Existing PC (XP), partition HDD and reinstall XP on new partition?

victor2

davetrousers wrote: »

Existing PC has a 250GB HDD and has Windows XP. Would it be possible to partition the HDD so that the existing install is on a (relatively small) 50GB partition, then reinstall Windows XP on to the remaining 200GB partition?

You'll lose the existing installation if you repartition the drive or try to shrink the current partition anyway.
As already suggested, just add another user account.

esuhl

GunJack wrote: »

It's probably a very grey area, but having the same COA installed on two separate partitions as is intended will be like having two separate machines....who knows how MS would see this, but I can probably guess

If the licence is on a per-machine basis (as I think it is) it wouldn't be a grey area at all. A single-installation could feasibly create multiple copies of files; a double-installation would just mean that there are more copies of the files. Contractually speaking, I'm not sure that you could clearly and unambiguously make a distinction between a single OS installation with duplicated files and multiple OS installations... I suppose MS could (in theory) require the boot partition to be formatted before new installations are permitted, but I don't think they do. If you re-install on the same partition you get directories named WINDOWS, WINDOWS.0, WINDOWS.1, etc. I suspect that means that there is one kernel installed but multiple collections of OS files - is that considered one installation or more than one?

As far as I know MS wouldn't "see" the two installations at all - they'd just be sent a hardware hash when you tried to activate the second installation and, since it would be identical to the hash of the first installation, it would appear (and, in fact, be the case) that you are quite legitimately re-installing the OS on the same machine.

I think we agree that it would be okay for the OP to format their hard drive and re-installing the OS, but the process of formatting a drive doesn't send a signal to MS to indicate that a "per-installation licence" has been freed up, so how would they know?

victor2 wrote: »

You'll lose the existing installation if you repartition the drive or try to shrink the current partition anyway.
As already suggested, just add another user account.

There are ways to non-destructively modify hard drive partitions, so it's certainly possible to do this without losing the existing installation. It's a bit risky, though - you would definitely want to update your backups before re-partitioning.

One reason for having multiple installations is if you have a son/daughter who wants to "mess around" with the OS settings or install lots of bloatware. Malware-risks notwithstanding, it can make life easier for other users if they have a relatively clean OS installation that is kept free of such junk...

GunJack

esuhl wrote: »

As far as I know MS wouldn't "see" the two installations at all - they'd just be sent a hardware hash when you tried to activate the second installation and, since it would be identical to the hash of the first installation, it would appear (and, in fact, be the case) that you are quite legitimately re-installing the OS on the same machine.

This may be the "physical" sticking point - would the second install need to be activated, or will the MS systems already be seeing it as activated - or, may it be seen as an already-activated key and therefore wouldn't activate the second install, as the MS systems think it's fraudulent ?!?!?!?

Typically, another MS licensing bl00dy faff !!!!

esuhl

GunJack wrote: »

This may be the "physical" sticking point - would the second install need to be activated, or will the MS systems already be seeing it as activated - or, may it be seen as an already-activated key and therefore wouldn't activate the second install, as the MS systems think it's fraudulent ?!?!?!?

Typically, another MS licensing bl00dy faff !!!!

I think the OS uses an internal binary file and registry key combination to indicate that it has been activated, so the newly installed OS would need to be activated. It certainly has when I've installed Windows multiple times on one PC.

Activation can be performed automatically if certain criteria are fulfilled. I can't remember exactly, but I think you can only activate each key once every so-many-days (30 days? 90 days?).

Activation is subsequently required after a certain number of "minor" hardware changes (internal drives, RAM, expansion cards, etc.) and for every major hardware change (motherboard, CPU, etc.).

So long as the minimum number of days has passed since the last activation and you haven't made a "major" hardware change under an OEM licence, then the activation is handled automatically, otherwise you must contact Microsoft. However, Microsoft can't refuse to activate a legitimately installed OS as you could sue for breach of contract.

I was pretty annoyed when I bought XP for an old PC, then decided to get a new machine a couple of weeks later as I couldn't re-activate the OS automatically. But to be fair, Microsoft were really helpful and were quite happy to give me the activation key over the phone. It was all sorted in a minute or two.

