Can I Sell My XP Disc?

raptorman

I changed my old PC over to Ubuntu Linux and was wondering if
it was ok if I sold my old XP install disc on ebay?

superscaper

Only if it's a retail version. Otherwise the new owner won't be able to install it on their machine (well they will but they'll have problems activating it). Alternatively sell it as a backup disc only, without the serial number.

raptorman

It came with the PC when I bought it so I guess I would
have to remove the key,yes?

superscaper

raptorman wrote: »

It came with the PC when I bought it so I guess I would
have to remove the key,yes?

It's definitely OEM, and there are two issues. Firstly you're not allowed to transfer OEM licenses between pcs and secondly it's Microsoft themselves that have a record of which pc (hardware configuration) is registered with which serial number. Any other person would have their activation refused because that serial number is already registered to your computer and there isn't any way for you to "unregister" it.

In short, you can sell the disc (a buyer could only use it with their own genuine serial number) but not with the serial number as your serial number is "used".

Conor_3

superscaper wrote: »

It's definitely OEM, and there are two issues. Firstly you're not allowed to transfer OEM licenses between pcs and secondly it's Microsoft themselves that have a record of which pc (hardware configuration) is registered with which serial number. Any other person would have their activation refused because that serial number is already registered to your computer and there isn't any way for you to "unregister" it.

Not exactly true. They don't have a record of that PC - they just have a record of the hash code WPA generates for several bits of hardware in that PC tied to the product key.

It is very possible, although not exactly conforming to the licence, to install a pre-activated OEM key on another PC however you'd need to activate over the phone. Done it a few times.

superscaper

Conor wrote: »

Not exactly true. They don't have a record of that PC - they just have a record of the hash code WPA generates for several bits of hardware in that PC tied to the product key.

Hence why I put the "hardware configuration" in brackets. Was just putting it in it's simplest terms. Any simplification starts shifting the "truth".

superscaper

Conor wrote: »

It is very possible, although not exactly conforming to the licence, to install a pre-activated OEM key on another PC however you'd need to activate over the phone. Done it a few times.

The difference between what's physically possible and what's legally possible influenced my response to keep within the rules of the forum.

esuhl

Are you really permitted to sell the CD without the serial number? I've seen a number of people do this on eBay, but thought that technically they would be breaking the law or licence terms...

superscaper

esuhl wrote: »

Are you really permitted to sell the CD without the serial number? I've seen a number of people do this on eBay, but thought that technically they would be breaking the law or licence terms...

I don't see why not. I mean you're allowed to make your own backups of software and you're allowed to use other people's discs to install XP. The licence is all about the serial number, not what you do with the disc as far as I'm aware. I mean the only people who can make use of the disc are ones with their own serial number already anyway, hence why I suggested selling it as a ready made backup disc.

johnmc

Not sure how this fairs on the forum's rules, but I have "acquired" discs with operating system software on before when the PC I have has had to be formatted and reinstalled or a new harddrive fitted.

I've then used the existing key on the box to re-activate the PC. It won't accept automatically and has to be done over the phone.

I hope that's oblique enough .............

superscaper

johnmc wrote: »

Not sure how this fairs on the forum's rules,

Well the illegal thing to distribute is the serial key and homemade copies of XP also you're not circumventing any copy protection either so I'm pretty sure selling genuine discs on to others is fine even by the forum rules.