Re: XP Home to XP Pro license costs

From: Bruce Chambers (bruce_a_chambers_at_h0tmail.com)
Date: 09/06/04 

Date: Mon, 6 Sep 2004 17:31:27 -0600

Gazza 1216 wrote:
> Hello- I have an (activated )XP Home (OEM) on this
> desktop PC. It has networking issues to my other home
> PC's- which are XP Pro. I still have the OEM XP home CD.
> I also have an old laptop WIN98.
> I was thinking of buing a retail XPPro upgrade version
> for my desktop, so it can network correctly ( as XP Home
> has serious deficiencies in this area). Then take the XP
> Home version 'off' my desktop and install in on my
> laptop- which doesn't need extensive networking...but
> could do with an upgrade from win98 :)
> QUESTION: Can this be done WITHOUT microsoft thinking my
> laptop has 'pirated' my XP Home off my desktop? AND ,
> what does a retail upgrade version of XP Pro cost- surely
> it's not expensive, as it's not a huge step- although
> important- from XP home to XP Pro????
> Thanks gary

    No, it cannot be done without anyone thinking you've pirated the
OS, because that's exactly what you plan to do.

    First of all, based upon the description you've provided, you have
an OEM license for WinXP Home. An OEM version must be sold with a
piece of hardware (normally a motherboard or hard rive, if not an
entire PC) and is permanently bound to the first PC on which it's
installed. An OEM license, once installed, is not legally
transferable to another computer under any circumstances. You can
remove or replace it, if you like, but you can neither reuse it on a
different computer or resell it.

    Additionally, If you use an Upgrade version of WinXP Pro, the
license for WinXP Home will be subsumed (became an integral part of)
by the WinXP Pro Upgrade license. Basically, you have no license to
use the Upgrade version without there also being an earlier qualifying
license permanently in place. 

-- 
Bruce Chambers
Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever
count on having both at once. - RAH

Relevant Pages

  • Re: XP 64 OEM
    ... Due to a physical issuel of cpu into motherboard I'm unable to upgrade my cpu and thus must install a new motherboard+cpu. ... Having only just become aware that OEM xp64 professional seems to have limitations regarding hardware upgrades ... There's no requirement for buying a new license each time you repair your computer. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: SOP for salvaging OS (legal stuff) of dying machine
    ... Could be an generic OEM version. ... either be a full version or an upgrade version. ... OEM versions stick to the first host on which they are installed. ... The EULA just stipulates the OEM license ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: upgrade XP home to XP pro
    ... How do I put XP pro onto the inherited machine? ... Will it upgrade if I insert the XP Pro disk and run the install program or must I reformat the hard drive on the inherited machine? ... An OEM license is permanently bound to the computer on which it was originally installed, and may never be legitimately transferred to a new computer. ... WinXP is designed to install and upgrade the existing operating system while simultaneously preserving your applications and data, and translating as many personalized settings as possible. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers)
  • Re: Is buying a used copy illegal
    ... |> the OEM product is a hardware assembly. ... you may upgrade or replace all of the hardware ... | been created, the original license expires, and a new full operating ... One cannot alter an agreement ...
    (comp.lang.basic.visual.misc)
  • Re: upgrade from xp home to xp pro
    ... > Hi Doug, ... > There is no easy way to distinguish a retail key from an OEM one. ... >> xp pro. ... >> license written on a sticker. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics)
Loading