XP Home to XP Pro license costs

[Guest]

Hello- I have an (activated )XP Home (OEM) on this desktop PC. It has
networking issues to my other home PC's- which are XP Pro. I still have the
OEM XP home CD.
I also have an old laptop WIN98.
I was thinking of buing a retail XPPro upgrade version for my desktop, so it
can network correctly ( as XP Home has serious deficiencies in this area).
Then take the XP Home version 'off' my desktop and install in on my laptop-
which doesn't need extensive networking...but could do with an upgrade from
win98
QUESTION: Can this be done WITHOUT microsoft thinking my laptop has
'pirated' my XP Home off my desktop? AND , what does a retail upgrade
version of XP Pro cost- surely it's not expensive, as it's not a huge step-
although important- from XP home to XP Pro????
Thanks gary

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

An OEM version of Windows XP cannot be transferred to
a different computer. Additionally, an OEM version of
Windows XP cannot upgrade over an existing Windows
installation. An upgrade version of Windows XP
Professional sells for approximately $199 U.S.

Windows XP Pro does not offer more in the way of setting
up a home network. XP Pro's strengths lies in being able to
connect to a corporate, domain-based network.

How to Set Up a Small Network with Windows XP Home Edition
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;813936&Product=winxp

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

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

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

:

| Hello- I have an (activated )XP Home (OEM) on this desktop PC. It has
| networking issues to my other home PC's- which are XP Pro. I still have the
| OEM XP home CD.
| I also have an old laptop WIN98.
| I was thinking of buing a retail XPPro upgrade version for my desktop, so it
| can network correctly ( as XP Home has serious deficiencies in this area).
| Then take the XP Home version 'off' my desktop and install in on my laptop-
| which doesn't need extensive networking...but could do with an upgrade from
| win98
| QUESTION: Can this be done WITHOUT microsoft thinking my laptop has
| 'pirated' my XP Home off my desktop? AND , what does a retail upgrade
| version of XP Pro cost- surely it's not expensive, as it's not a huge step-
| although important- from XP home to XP Pro????
| Thanks gary

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Hello- I have an (activated )XP Home (OEM) on this
desktop PC. It has networking issues to my other home
PC's- which are XP Pro. I still have the OEM XP home CD.
I also have an old laptop WIN98.
I was thinking of buing a retail XPPro upgrade version
for my desktop, so it can network correctly ( as XP Home
has serious deficiencies in this area). Then take the XP
Home version 'off' my desktop and install in on my
laptop- which doesn't need extensive networking...but
could do with an upgrade from win98
QUESTION: Can this be done WITHOUT microsoft thinking my
laptop has 'pirated' my XP Home off my desktop? AND ,
what does a retail upgrade version of XP Pro cost- surely
it's not expensive, as it's not a huge step- although
important- from XP home to XP Pro????
Thanks gary

No, it cannot be done without anyone thinking you've pirated the
OS, because that's exactly what you plan to do.

First of all, based upon the description you've provided, you have
an OEM license for WinXP Home. An OEM version must be sold with a
piece of hardware (normally a motherboard or hard rive, if not an
entire PC) and is permanently bound to the first PC on which it's
installed. An OEM license, once installed, is not legally
transferable to another computer under any circumstances. You can
remove or replace it, if you like, but you can neither reuse it on a
different computer or resell it.

Additionally, If you use an Upgrade version of WinXP Pro, the
license for WinXP Home will be subsumed (became an integral part of)
by the WinXP Pro Upgrade license. Basically, you have no license to
use the Upgrade version without there also being an earlier qualifying
license permanently in place.

--

Bruce Chambers

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count on having both at once. - RAH

 

[Guest]

So what you both are saying (and I did not elaborate on my home/office
corporate VPN networking setup) is although I bought a new PC, and paid, in
part, for an OEM MSFT Home XP, I am stuck with it, and I would have to buy
TWO upgrades, and pay MSFt TWO more times for 2 upgrade versions, taking both
desktop and laptop to a version of XP
Not exactly the answer i wanted...but I suspected the subsuming part.
And i completey disagree with your 'piracy' comment, as I would still be
using the XP Home- just on a different computer- and i have already paid for
the use of this OS once, and don't see why I wouyld have to pay for it again.
thank you for your answers though!

 

[Guest]

Since I have the disk for the OEM XP Home version..and I could just
completely remove XP home from my desktop, and then install it on my laptop,
replacing then, rather than upgrading win98, why could this not be done?

And then by a full XP Pro version for my desktop....

Gazza 1216

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

An OEM version of Windows XP cannot be transferred to
a different computer. Only "retail versions" of Windows XP
can be transferred, and activated, on a different computer.

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

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

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

:

| Since I have the disk for the OEM XP Home version..and I could just
| completely remove XP home from my desktop, and then install it on my laptop,
| replacing then, rather than upgrading win98, why could this not be done?
|
| And then by a full XP Pro version for my desktop....
|
| Gazza 1216