XP Pro OEM Question

[sedawk]

I have an HP Pavillion laptop with an OEM license for XP Pro. I'd like
to reinstall XP on the laptop, but the recovery DVD take 'FOREVER" and
I'd really like a cleaner install of XP, minus the added software from
HP.
I have an XP Pro OEM CD from another computer I built. Will it be
legal, and will it work to reload the laptop using the generic OEM CD,
but use the Product Key from my laptop? The OEM sticker on my laptop
actually says 'OEM HP', along with the Product Key. It seems to me I'm
within the license agreement, since I'm not moving the OEM software to
another machine, but simply using different media to load from. I'm
just wondering if a generic OEM CD is somehow different, and might not
work with the 'OEM HP' Product Key.

 

[Og]

What you propose _usually_ works, and _is_ legal.
Keep in mind that...
1. The generic OEM disk you will have to perform a _Clean_ install.
2. Both OEM versions must be of the same "type" -- e.g. both Home, both
Pro...
3. You must obtain XP hardware-device drivers from HP in order for you
laptop to function correctly.
[e.g. drivers for Motherboard, touch-pad, video, NIC, wireless,
sound...]
Steve

 

[Rock]

I have an HP Pavillion laptop with an OEM license for XP Pro. I'd like
to reinstall XP on the laptop, but the recovery DVD take 'FOREVER" and
I'd really like a cleaner install of XP, minus the added software from
HP.
I have an XP Pro OEM CD from another computer I built. Will it be
legal, and will it work to reload the laptop using the generic OEM CD,
but use the Product Key from my laptop? The OEM sticker on my laptop
actually says 'OEM HP', along with the Product Key. It seems to me I'm
within the license agreement, since I'm not moving the OEM software to
another machine, but simply using different media to load from. I'm
just wondering if a generic OEM CD is somehow different, and might not
work with the 'OEM HP' Product Key.

I believe it should work as long as it's a generic OEM version and both are
Pro. There is no licensing issue.

 

[RedForeman]

I believe it should work as long as it's a generic OEM version and both are
Pro. There is no licensing issue.

Have you ever had issues where OEM CD vs Retail Key won't mix??? I
think I have... it's been too long since I actually installed XP...

RedForeman

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Have you ever had issues where OEM CD vs Retail Key won't mix??? I
think I have... it's been too long since I actually installed XP...

RedForeman

It's a known condition.

Product Keys are bound to the specific type and language of
CD/license (OEM, Volume, retail, full, or Upgrade) with which they are
purchased. For example, a WinXP Home OEM Product Key won't work for any
retail version of WinXP Home, or for any version of WinXP Pro, and vice
versa. An upgrade's Product Key cannot be used with a full version CD,
and vice versa. An OEM Product Key will not work to install a retail
product. An Italian Product Key will not work with an English CD.
Bottom line: Product Keys and CD types cannot be mixed & matched.


--

Bruce Chambers

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[Rock]

Have you ever had issues where OEM CD vs Retail Key won't mix??? I
think I have... it's been too long since I actually installed XP...

Yes you can't use a retail product key with an OEM CD. They have to match
as to the following:
Home v. Pro
Retail full v. Retail Upgrade v. generic OEM v. Branded OEM v. Volume
License
Language Version.

Normally the product key on the sticker that's on an OEM computer will work
with a generic OEM CD of the same type.

 

[Stephen Whitlock]

It's a known condition.

Product Keys are bound to the specific type and language of
CD/license (OEM, Volume, retail, full, or Upgrade) with which they are
purchased. For example, a WinXP Home OEM Product Key won't work for any
retail version of WinXP Home, or for any version of WinXP Pro, and vice
versa. An upgrade's Product Key cannot be used with a full version CD,
and vice versa. An OEM Product Key will not work to install a retail
product. An Italian Product Key will not work with an English CD.
Bottom line: Product Keys and CD types cannot be mixed & matched.

Unless you manage to get hold of one of Microsoft's "Admin" keys.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Unless you manage to get hold of one of Microsoft's "Admin" keys.

Which are most likely non-existent. In all these years of supporting
Microsoft products, I've never come across or heard of any such thing.
(Mind you, I'm not saying that such things couldn't exist, but I
seriously doubt that Microsoft could have kept the existence of such
things secret for so long. Call me extremely skeptical.)


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell