XP Pro registration

[Ben H]

I have purchased Xp professional and after installing it I had to register
it with Microsoft.
I have always been under the impression that XP pro does not have to be
registered.
I also tried installing the same CD on my second computer, but when I tried
to register it the operator at Microsofts call centre said I could not use
it twice.
Is this correct?

 

[Miss Perspicacia Tick]

I have purchased Xp professional and after installing it I had to
register it with Microsoft.
I have always been under the impression that XP pro does not have to
be registered.
I also tried installing the same CD on my second computer, but when I
tried to register it the operator at Microsofts call centre said I
could not use it twice.
Is this correct?

1) No you did not. You had to /activate/ it. Activation and registration
are so different, I don't see how anyone could confuse them.
2) Correct. Registration has never been compulsory.
3) Yes, of course it's correct. It's been this way since Windows 3.1,
only now there's an enforcement mechanism. You want XP on more than one
system, you must purchase a second licence. If you cannot afford a second
licence, then you cannot afford a second computer.

 

[Ken Blake]

In

I have purchased Xp professional and after installing it I had
to
register it with Microsoft.

No, you had to *activate* It. Activation is mandatory.
Registration is always completely optional.

I have always been under the impression that XP pro does not
have to
be registered.

Again, you mean "activated," but sorry, your impression is not
correct. Both Home and Professional need to be activated.

I also tried installing the same CD on my second computer, but
when I
tried to register it the operator at Microsofts call centre
said I
could not use it twice.
Is this correct?

Yes it is. The rule is quite clear. It's one copy (or one
license) for each computer.
There's nothing new here. This is exactly the same rule that's
been in effect on every version of Windows starting with Windows
3.1. The only thing new with XP is that there's now an
enforcement mechanism, as you found out.

If yours is a retail version, not an OEM one, you can buy extra
licenses (see
<http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/howtobuy/addlic.asp>).
But it's not generally a good deal. The problem is that Microsoft
sells additional licenses at only a small savings over the list
price. You're almost certainly better off just buying a complete
second copy from a discount source.

 

[Harry Ohrn]

Registration is optional. Check here for excellent information about Windows
Product Activation http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm

 

[Zahra and Paul]

After having read the MS side of this we happen to agree that this is the
way it is and should be. But, If we buy a new computer and uninstall it off
of the old one to put it on the new one, I am still following the law,
correct? Or does MS require me to buy a new one for the new computer? That
would seem totally unfair. We did buy a license to use it on one machine of
our choice, correct? Does the activation process work for this instance?
How?

TIA

Paul and Zahra

 

[T. Waters]

You will have no problem with activation if your XP Pro is the full retail
version.
If you happened to buy the OEM version of XP Pro, then MS disallows moving
the software. However, MS cannot know you are moving the OEM software if the
time since the last activation of the software is more than 120 days, as the
activation record has been purged.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

After having read the MS side of this we happen to agree that this is the
way it is and should be. But, If we buy a new computer and uninstall it off
of the old one to put it on the new one, I am still following the law,
correct? Or does MS require me to buy a new one for the new computer? That
would seem totally unfair. We did buy a license to use it on one machine of
our choice, correct? Does the activation process work for this instance?
How?

Assuming a retail license (OEM licenses are not transferable),
simply remove WinXP from the computer it is currently on and then
install it on the new computer. If it's been more than 120 days since
you last activated that specific Product Key, the you'll most likely be
able to activate via the Internet without problem. If it's been less,
you might have to make a 5 minute phone call.

Here are the facts pertaining to activation:

Piracy Basics - Microsoft Product Activation
http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/basics/activation/

Windows Product Activation (WPA)
http://www.aumha.org/a/wpa.htm


--

Bruce Chambers

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You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Ron Martell]

You will have no problem with activation if your XP Pro is the full retail
version.
If you happened to buy the OEM version of XP Pro, then MS disallows moving
the software. However, MS cannot know you are moving the OEM software if the
time since the last activation of the software is more than 120 days, as the
activation record has been purged.

OEM licenses provided by the major computer manufacturers are usually
"BIOS locked" which effectively ties them to computer from that
specific manufacturer. They are also self-activating so long as the
hardware has the correct BIOS version. Microsoft will no longer do
telephone activations of these BIOS locked OEM versions so they cannot
be used on other computers.


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