XP Pro Transfer

[Denis]

I have an XP Pro (OEM CD) installation (dual boot with
Win98SE) on an AMD based sys', and intended to transfer
both the HD's and OS's to a new (and very quiet) P4
system. I have read online that I cannot transfer an XP
Pro OEM install to a new system (exceeding the 7 "no
vote" limit!)
Before I bang my head aginst the wall trying to get the
new sys' to boot into XP, using the "Repair Installation"
option, I would like to know if this 7 vote limit is
applicable.
I can always re-install from scratch if it comes to that -
what a pain.

Any advice would be usefull.

 

[Star Fleet Admiral Q]

You will exceed the number of item changes right off the bat - MB, CPU, NIC,
etc. As OEM is permanently married, in other words, is born, lives and dies
with the first PC installed on. If the OEM OS was preinstalled as part of a
PC packaged with the hardware from a major PC vendor, then it will be
doubtful if it will even repair, as these are mostly BIOS locked to the PC
manufacturers PC. Also, not to mention violating the EULA for OEM OS's, that
you agreed to when you first installed.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

One of the reasons that an OEM license costs so much less than a
retail license is that OEM versions must be sold with a piece of
hardware (normally a motherboard or hard drive, if not an entire PC,
although Microsoft has greatly relaxed the hardware criteria for
WinXP) and are _permanently_ bound to the first PC on which they are
installed. An OEM license, once installed, is not legally
transferable to another computer under any circumstances. This is the
best reason to avoid OEM versions; if the PC dies or is otherwise
disposed of (even stolen), you cannot re-use your OEM license on a new
PC.

Bruce Chambers

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