XP Home Upgrade - multiple PC's?

[ncsailors]

How has XP HOME UPGRADE OS washed out, as far as
us being able to load XP HOME UPGRADE, on multiple
personal pc's?

In other words, lets say I buy it new from dealer - can
I load the XP OS software on 2 or 3 of my own
PC's.

Last I had heard Microsoft made buyers "register" their
XP purchase, in some fashion?

Fred
NC

[Mhollinr]

Fter its installed you have to register with MS- either online or by phone. If you do it online it will work for the first one, but after that it will tell you that it has already been registered. Not sure what the time frame is for use, I think it's 30 days without activation- then it will only allow you to boot to the activate screen. With MS Office, my copy said it would only load 50 times before I had to register it.

[ncsailors]

I guess my question has always been (with XP), once one
registers it with good ole Microsoft - can they use
it on another PC, like a backup PC or a laptop PC
that they may use for trips????????????????

[Surge1243]

Nope, you only get to install it on one machine. If you want to install it on another you need to buy another license or have the current one transferred to the new machine. It's not like Win ME/98/95 where you could install it on multiple machines with just one CD key.

[Dreamscape]

I would say no, it is not legal but still possible. Microsoft has tried ever so hard to make it one licence; one computer. The way you authenticate and "activate" your copy of XP is through hardware codes. Where they get you now, is installing the Service Pack.

In fact, some companies, if you actually read their agreements, go as far as to say: "Any and all copies of this CD, whether for backup or personal use are strictly ILLEGAL." Even the old legal pretense of making "backup" copies is being scrutinized

Edit: Man, I have to type faster

[Computer Hobbyist]

If I could talk my wife into using a linux based bookkeeping system, I wouldn't be in the business of buying a copy of XP for her upgraded machine. I can't so I won't.

Ethics are all about doing the right thing. When you buy a Microsoft license and accept their terms you agree to use the software on only one machine. Living up to your agreement is not only the appropriate legal response, it is the appropriate ethical response.

Can you cheat Microsoft, or any other software vendor? If you are clever enough you probably can. Should you? No. It is no different than breaking into CompUSA and stealing a motherboard.

Sorry to be so moralistic, but I know some people in the software business who depend on payments from consumers. They don't work for free.

CH

[ncsailors]

I have ALWAYS bought licensed copies of Microsoft
products - since like DOS 3.0 or below! But this
Microsoft XP need to "buy" additional copies of their
licensed XP is poor, at best. There's no ethics involved!

Let's say I trashed my PC, its died. Are we saying the
XP SOFTWARE & License I purchased - is only good for
that 1 and only 1 machine!!!???

This is probably why all the "experts" I know and have
worked with - have steered clear of XP! I knew
I shouldn't have bought a copy!

To make matters WORSE, last Dec. 2002, with a
defunct Calif. PC I tried to buy, that vendor made
me purchase an "OEM version of XP" - and would
not take it back. So I have that OEM CD and
License to boot - and so far, nothing is installed!!!!

.....and in conclusion! = Has anyone ever seen
Microsoft OS software on sale? Ever at less than
"list"? Sort of sounds like a monopoly or price
fixing to me! That is what's known as business
ethics, or lack thereof!

......I give up on them
Fred
NC

[yellohut]

fred brings up a good point...
if i buy xp and install it on my machine, and then that machine dies, and i build a new one, will i be able to transfer the license over to the new machine?

and how do they keep track of which machine is using which registration key? does xp automatically send ifo about your computer back to MS when you sign online?

[Mhollinr]

I think it will work, don't ask me how (unless it keeps track of all hardware changes) I had a computer that went on the fritz awhile ago, I ended up replacing a couple of components including video card, motherboard, hard drive and eventually I figured out it was the processor that overheated and was bad. So after all that, I did a clean install on the NEW motherboard, HDD and cpu and it worked fine, but each time I replaced something I started it back up to see if that was the fix. So, unless each time I started it it new I changed hardware and updated the registration, I dodn't know why it worked.

Also, MS Office produts are licensed for one home computer and one mobile computer as long as they are both owned by the same person. I just heard that somewhere else on this site, and looked it up on MS's website and sure enough you can. When I went to register it on my laptop, it said that the reg. ode was already used- so I called them and they give you a code to put in to make it work.