant to be used with
the original hardware it was bought with)

Not quite. The OEM version's license restricts it to the original
computer it's installed on, not the hardware it was bought with.

Do you think that I still will be able to re-install the
OEM version with a new harddisk and re-activeate okay?

Yes, that should not be a problem.

 

[Alex Nichol]

What I was concerned about was the fact that it is only
the OEM version of XP, am I was worried that you might
not be able to do a re-install with the OEM version (as I
thought the OEM version was only meant to be used with
the original hardware it was bought with)

Do you think that I still will be able to re-install the
OEM version with a new harddisk and re-activeate okay?

You can reinstall (including OEM) as often as you want on 'the same, or
substantially the same' hardware. Read up my page at
www.aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm which will tell you how far you can change
things before the activation system sees it as being a different
machine: just changing hard disk is well within limits.