Anyway, to return to the original point, I really am fairly sure (not quite 100%!) that you can install Windows as many times as you like on one machine with a single licence...

spud17

Interesting points from GJ and esuhl.

Regarding the time span between activations, I recently sorted a Vista laptop.
It needed a complete re-install and for curiosity's sake I used the Acer recovery partition, (more to see what carp was bundled up with the Vista), it finally booted and automatically activated by using a nearby (not mine) un-secured wireless router.
Later the same day I installed Vista on the same laptop, via an MS Vista disc using the case coa. I activated it when I decided all was ok, (drivers etc) no problem at all with the activation.

I'm also sure that I've activated XP more than once over the course of a weekend.

TakeThis

spud17 wrote: »

Interesting points from GJ and esuhl.

Regarding the time span between activations, I recently sorted a Vista laptop.
It needed a complete re-install and for curiosity's sake I used the Acer recovery partition, (more to see what carp was bundled up with the Vista), it finally booted and automatically activated by using a nearby (not mine) un-secured wireless router.
Later the same day I installed Vista on the same laptop, via an MS Vista disc using the case coa. I activated it when I decided all was ok, (drivers etc) no problem at all with the activation.

I'm also sure that I've activated XP more than once over the course of a weekend.

If you used the recovery partition, there should have been no need to connect to the Internet in order to activate Windows.

Teacher2301

You can't do it. You can't run one computer as two can you? Sure you can have partitions but you only have one operating system that boots up when you switch on. Vista (and W7?) can switch between operating systems

Here is a copy from the help and support section in Vista (my OS) published by MS - I hope I have cited this ok?

Change the default operating system for startup (multiboot)

If you have more than one operating system installed on your computer, you can choose which one starts when you turn on your computer. More than one operating system installed on a computer is often called a multiboot configuration.

Click to open System.

Click Advanced System Settings. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

Click the Advanced tab, and then, under Startup and Recovery, click Settings.

Under System startup, in the Default operating system list, click the operating system that you want to use when you turn on or restart your computer.




I agree with the poster who said have two accounts and set yours up with a password as as you're the owner - set it with administrator rights.

TakeThis

Teacher2301 wrote: »

Doesn't vista have the option to run as either Vista or as XP? I'm sure I read this somewhere?

This was a free download I used to help partition my computer ages ago - I haven't checked the site since then, so if you want to use it read it first -http://www.partition-tool.com/easeus-partition-manager/

Virtual PC 2007

VMware Player

esuhl

spud17 wrote: »

Interesting points from GJ and esuhl.

Regarding the time span between activations, I recently sorted a Vista laptop...
Later the same day I installed Vista on the same laptop... no problem at all with the activation.

I'm also sure that I've activated XP more than once over the course of a weekend.

Ah yes - if you were re-installing on the same hardware, the hardware hash sent to Microsoft would be identical the second time you install, so the time delay doesn't apply. Microsoft know that you're re-installing on the same machine so there's no problem.

You can re-install on the same hardware as often as you like, it's only when you have more than three(?) "minor" hardware changes or one major change that the time-limit applies.

Sorry - I don't think I explained that properly in my last post. I did know all this stuff at one time, but my memory is getting pretty rusty!

Teacher2301 wrote: »

You can't do it. You can't run one computer as two can you? Sure you can have partitions but you only have one operating system that boots up when you switch on. Vista (and W7?) can switch between operating systems.

You can only run one operating system (OS) at a time, but you can install many different OSes on a single PC. My main PC boots XP, Win7 and Arch Linux. When you start your PC, the BIOS runs and passes control to a bootloader, which decides (or lets the user choose) which OS to boot (or whether to load a different bootloader that's compatible with other OSes).

I've actually installed multiple instances of XP on a few occasions - usually as a temporary way to gain access to a corrupted OS's files and fix them or back up files before wiping the drives and reinstalling.

spud17

You can re-install on the same hardware as often as you like, it's only when you have more than three(?) "minor" hardware changes or one major change that the time-limit applies.

Sorry - I don't think I explained that properly in my last post. I did know all this stuff at one time, but my memory is getting pretty rusty!

Fair enough, I did think you were meaning for identical hardware. You've clarified now though.