Can I use Windows XP Prof disk on more than one pc if I have a key

sb44

I won a HP Compaq laptop NX9005 on ebay (only paying £30 so don't expect a lot, just for basic forum reading ie here).

It comes with system restore disks and the original XP Pro disk.

We have an old IBM Thinkpad T20 that wasn't working properly so I did a system restore on it but I started to use the wrong disk ie Windows XP home edition and it asked for starter pack disk 1 which I don't have, have two and three but can't find one.

Not sure if that would have worked or not anyway as the key on the bottom of the thinkpad is for xp prof.

Anyway, I was wondering, can I start another system restore on the thinkpad, writing over the previous attempt using the xp pro disk that will come with the HP laptop, the key number on the ibm is for xp pro.

Ta.

JJ_Egan

If its an OEM disc it will fail activation .
If a retail disc you activate and if refused continue through to phone MS activation and says its replacing a no longer working product .

sb44

QUOTE=JJ Egan;63657758]If its an OEM disc it will fail activation .
If a retail disc you activate and if refused continue through to phone MS activation and says its replacing a no longer working product .[/QUOTE]

Sorry, what does OEM mean? It is the original disk that came with the laptop when new. I haven't seen it yet as only won today.

Uxb

OEM disks/licence numbers are locked into their first and only activation.
Once used once they cannot be "moved" to a new installation regardless of whether the old computer even exists anymore. The licence in effect dies with the computer
That is why new disks for OEM builds are cheaper than say a "retail copy" of Windows.
(OEM means original Equipment manufacturer)

With new computers from established volume manufacturers like dell/HP etc it gets more complex as they actually use their own bulk licence to initially install the Operating system and then "activate/attach" the OEM licence number stuck on the computer's side to the installation. So the actual disk you are given is never itself 'used'.

johnmc

the key on the bottom of the thinkpad is for xp prof.

The disc will allow you to load the OS using the number on the base of the Thinkpad.

Lum

There are many different editions of XP. The five most common are:

XP Pro - Volume Licence Edition
XP Pro - Retail
XP Pro - OEM
XP Home - Retail
XP Home - OEM

You need the correct disc for your edition, i.e. XP Pro - OEM. If your computer has a sticker on the bottom then it's going to be OEM.

It may well be that the disc that came with your HP machine is XP Pro - OEM. Look on the CD for a file called SETUPP.INI, look at the line PID=xxxxxyyy. Compare it to this list to see what type of disc it is.

forgotmyname

That disc is not a windows disc. Its probably an image of the original install. So all the drivers etc will only work on that model of laptop.

I know someone that came crying to me because they used an image disc to "upgrade" their computer and lost all their music and photo's.

I managed to recover a fair bit of it but some of it got lost.

NiftyDigits

I'll get the correct disc for you later.

sb44

NiftyDigits wrote: »

I'll get the correct disc for you later.

.

Thank you very much, that is very good of you.

To be honest, one of the reasons I bought the HP one was because I thought I would be able to use the disk in the thinkpad as it is just sitting there doing nothing at the minute .

NiftyDigits

You'll probably need the disc for the HP Compaq too.

sb44

NiftyDigits wrote: »

You'll probably need the disc for the HP Compaq too.

I think it is due to arrive on Thursday, should I wait and let you know what it looks like? Not that I know if you can tell by looking at the disk.