Windows XP Home Edition

BexTech

Phil51 wrote: »

If you use the codes on the stickers attached to the old machines it is illegal. Stickers on these machines relate to that machine only (OEM):(

Wouldn't say illegal, just against MS terms. I wouldn't be worried.

Unstoppable_2

Donnie wrote: »

Regenerating? Was he banned from posting?

Yep and they blocked my IP address as well which is working real well for them as you can see.:D

They must be getting well confused by now. Apparently I was in Luxembourg last night, Boston MA, USA this afternoon and now Canada.

Little_John

OEM licenses are for use on a single PC, no transferring them to other machines if you scrap the PC's with the licensed software then you can't install the software and license on the new PC. Transferring a license is breach of the end user license agreement (EULA) which is actually backed up by law as copyright theft, so it IS illegal to transfer the OEM license from one machine to another even if the old machine is taken out of service.

Should you upgrade the PC with new hardware then you haven't replaced the PC but after 4 hardware changes Windows request reactivation which normally doesn't work on line automatically and you need to explain what has happened to Microsoft when you phone them as part of the manual activation process. Microsoft actually class a new motherboard as a new PC so replacing the board for no other reason than it was faulty is classed as a new machine. So you have replaced a faulty motherboard

superscaper

BexTech wrote: »

Wouldn't say illegal, just against MS terms. I wouldn't be worried.

Same thing under the copyright act. Your use of copyrighted material is down to the agreement with the copyright holder. Going beyond what the copyright holder has allowed you is violating copyright law which is illegal.

prowla

You can swap licences from one machine to another, provided they are for the same version of Windows, and the particular disk is not tied to a licence.
Microsoft did start releasing special Dell versions of Windows that would not work on other vendors machines, so beware of that.

superscaper

prowla wrote: »

You can swap licences from one machine to another, provided they are for the same version of Windows, and the particular disk is not tied to a licence.
Microsoft did start releasing special Dell versions of Windows that would not work on other vendors machines, so beware of that.

Oops clicked thanks by mistake.

That is not true if they are OEM as has been mentioned. Physically being able to do something easily and it being legal are not synonymous. You can use discs in any other machine but OEM licenses can't be transferred legally, certainly not without MS's permission.

Phil51

prowla wrote: »

You can swap licences from one machine to another, provided they are for the same version of Windows, and the particular disk is not tied to a licence.
Microsoft did start releasing special Dell versions of Windows that would not work on other vendors machines, so beware of that.

Sorry, that is completely wrong. OEM licences are not transferable amd all software is tied to a licence.

I think you mean that you can use the disk to install Windows on any number of machines which is correct. However, you need a separate licence for each install.

i.e. Your PC constantly crashes and you decide to re-install. You do not have an XP disc but your friend does. You can legally use his disc to install XP using the licence on your PC sticker. If you use his disc and his licence you are using the software illegally

Phil51 (ex- Software licencing Manager to Blue Chip companies!!)

ventureuk

chuKKy wrote: »

I need to replace two home PC base units and am currently looking at Aria PC Technology (www.Aria.co.uk). I want a decent spec base unit, mainly will be used for Internet and Microsoft Office Applications, that is reasonably priced. Aria supply their PC's without operating systems and here starts my dilema ...
The two PC's I am replacing were given to me a few years ago by a family member who had just upgraded his companies PC's (he owns the business). Although both machines have legitimate versions of Windows XP Home Edition on them (both machines have the Microsoft stickers with the registration keys on them), I was only given one Microsoft CD and I don't know which of the PC's the CD is for. Is each CD unique to the actual registration code? If so, as both PC's still work, is there a way I can distinguish which of them the Microsoft disk goes with? I don't want to buy two new copies of Microsoft Operating software if I can utilise my existing copy on one of the machines. Also, as I have the licence key sticker on the other machine, is there a way I can get replacement disks from microsoft without having to buy another copy? I am more than happy to stay with XP over Vista.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Regards.

I'm not a Geek, a techie, or a 'fanboy' just a normal bloke with the usual interent requirements, photos/browsing/Office/music and films.

I've ditched Windows and haven't looked back, too many bugs, viruses, crashes, too slow and costly.

If you can use Windows then after an hour with this it's second nature, all the software is free, no security issues or viruses and all your Office documents are compatible.

http://www.ubuntu.com/products/whatisubuntu/810features/

And if you are concerned then to reassure you somewhat Dell use it as an alternative to Vista on a number of their PCs.

There has been only one piece of Windows software which I haven't found a suitable alternative for and that's Publisher so I have a dual boot old PC just for that.

When it went on the laptop, my wife who fears technology and thinks she'll break everything by using it only noticed that things were a different colour.

Unstoppable_2

prowla wrote: »

You can swap licences from one machine to another, provided they are for the same version of Windows, and the particular disk is not tied to a licence.

No you can't. An OEM licence dies with the computer. It still isn't valid if you put the hard drive in another computer.

Unstoppable_2

ventureuk wrote: »

And if you are concerned then to reassure you somewhat Dell use it as an alternative to Vista on a number of their PCs.

Actually on a very limited range and virtually impossible to find on their site. It's also so easy to use that they charge the same or more than a Windows PC, even though Ubuntu is free and Windows isn't.

Just because Dell did it to sell a few more PCs does not in any way infer its ease of use or suitability.