XP license on removable drives?

[John Schmidt]

I have a computer used for weekly backups that will utilize a removable hard
drive that gets swapped out every week for offsite storage. In this case, I
will have two of these removable hard drives, only one of which will be in
use at any time, swapping in and out with each other every week.

Since these hard drives will also contain the OS, how do I deal with XP
licensing and authentication? Since there's only *one* computer, can I
install and authorize a single copy of XP (Pro) on both removable hard
drives? It seems unfair I would have to buy two copies of XP if only one is
going to be used on the single computer at any given time.

Thanks for any info.

John

 

[Guest]

Yes you can do this. It will be fine you can use it that way with one copy.

Reply back and let me know how it goes. Don't forget to select yes if this
was helpful on my post. I always like helping out people with there problems.
Thanks

 

[Timothy Daniels]

I have a computer used for weekly backups that will utilize a removable hard
drive that gets swapped out every week for offsite storage. In this case, I
will have two of these removable hard drives, only one of which will be in
use at any time, swapping in and out with each other every week.

Since these hard drives will also contain the OS, how do I deal with XP
licensing and authentication? Since there's only *one* computer, can I
install and authorize a single copy of XP (Pro) on both removable hard
drives? It seems unfair I would have to buy two copies of XP if only one is
going to be used on the single computer at any given time.

Yes you can do this. It will be fine you can use it that way with one copy.

And, it's perfectly ethical. And, it's *probably* perfectly legal.
(Hey, you paid for it and you can configure it anyway you want
as many times as you want, and you're only using one configuration
at a time.)

And, Microsoft considers it to be a violation of their EULA (End User
Licensing Agreement).

And, you can, in this case, ignore Microsoft. Nobody's gonna come
'n getcha.

*TimDaniels*

 

[John Schmidt]

Does this mean the automatic online authorization will work OK for both
installs? (Once for each H.D.).

John

 

[Timothy Daniels]

Does this mean the automatic online authorization will work OK
for both installs? (Once for each H.D.).

If you do an install for each HD, the automatic online auth will
work if they are done 120 days or more apart. Otherwise,
you just have to call Microsoft on their dedicated phone line
and explain to the rep (who really doesn't care) that you've
wiped out the previous installation or demolished the HD,
and he'll give you an authorization to re-install WinXP.

It's easier, though, if you just clone the 1st installation to the
2nd HD if it's 2 installations that you want. Then you can
configure each one with installed apps all you like. If you
intend to keep one just as a backup, that's the way to go.
If you intend to make a clone periodically to have a bootable
backup, cloning is very easy. (I am *not* talking about making
an "image" file. I'm talking about an exact image that can
be immediately booted up - a clone.) The most popular two
cloning utilities are Symantec's Ghost and Acronis's True
Image. Ghost will allow cloning individual partitions or entire
HDs, True Image will only clone the entire HD. Another product,
Casper XP, will also allow cloning individual partitions or
entire HDs, and it's both cheaper than Ghost and downloadable
for a 30-day free trial from www.FSSdev.com/products/casperxp/ .

When you make a clone, though, be sure not to have the
source or "parent" OS visible to the clone when the clone is
started for the 1st time. If you do, it will forever be dependent
on the presence of its "parent". After it has booted for the 1st
time in solitutude, it can thereafter be booted with the "parent"
OS visible, and the "parent" will merely be seen as another
Local Disk, and files can be dragged 'n dropped between
them. The most straight-forward way to make the "parent" OS
invisible is to just disconnect the source HD. The most
straight-forward way to boot the clone in the presence of the
"parent" (assuming both HDs are on the same cable) is to
reverse the jumpers on both HDs. Another way (and the
necessary way if the 2 HDs are on different cables) is to enter
the BIOS and reverse the HD boot order - an easy thing to do,
but confusing to a newbie.

*TimDaniels*

 

[Timothy Daniels]

If you do an install for each HD, the automatic online auth will
work if they are done 120 days or more apart. Otherwise,
you just have to call Microsoft on their dedicated phone line
and explain to the rep (who really doesn't care) that you've
wiped out the previous installation or demolished the HD,
and he'll give you an authorization to re-install WinXP.

