two computers one copy of xp

[Trevor]

I have just purchased a laptop(notebook) this has
Microsoft XP installed and I have the Home Edition CD.
Can I install that on my Desktop Computer and register it
the same as I did with my Notebook, or do I have to
purchase another copy of XP? I have installed XP onto my
Desktop anyway but it keeps on telling me I have so many
days to register. My main problem is if I wait util those
days are up, what happens when I try to register using
the same disk that came with my new Notebook?

[Lorne Smith]

"Trevor" > wrote in message
...
> I have just purchased a laptop(notebook) this has
> Microsoft XP installed and I have the Home Edition CD.
> Can I install that on my Desktop Computer and register it
> the same as I did with my Notebook, or do I have to
> purchase another copy of XP? I have installed XP onto my
> Desktop anyway but it keeps on telling me I have so many
> days to register. My main problem is if I wait util those
> days are up, what happens when I try to register using
> the same disk that came with my new Notebook?

No you can't. 1 copy per computer. It's always been this way for Windows,
it's just that XP have a means of enforcing it now. You will need to buy
another copy of XP for your desktop as your notebook copy will not activate
on the desktop.

Lorne

[Robin Hall]

I have the same problem. When I buy and install my second
copy, do I lose all the XP downloads I have installed
from the Compaq website, or is there a way of simply
introducing the new XP number?

Many thanks, Robin
>-----Original Message-----
>"Trevor" > wrote in message
...
>> I have just purchased a laptop(notebook) this has
>> Microsoft XP installed and I have the Home Edition CD.
>> Can I install that on my Desktop Computer and register
it
>> the same as I did with my Notebook, or do I have to
>> purchase another copy of XP? I have installed XP onto
my
>> Desktop anyway but it keeps on telling me I have so
many
>> days to register. My main problem is if I wait util
those
>> days are up, what happens when I try to register using
>> the same disk that came with my new Notebook?
>
>No you can't. 1 copy per computer. It's always been
this way for Windows,
>it's just that XP have a means of enforcing it now. You
will need to buy
>another copy of XP for your desktop as your notebook
copy will not activate
>on the desktop.
>
>Lorne
>
>
>
>.
>

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

The copy that came with your laptop was for that laptop only. The license
for WinXP is one copy per machine, this is what the activation is for. Your
laptop was likely activated at the factory, if you activate the desktop
using the laptop license, you may have problems if you ever need to
reinstall the laptop (as this is probably an OEM license and will be tied to
the machine it is first activated on).

Go to the store, buy a regular retail version. Do a repair install on the
desktop with it and use the Product Key it comes with and activate it. Or,
uninstall it from the desktop.

Follow these steps to do a repair install which should preserve your data,
settings, and programs:

1. Insert the Windows XP CD into your computer's CD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM
drive.
2. Restart your computer. If you have to, change the BIOS settings to start
from
the CD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM drive, and then restart your computer again.
3. At the "Welcome to Setup" page, press ENTER.
4. Press F8 to accept the Licensing Agreement.
5. Use the arrow keys to select the installation of Windows XP that you want
to
repair, and then press R to start the automatic repair process.
6. When Setup is completed, activate Windows XP.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Win98 Help - www.rickrogers.org

"Trevor" > wrote in message
...
> I have just purchased a laptop(notebook) this has
> Microsoft XP installed and I have the Home Edition CD.
> Can I install that on my Desktop Computer and register it
> the same as I did with my Notebook, or do I have to
> purchase another copy of XP? I have installed XP onto my
> Desktop anyway but it keeps on telling me I have so many
> days to register. My main problem is if I wait util those
> days are up, what happens when I try to register using
> the same disk that came with my new Notebook?

[Trevor]

Thanks for the info, I'll purchase a separate copy of XP.
>-----Original Message-----
>Hi,
>
>The copy that came with your laptop was for that laptop
only. The license
>for WinXP is one copy per machine, this is what the
activation is for. Your
>laptop was likely activated at the factory, if you
activate the desktop
>using the laptop license, you may have problems if you
ever need to
>reinstall the laptop (as this is probably an OEM license
and will be tied to
>the machine it is first activated on).
>
>Go to the store, buy a regular retail version. Do a
repair install on the
>desktop with it and use the Product Key it comes with
and activate it. Or,
>uninstall it from the desktop.
>
>Follow these steps to do a repair install which should
preserve your data,
>settings, and programs:
>
>1. Insert the Windows XP CD into your computer's CD-ROM
drive or DVD-ROM
>drive.
>2. Restart your computer. If you have to, change the
BIOS settings to start
>from
>the CD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM drive, and then restart your
computer again.
>3. At the "Welcome to Setup" page, press ENTER.
>4. Press F8 to accept the Licensing Agreement.
>5. Use the arrow keys to select the installation of
Windows XP that you want
>to
>repair, and then press R to start the automatic repair
process.
>6. When Setup is completed, activate Windows XP.
>
>--
>Best of Luck,
>
>Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
>http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
>Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone
>www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
>Win98 Help - www.rickrogers.org
>
>"Trevor" > wrote in message
...
>> I have just purchased a laptop(notebook) this has
>> Microsoft XP installed and I have the Home Edition CD.
>> Can I install that on my Desktop Computer and register
it
>> the same as I did with my Notebook, or do I have to
>> purchase another copy of XP? I have installed XP onto
my
>> Desktop anyway but it keeps on telling me I have so
many
>> days to register. My main problem is if I wait util
those
>> days are up, what happens when I try to register using
>> the same disk that came with my new Notebook?
>
>
>.
>

[Lorne Smith]

Choose the "activate by phone" option. There will be a button to change the
product key, click that, change the product key, the reactivate....


"Robin Hall" > wrote in message
...
> I have the same problem. When I buy and install my second
> copy, do I lose all the XP downloads I have installed
> from the Compaq website, or is there a way of simply
> introducing the new XP number?
>
> Many thanks, Robin
> >-----Original Message-----
> >"Trevor" > wrote in message
> ...
> >> I have just purchased a laptop(notebook) this has
> >> Microsoft XP installed and I have the Home Edition CD.
> >> Can I install that on my Desktop Computer and register
> it
> >> the same as I did with my Notebook, or do I have to
> >> purchase another copy of XP? I have installed XP onto
> my
> >> Desktop anyway but it keeps on telling me I have so
> many
> >> days to register. My main problem is if I wait util
> those
> >> days are up, what happens when I try to register using
> >> the same disk that came with my new Notebook?
> >
> >No you can't. 1 copy per computer. It's always been
> this way for Windows,
> >it's just that XP have a means of enforcing it now. You
> will need to buy
> >another copy of XP for your desktop as your notebook
> copy will not activate
> >on the desktop.
> >
> >Lorne
> >
> >
> >
> >.
> >

[Alex Nichol]

Trevor wrote:

>I have just purchased a laptop(notebook) this has=20
>Microsoft XP installed and I have the Home Edition CD.=20
>Can I install that on my Desktop Computer and register it=20
>the same as I did with my Notebook, or do I have to=20
>purchase another copy of XP?

You have to have a separate license - and Product Key - for each. As it
has always been; Microsoft have brought in the Product Activation to
make you follow the terms of supply. You have to get a new copy of the
system for the other machine


--=20
Alex Nichol MS MVP (Windows Technologies)
Bournemouth, U.K.