JBS-SA said:
Just bought XP Pro and installed on one of my desk tops. A week
latter a storm blew through and the machine got fried...it's old and
not worth saving. Put same XP on my lap top but I can not get it
registered.
First of all, you presumably mean "activated, not "registered."
Registration is completely optional, used only for Microsoft's marketing
purposes, and has no benefit to you. It's activation that's requied.
Second, exactly what does "I can not get it registered" mean? What happens
when you try? What was the message you got? What you should have gotten was
a message telling you you need to call for activation, and giving you an 800
number to call.
How do I get it registered without having to buy the
software again since I never rreally used it the first time?
But the most important question is did you buy an OEM version or a Retail
one? If it's an OEM version, an OEM version comes with several restrictions,
but the most severe of them is that its license ties it permanently to the
first computer its installed on. It may never be moved to another computer
or sold or given away by itself. If the computer dies, the license to use
Windows dies with it. So, I'm sorry to tell you that you may not do what you
want.
This is the main reason why I never recommend buying OEM versions, but
recommend Retail Upgrade versions (which usually cost only slightly more)
instead. The OEM version is not a good value when you consider its
restrictions.
However if yours is a Retail version version, there's no problem. Just
follow the instructions in the message you got, and call the 800 number to
get activated. You can move it from computer to computer as often as you
want to, as long as it's on only one computer at a time. No rebuying of
anything is required.
