Re: XP Pro installed, XP Home license
- From: Bruce Chambers <bchambers@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 02 Jan 2008 19:49:53 -0700
C. G. wrote:
I bought a used laptop (On Ebay) The laptop has XP Pro installed, but the COA is XP Home. The seller has assured me that it is OK to use a home license with PRO, and that it installs just fine that way. I asked him for his source on this, and he wrote to me:
"My source is my friends they working in computers since long time. and we did many times with the Home to Pro product key without any problem.
I do not think this could be a problem for the machine. even a new windows vista you can install in this machine with same product key. Thats what I know."
He's lying. Either demand a legitimate WinXP Pro license, or return the laptop and get your money back. And don't forget to report this low-life scammer to eBay.
Now, I haven't tried that, and I re-installed Home using the COA on the laptop (It appears to be legitimate).
You're lucky.
But I'm wondering... will XP Pro install with a Home key? and will Vista really install using that key too?
No, of course not! Product Keys are bound to the specific type and language of CD/license (OEM, Volume, retail, full, or Upgrade) with which they are purchased. For example, a WinXP Home OEM Product Key won't work for any retail version of WinXP Home, or for any version of WinXP Pro, and vice versa. An upgrade's Product Key cannot be used with a full version CD, and vice versa. An OEM Product Key will not work to install a retail product. An Italian Product Key will not work with an English CD. Bottom line: Product Keys and CD/license types cannot be mixed & matched.
I informed the seller that it's probably illegal to do that even if it works.I having much trouble believing that it does work, since even on a re-install of XP I often need to call Microsoft to get it validated.
Should I report this somehow, or should I just let it go?
Either demand a legitimate WinXP Pro license, or return the laptop and get your money back. And don't forget to report this low-life scammer to eBay.
Getting a legitimate license of any kind from eBay is something of a crap shoot. One should be very careful buying any software on eBay, as eBay makes no prior effort to ensure that such sales are legitimate. The problems stem from two completely different sources, but have the same results: the buyer gets ripped off. A great many people don't fully understand the terms of the license they own, and don't understand that they cannot legitimately resell it, and - worse still - there are a great many sellers who do know that they're selling bogus licenses. eBay reacts only when someone files a complaint, and then all that really happens, especially in the case of the many deliberate fraudsters, is the seller of the pirated software returns using a different alias, to continue selling illegitimate licenses.
--
Bruce Chambers
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