Re: Can I move XP Pro to another computer & install XP Home on Pro

Dear Rock,

I aploagize for my ignorance on how to post a question/thread. I found this
site very confusing on how to post a question but I eventually figured it out.
Anyway, my new computer has the OEM version of XP Home. My old computer has
a retail version of XP Pro that is currently on it. I also have a retail
version of XP home. It looks like I can put the upgrade of XP Pro on my new
computer with the OEM version of XP Home. I can then wipe my hard drive of my
old computer that has the retail version of XP Pro. Then I can install that
XP Pro on the computer that does not have an operating system but has the Win
2000 license. (Yes, I do have a retail version of Win 2000.) I can then take
my retail version of XP Home and put it on my old computer that no longer
needs to be on our Novell server that I have now reformatted. I do have an
external drive large enough to copy my files that I want to keep before I
reformat. Thank you so much for your response.

Barbara Packard

"Rock" wrote:

"Barbara Packard" wrote

I have a full version CD of Win XP Pro and Home with service pack 1. I
bought a new computer that has Win XP Home service pack 2 on it. I must
have
Pro for my Novell server. I also have a computer with no operating system
but
does have a product key for Win 2000. I also have purchased a copy of an
upgrade to Win XP Pro. My original computer with XP Pro will not be on the
Novell server so it can do with Win XP Home. My new computer and the one
with
the product key for Win 2000 will be on the Novell server. Is there a
legal
way to change these around without having to buy more copies of Win XP?

Barbara, you posted this earlier as a reply to someone else's thread and I
replied to you with some questions. Have you seen that?

For reference here is my reply. Next time keep in the original thread.

Quote:

In the future, you should not post a new question as a reply to another
thread. Make a new post with your issue.

For now since you're here, your post is a bit unclear and some information
is missing.

1. You say you have a "full version disk of Win XP Pro". Is this installed
on a computer or has it ever been installed on a computer and is it a retail
version or an OEM version?

2. The new computer that you bough that has Win XP Home SP2 - that is an
OEM version of XP correct - it came preinstalled by the computer vendor?

3. The old computer that has a license key for Win2000. Do you have the
Win2000 CD? If so is this a retail version of Win2000 or an OEM version?

4. You suddenly mention "My original computer with XP Pro". What computer
is this? Does this computer have the "full version disk of Win XP Pro"
installed? If so again is this a retail or OEM version of XP? If it's
another copy of XP is that copy OEM or retail?

Here are some basic rules. OEM versions cannot be moved to another
computer. It lives and dies on the first computer on which it's installed.
An OEM version can be used as a basis for an upgrade.

The XP Pro upgrade can be used to upgrade Win2k to XP Pro if you have the
Win2k CD. Just having the license key doesn't mean anything. If the
version of Win2k is OEM then only that computer on which it had originally
been installed can be upgraded to XP Pro with the upgrade. If the Win2k is
retail then it can be used as the basis of an upgrade for any of the
computers.

Or the XP Pro upgrade can be used to upgrade the new computer with XP Home
to XP Pro. The XP home license is subsumed into the XP Pro license, and
can't be used elsewhere. Since it's likely an OEM version it can't be
transferred to another computer anyway.

Give the answers to these questions about OEM v Retail and the "original
computer" and we can give you a definitive answer.


--
Rock [MVP - User/Shell]


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: XP Pro CD - Retail or OEM?
    ... > me that a retail CD will not work to repair an OEM installation. ... Both OEM and Retail CDs can do a repair but you cannot do one with the other ... (you must use the same sort as you used to install). ... > Is there no way to tell from the copy whether it is retail, oem, upgrade, ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.setup_deployment)
  • Re: Building computer - XP OEM vs. Retail questons, and vista upgr
    ... so I have to do a clean install.. ... and also upgrade to vista in the future. ... With OEM, since I built the computer myself, can I upgrade the mobo ... let me simply suggest that you buy a retail Upgrade CD instead. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: XP Pro CD - Retail or OEM?
    ... the retail CD was better to have for certain repairs and things that the OEM ... At least I was able to use my friend's CD to run the Windows XP Upgrade ... >> Windows Me) or a clean install. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.setup_deployment)
  • Re: Win XP Pro on Apple iMac Intel Dual Core
    ... Do you actually require the Retail XP pro? ... OEM XP pro is cheaper over here. ... How about the Virtual PC software for iMac? ... You will, of course, require a retail copy of XPSP2. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers)
  • Re: issues with retail xp upgrade and oem home preinstalled versions
    ... No reason you can't install a retail Pro upgrade over an OEM Home version. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics)