XP - Transfer License From Cheap PC to Homebuilt

[averydarkplace]

First question, why am I seeing prices for Windows XP Home Edition at
$200? Staples used to sell XP Home for $99, I thought, and a sale price
for about $75. Was that only for the upgrade from windows 2000, or did
the price suddenly go up now that there's no more support for older MS
operating systems?

My intention is to build a second PC along side my Windows 2000 PC.
This means I need to buy a new XP license. Can I buy a cheap PC and use
the license for a PC that I build? I can use the cheap PC to run Linux
if I can somehow transfer the XP license to the new CPU/hard drive,
etc.

Thank you,
~ Avery

 

[Rock]

First question, why am I seeing prices for Windows XP Home Edition at
$200? Staples used to sell XP Home for $99, I thought, and a sale price
for about $75. Was that only for the upgrade from windows 2000, or did
the price suddenly go up now that there's no more support for older MS
operating systems?

My intention is to build a second PC along side my Windows 2000 PC.
This means I need to buy a new XP license. Can I buy a cheap PC and use
the license for a PC that I build? I can use the cheap PC to run Linux
if I can somehow transfer the XP license to the new CPU/hard drive,
etc.

An OEM license is not transferrable. It's tied to the first computer on
which it's installed. A cheap PC, I assume, will have an OEM license so
this won't help you.

If you have a CD for Win98 or one of the other qualifying products then
purchase the XP Home upgrade. This costs about the same as an OEM version
but has the advantage that it can be moved to another computer if taken off
the first.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

First question, why am I seeing prices for Windows XP Home Edition at
$200?

That's the manufacturer's suggested retail price, but it can usually be
found for less.

Staples used to sell XP Home for $99, I thought, and a sale price
for about $75.

See? Look around some more.

Was that only for the upgrade from windows 2000,

Couldn't possibly be, as Win2K can only be upgraded to WinXP Pro. It
might have been for an Upgrade from Win9x to WinXP Home, though.

or did
the price suddenly go up now that there's no more support for older MS
operating systems?

Ask the specific retailers where you're encountering higher than usual
prices.

My intention is to build a second PC along side my Windows 2000 PC.
This means I need to buy a new XP license. Can I buy a cheap PC and use
the license for a PC that I build?

You mean, transfer an OEM license off the just purchased cheap PC to
another? If so, the answer is "No." OEM licenses are not legitimately
transferable, under any circumstances.




--

Bruce Chambers

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[CS]

First question, why am I seeing prices for Windows XP Home Edition at
$200? Staples used to sell XP Home for $99, I thought, and a sale price
for about $75. Was that only for the upgrade from windows 2000, or did
the price suddenly go up now that there's no more support for older MS
operating systems?

My intention is to build a second PC along side my Windows 2000 PC.
This means I need to buy a new XP license. Can I buy a cheap PC and use
the license for a PC that I build? I can use the cheap PC to run Linux
if I can somehow transfer the XP license to the new CPU/hard drive,
etc.

You've been looking in the wrong places. Try here and compare prices:

http://www.nextag.com/xp-home-edition/search-html?nxtg=73d30a1c050b-C16511415DBFD65A

 

[paulmd]

First question, why am I seeing prices for Windows XP Home Edition at
$200? Staples used to sell XP Home for $99, I thought, and a sale price
for about $75. Was that only for the upgrade from windows 2000, or did
the price suddenly go up now that there's no more support for older MS
operating systems?

My intention is to build a second PC along side my Windows 2000 PC.
This means I need to buy a new XP license. Can I buy a cheap PC and use
the license for a PC that I build? I can use the cheap PC to run Linux
if I can somehow transfer the XP license to the new CPU/hard drive,
etc.

Thank you,
~ Avery

Officially, the answer is "no".

As a practical matter, if your old computer sufferers a motherboard
failure, you can usually get Microsoft to reactivate your license. Over
the phone, if the auto activation fails. The phone method has yet to
fail for me.