WinXP Home Upgrade Activation?

[Guest]

HI
i just want to know before i go ahead a upgrade.
my brother bought an HP PC that came with WinXP Home Preinstalled with the product key attached on the side of the case. He recently asked me to upgrade his computer. I'm planning to disassemble his pc and only salavage CDROM, DVD, and Hard Disks. I know this is a major change that will require reactivation. Will there be a problem when i reinstall windows in the new computer?

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

That will all depend on what type of XP CD you have - Retail or OEM. If the
latter you will not be able to install XP onto a different hard disk. Have
a look at the following article with regard to Activation:

"Windows Product Activation (WPA) on Windows XP"
http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm

--

Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups


| HI
| i just want to know before i go ahead a upgrade.
| my brother bought an HP PC that came with WinXP Home Preinstalled with the
product key attached on the side of the case. He recently asked me to
upgrade his computer. I'm planning to disassemble his pc and only salavage
CDROM, DVD, and Hard Disks. I know this is a major change that will require
reactivation. Will there be a problem when i reinstall windows in the new
computer?

 

[Bob Harris]

The version of XP that comes with major brands (like Dell, HP, etc) is
called an "OEM" version, meaning Original Equipment Manufacturer. The
license is linked to the the original equipment and can NOT be transferred
to a new PC. 99+% of the time, replacing the motherboard (and CPU and RAM)
will define a new PC, and the old copy of XP will refuse to activate, if it
even installs at all.

Thus, I recommend that you plan on buying a full retail version of XP home
for this project (about $200). Or, if you own a copy of 98, ME, or 2000,
get the retail XP home upgrade (about $100) and be prepared to insert the
CDROM for the older version of windows when asked to prove you own a a
previous qualifying operating system. You do not need to install the older
operating system.

If you have valuable info on the partiton with XP, I recommend that you copy
it elsewhere, BEFORE attempting this major upgrade. In fact, I would highly
recommend backing up any valuable info that is anywhere on the PC. It would
be best to copy it off of the PC to some universally readable media, like
CD-R (not CD-RW with drag&drop), or ZIP, or USB hard drive, etc.

If you are lucky, you might be able to do a "repair" installation of the
existing XP on the hard drive, using the new retail version of XP. (See
links below about repairing XP.)

If not, you will need to do a clean install, and that will format the drive,
or at least the parition with the operating system. be careful, it is also
possible that a clean install will make a second copy of XP, instead of
over-writing the first one. be careful about any choices you are given
about exactly where to install the operating system.

In preparation for this installation, electrically disconnect all external
devices, except the mouse, keyboard, and monitor. Also, disconnect any
internal ZIP, or second hard drive. Once XP is up and running, re-connect
devices one at a time, and verify that XP correctly installs drivers for
them.

If you do not mind re-installing programs, a clean install is a better way
to assure a stable and happy PC.

Link about repairing XP:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315341



http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm



http://www.extremetech.com/print_article/0,3998,a=23979,00.asp

HI
i just want to know before i go ahead a upgrade.
my brother bought an HP PC that came with WinXP Home Preinstalled with the

product key attached on the side of the case. He recently asked me to
upgrade his computer. I'm planning to disassemble his pc and only salavage
CDROM, DVD, and Hard Disks. I know this is a major change that will require
reactivation. Will there be a problem when i reinstall windows in the new
computer?

 

[Greg R]

You can install xp oem to a different hard disk.

First, if he can still boot up xp.
Get the product key viewer from the web.
Copy that product key from his hp.
(Not the one on the back of the machine)
Copy the i386 to a cd. (I would make two cds here-Extra Back)
Copy all the drivers to a cd. (I would make two cds here-Extra Back)

First try the hp restore disk. If it works. He will just need to
reinstall all his software and updates and connections.

If that does not work. He can do a clean install using the i386
folder and the key I mentioned.
After installs he may need to active it. (But install all the
hardware & printer & drivers first before activating)


Greg R

On Mon, 5 Jul 2004 08:05:19 +0100, "Will Denny" <[email protected]>
wrote
Hi

That will all depend on what type of XP CD you have - Retail or OEM. If the
latter you will not be able to install XP onto a different hard disk. Have
a look at the following article with regard to Activation:

"Windows Product Activation (WPA) on Windows XP"
http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm

..

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

You are quite likely to have severe problems even
repairing/re-installing the OS unless you get all of the new parts
from HP. HP's OS restoration method, as opposed to a true OEM
installation CD, requires that the hardware be substantially identical
to that for which the CD was designed. If you pursue this route, be
prepared to have to purchased a new, full retail license for the OS,
as I don't think HP will be willing to provide any support.

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

HI
i just want to know before i go ahead a upgrade.
my brother bought an HP PC that came with WinXP Home Preinstalled

with the product key attached on the side of the case. He recently
asked me to upgrade his computer. I'm planning to disassemble his pc
and only salavage CDROM, DVD, and Hard Disks. I know this is a major
change that will require reactivation. Will there be a problem when i
reinstall windows in the new computer?

 

[Greg R]

He does NOT need to purchase another copy of xp.

You don’t have to purchase another copy of xp, when you are upgrading
the same system. No matter what you replaced.

If he was going to purchase I would tell hime to wait unitl the
release of xp sp2 anyway.

Backup your needed data.

Get the product key viewer from the website.
(This will only work if you have not put xp sp2 beta on the computer)
Get the product key.


Copy the i386 folder to a cd-rom. (I would put them on two cds for
an extra backup) Copy the drivers to a cd-rom. (I would put them on
two cds for an extra backup) Get the drivers from the web if needed.
Now get a windows 98se bootdisk.


Put all the hardware in you need.

(He can try his hp restore disk here, if it does not work-good thing
you made those cds)


Insert the cd & boot floppy.
Format drive.
Install windows xp. Using the key I Mentioned (not the key on the
back of the machine) Install all hardware, printer & other external
drivers first before activating. Activate if needed.


Greg R

 

[Alex Nichol]

i just want to know before i go ahead a upgrade.
my brother bought an HP PC that came with WinXP Home Preinstalled with the product key attached on the side of the case. He recently asked me to upgrade his computer. I'm planning to disassemble his pc and only salavage CDROM, DVD, and Hard Disks. I know this is a major change that will require reactivation.

Two things. That copy of the system may well (particularly as it is
HP/Compaq) be customised to match proprietary hardware.

And the Key is licensed solely to the hardware on which it is originally
installed. There is a grey area here, but it would be difficult in the
case you describe to say it is the same machine.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

I see you've never dealt with HP's so-called "Recovery" scheme.
The HP OEM drive image simply will _not_ install if it detects a
change from the original factory-built hardware configuration. It's
designed that way.

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

 

[Greg R]

That why I told him to get the hidden key & not to use the key on the
back of the machine.

I done this with my emachine. I used the i386 folder and did a
clean install. I have replaced hardware. Power suppy, cpu fan
and heat sinks and modem. (Just to test it out, the i386 folder
recognizes both keys.)

It works. Still running. (Yes, xp sp2 beta will also install)


However, emachines states of their boxes. This machine can be
upgraded


Greg R.