John said:
I have a Dell Dimension 4550 that came with Windows XP Pro installed. I just
inherited a Dell Dimension 4300 that came with Windows ME installed and I
would like to install XP Pro and network the 2 computers together.
The product code label on the 4550 reads as follows:
"Windows XP Professional 1-2 CPU"
Does this mean I acan install on 2 computers?
No, it means exactly what it says: It may be used on a computer that
has one or two CPUs.
By your own admission, you have an OEM license for WinXP that came
with the HP. 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 need to purchase a separate WinXP license for each computer on
which you install it. (As long as you have multiple identical licenses,
it doesn't matter if you use the same CD for the installations, as long
as you use a different license each time.)
Just as it has *always* been with *all* Microsoft operating
systems, it's necessary (to be in compliance with both the EULA and U.S.
copyright law
http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/117.html), if not
technically) to purchase one WinXP license for each computer on which it
is installed. (Consult an attorney versed in copyright law to determine
final applicability in your locale.) 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)
multiple installations using a single license.
One can buy additional licenses, assuming one already has a retail
license. Naturally, Microsoft cannot sell additional OEM licenses. Be
aware, however, that you'll probably pay more this way than you would if
you were to buy a second copy of WinXP from a discount retailer;
Microsoft will only offer you a 15% discount off their MSRP.
Additional Licenses for Windows XP Home Edition
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/addlic.asp
Additional Licenses for Windows XP Professional
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/howtobuy/addlic.asp
Can I use the XP "reinstalation disc" from my 4550 to install on my 4300?
You *might* be able to use the CD, if Dell didn't bind it too tightly
to the BIOS of the original machine, but you'd still need to obtain
another license (Product Key) from Dell.
--
Bruce Chambers
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Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell
