Installing XP on a new computer

[Gerry]

I am considering purchasing a new computer. I don't plan
on buying another copy of XP since I already have one. I
know that once I install XP on the new computer it won't
activate because I already have it on my old system. I
will be deleted off the old system. How much heartache
will Microsoft give me when I call them for an activation
code. I only plan to have XP on the new system. The old
one will get wiped. Thanks for any advice.

[Jim Macklin]

It will work just fine if it has been 120 days since you
activated. The problem is whether the copy of XP you have
is an OEM that came with the first computer. To do the
switch you need to be using a full retail, not an upgrade or
OEM.

If it is a retail copy and less than 120 days, you'll be
prompted to make a 800 call to MS and get a key.

With the exception of a computer sold by WalMart, most new
computers come with some type of OS, are you building a new
computer? You can buy a MS OEM which is identical to a
retail XP CD except the EULA ties it to the computer when
you install it. XP Pro is about $125.


"Gerry" > wrote in message
...
| I am considering purchasing a new computer. I don't plan
| on buying another copy of XP since I already have one. I
| know that once I install XP on the new computer it won't
| activate because I already have it on my old system. I
| will be deleted off the old system. How much heartache
| will Microsoft give me when I call them for an activation
| code. I only plan to have XP on the new system. The old
| one will get wiped. Thanks for any advice.

[Gary]

Thats cheap, even factoring in exchange rates. XP Pro $Aud 599+.
"Jim Macklin" > wrote in message
...
> It will work just fine if it has been 120 days since you
> activated. The problem is whether the copy of XP you have
> is an OEM that came with the first computer. To do the
> switch you need to be using a full retail, not an upgrade or
> OEM.
>
> If it is a retail copy and less than 120 days, you'll be
> prompted to make a 800 call to MS and get a key.
>
> With the exception of a computer sold by WalMart, most new
> computers come with some type of OS, are you building a new
> computer? You can buy a MS OEM which is identical to a
> retail XP CD except the EULA ties it to the computer when
> you install it. XP Pro is about $125.
>
>
> "Gerry" > wrote in message
> ...
> | I am considering purchasing a new computer. I don't plan
> | on buying another copy of XP since I already have one. I
> | know that once I install XP on the new computer it won't
> | activate because I already have it on my old system. I
> | will be deleted off the old system. How much heartache
> | will Microsoft give me when I call them for an activation
> | code. I only plan to have XP on the new system. The old
> | one will get wiped. Thanks for any advice.
>
>

[Jim Macklin]

www.newegg.com is where I bought my original software last
year when I built this computer. W XP Pro was $128 as I
recall and MS Office XP Pro Student/Teacher was $179 ( I am
a college senior at age 57).


"Gary" > wrote in message
...
| Thats cheap, even factoring in exchange rates. XP Pro $Aud
599+.
| "Jim Macklin" > wrote in message
| ...
| > It will work just fine if it has been 120 days since you
| > activated. The problem is whether the copy of XP you
have
| > is an OEM that came with the first computer. To do the
| > switch you need to be using a full retail, not an
upgrade or
| > OEM.
| >
| > If it is a retail copy and less than 120 days, you'll be
| > prompted to make a 800 call to MS and get a key.
| >
| > With the exception of a computer sold by WalMart, most
new
| > computers come with some type of OS, are you building a
new
| > computer? You can buy a MS OEM which is identical to a
| > retail XP CD except the EULA ties it to the computer
when
| > you install it. XP Pro is about $125.
| >
| >
| > "Gerry" > wrote in message
| > ...
| > | I am considering purchasing a new computer. I don't
plan
| > | on buying another copy of XP since I already have one.
I
| > | know that once I install XP on the new computer it
won't
| > | activate because I already have it on my old system.
I
| > | will be deleted off the old system. How much
heartache
| > | will Microsoft give me when I call them for an
activation
| > | code. I only plan to have XP on the new system. The
old
| > | one will get wiped. Thanks for any advice.
| >
| >
|
|

[nic]

>-----Original Message-----
>It will work just fine if it has been 120 days since you
>activated. The problem is whether the copy of XP you have
>is an OEM that came with the first computer. To do the
>switch you need to be using a full retail, not an upgrade
or
>OEM.
>
>If it is a retail copy and less than 120 days, you'll be
>prompted to make a 800 call to MS and get a key.
>
>With the exception of a computer sold by WalMart, most new
>computers come with some type of OS, are you building a
new
>computer? You can buy a MS OEM which is identical to a
>retail XP CD except the EULA ties it to the computer when
>you install it. XP Pro is about $125.
>
>
>"Gerry" > wrote in message
...
>| I am considering purchasing a new computer. I don't
plan
>| on buying another copy of XP since I already have one.
I
>| know that once I install XP on the new computer it won't
>| activate because I already have it on my old system. I
>| will be deleted off the old system. How much heartache
>| will Microsoft give me when I call them for an
activation
>| code. I only plan to have XP on the new system. The
old
>| one will get wiped. Thanks for any advice.
>
>
>.
>well what if it's the same computer put you totally
overhauled the hardware in it but you have an oem copy of
xp?

[Jim Macklin]

That depends on whether the OEM CD is made by MS or
Dell/Compaq/Gateway/eMachines, etc. Big OEM companies
customize their OEM versions so they will only install on
one of their computers because they look for a BIOS they
built. It might install, probably couldn't be activated.

An OEM CD from MS is not BIOS locked, but once installed it
is to stay on same machine.

Now I'll give the FAA answer to what is an airplane. Your
Cessna crashes and burns, the only part you recover is the
dataplate from the tail cone. It has the serial and model
number. It is damaged but intact enough to read. You send
that plate to Cessna and request a replacement. You put the
replacement on an airplane you built from parts bought on
the market, that you bolted together, no welding involved,
just bolt together. Legally it is the same airplane,
repaired.


"nic" > wrote in message
...
|
| >-----Original Message-----
| >It will work just fine if it has been 120 days since you
| >activated. The problem is whether the copy of XP you
have
| >is an OEM that came with the first computer. To do the
| >switch you need to be using a full retail, not an upgrade
| or
| >OEM.
| >
| >If it is a retail copy and less than 120 days, you'll be
| >prompted to make a 800 call to MS and get a key.
| >
| >With the exception of a computer sold by WalMart, most
new
| >computers come with some type of OS, are you building a
| new
| >computer? You can buy a MS OEM which is identical to a
| >retail XP CD except the EULA ties it to the computer when
| >you install it. XP Pro is about $125.
| >
| >
| >"Gerry" > wrote in message
| ...
| >| I am considering purchasing a new computer. I don't
| plan
| >| on buying another copy of XP since I already have one.
| I
| >| know that once I install XP on the new computer it
won't
| >| activate because I already have it on my old system. I
| >| will be deleted off the old system. How much heartache
| >| will Microsoft give me when I call them for an
| activation
| >| code. I only plan to have XP on the new system. The
| old
| >| one will get wiped. Thanks for any advice.
| >
| >
| >.
| >well what if it's the same computer put you totally
| overhauled the hardware in it but you have an oem copy of
| xp?

[Ken Blake]

In , Gerry wrote:

> I am considering purchasing a new computer. I don't plan
> on buying another copy of XP since I already have one. I
> know that once I install XP on the new computer it won't
> activate because I already have it on my old system. I
> will be deleted off the old system. How much heartache
> will Microsoft give me when I call them for an activation
> code. I only plan to have XP on the new system. The old
> one will get wiped. Thanks for any advice.


A couple of points here:

1. Do you own a retail copy of XP or an OEM copy? If the latter,
the license permanently binds it to the first computer it's
installed on, and you can not do what you want to.

2. Assuming that you have a retail copy, how long has XP been on
it? If it's over 120 days, simply activate it on the new one, and
it should activate over the internet without a problem.

3. If it's been fewer than 120 days, you'll have to make a
5-minute voice call explaining what you've done. No heartache at
all; Microsoft will believe you and it's quick and easy.

--
Ken Blake
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