It's easier, though, if you just clone the 1st installation to the
2nd HD if it's 2 installations that you want. Then you can
configure each one with installed apps all you like. If you
intend to keep one just as a backup, that's the way to go.
If you intend to make a clone periodically to have a bootable
backup, cloning is very easy. (I am *not* talking about making
an "image" file. I'm talking about an exact image that can
be immediately booted up - a clone.) The most popular two
cloning utilities are Symantec's Ghost and Acronis's True
Image. Ghost will allow cloning individual partitions or entire
HDs, True Image will only clone the entire HD. Another product,
Casper XP, will also allow cloning individual partitions or
entire HDs, and it's both cheaper than Ghost and downloadable
for a 30-day free trial from www.FSSdev.com/products/casperxp/ .

When you make a clone, though, be sure not to have the
source or "parent" OS visible to the clone when the clone is
started for the 1st time. If you do, it will forever be dependent
on the presence of its "parent". After it has booted for the 1st
time in solitutude, it can thereafter be booted with the "parent"
OS visible, and the "parent" will merely be seen as another
Local Disk, and files can be dragged 'n dropped between
them. The most straight-forward way to make the "parent" OS
invisible is to just disconnect the source HD. The most
straight-forward way to boot the clone in the presence of the
"parent" (assuming both HDs are on the same cable) is to
reverse the jumpers on both HDs. Another way (and the
necessary way if the 2 HDs are on different cables) is to enter
the BIOS and reverse the HD boot order - an easy thing to do,
but confusing to a newbie.

*TimDaniels*

My comments above apply to IDE/ATA HDs mounted in removable
trays, not to HDs on FireWire or USB channels. "Clones" can
only be made for IDE/ATA (i.e. "internal") HDs because the other
HDs aren't bootable. I don't think that Microsoft cares about
copies of an installation that are "image" files since, they will
presumably obliterate the "parent" when they are "restored".

*TimDaniels*

 

[Ron Martell]

I have a computer used for weekly backups that will utilize a removable hard
drive that gets swapped out every week for offsite storage. In this case, I
will have two of these removable hard drives, only one of which will be in
use at any time, swapping in and out with each other every week.

Since these hard drives will also contain the OS, how do I deal with XP
licensing and authentication? Since there's only *one* computer, can I
install and authorize a single copy of XP (Pro) on both removable hard
drives? It seems unfair I would have to buy two copies of XP if only one is
going to be used on the single computer at any given time.

Thanks for any info.

John

The following is from the End User License Agreement (EULA.TXT) for my
retail copy of Windows XP Pro:

"Installation and use. You may install, use, access,
display and run one copy of the Product on a single
computer, such as a workstation, terminal or other device
("Workstation Computer")."

By installing bootable copies of XP Pro on two different removable
hard drives you would be in non-compliance with this provision.

However if your removable drives were to contain non-bootable backup
images of the installed partition then that would be okay, as I
understand the EULA. There are a number of different products that
can quickly and reliably create and restore backup disk images.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm

 

[Uncle John]

John Smith

It depends how you make the copy drive. If you are using an image utility
like Acronis the restored drive will not trigger activation and you will not
contravene the EULA because the image tel quel is not bootable.
If you make a true copy with CasperXP or Western Digital LifeGuard
activation will not be triggered but a nitpicking lawyer might argue that
you are contravening the EULA as the copy will be bootable. However there is
no infringement unless you put the disk in another machine because the old
one crashed in which case activation will be triggered and you will have to
explain to Microsoft what is the reason which they will accept.

 

[John Schmidt]

All this info has been great, but how do these imaging processes work after
authorization but when undergoing the validation process when first getting
updates, etc.? Won't MS see me trying to validate two different copies of
the same SN?

John

 

[Uncle John]

If you restore from an image you are then working with an identical clone of
the system as it WAS when you made the image (likewise with a true copy
using CasperXP). So Microsoft Windows Update does not see two DIFFERENT
copies, it sees the SAME copy TWICE. Hey, for a computer time travel is
possible!
If there have been updates subsequent to creating the backup and restoring
it then of course Microsoft's Windows Update will detect that they need to
be installed and will do it.
The installation history is on your computer not on Microsoft's.

If you are using an application like MSN Premium where data is stored on
the remote server then when you log on to MSN the files on your computer
will be updated so that your computer is synchronised with the MSN server.

Uncle John

All this info has been great, but how do these imaging processes work
after
authorization but when undergoing the validation process when first
getting
updates, etc.? Won't MS see me trying to validate two different copies of
the same SN?

John

 

[Timothy Daniels]

If there have been updates subsequent to creating the backup
and restoring it then of course Microsoft's Windows Update
will detect that they need to be installed and will do it.
The installation history is on your computer not on Microsoft's.

Similarly for Norton Anti-Virus and Personal Firewall.

*TimDaniels*