New HDD with WinXP Home

[WJWheels]

A Real Estate company recently bought a new PC - rather cheap HP / Win XPhome, etc. Anyway they did not want XP in the office (who knows the reason) so had me install a new hdd and windows 98SE.

Now they have the brand new 40gig HDD with winXP on it, along with the winXP home recovery CD for HD, certificate, etc. They want me to install the hdd in their home computer. What will I/they have to do as far as licensing or activating the copy of XP in the other PC?.... if anything.

[reboot]

The recovery CD won't work, the hard drive probably won't boot, and it's illegal, as that copy of XP is only for use on the computer it was sold with, as a new computer.
You might get some satisfaction from MS with a phone call, but I forsee paying for a CD at minimum, and possibly throwing it all out (except the hard drive) and starting from scratch.
I would have warned them about this long before the purchase was made, however, your best option is to restore the computer to it's original state, and return the whole mess to the store. Then get a computer, that comes with a complete copy of XP, not a restore disk of ANY sort, which they can then use on any other computer.

[WJWheels]

That's basically what I told them. I don't think it makes a lot of difference to them. It just seems a waste that MS now has a legit copy of XP not being used. I thought there was some provision for "changing" hardware.

[reboot]

There is, but only with a real copy of XP. The one you have is a restore disk for the HP, and won't work on anything else.

[WJWheels]

I was thinking more of using the loaded up hard drive in their other pc rather than re-installing the OS. They have the little green Windows XP install booklet & the sticker with the 25 digit product key.

Actually, I mistyped. It's a Gateway PC and the purple CD is titled "Operating System - Windows XP Home Edition"

[glc]

The only way I can see it working is put the hard drive back into the Gateway and run the OOBE but do NOT activate it. Then pull it back out and stick it in the other machine, see what happens. You have nothing to lose. Disclaimer - this *IS* technically illegal, it's only licensed to that Gateway.

[doubledragon5]

Hi wheels if they wan't a xp system in their home PC then tell them it would be easier to just spend the dollars on a new copy. Heck they should have plenty of money LOL.

I have tried in the past to put a Dell copy of Xp in anohter PC and it didn't evern recognize it.

[Computer Hobbyist]

If you buy hardware, XP home is selling for $93 (or less.) How much are they paying you to monkey around with this mess? I would hope it is more than $93.00. Tell them to do the math.

CH

[WJWheels]

Good replies all.. thanx. I do quite a bit of work with them and have built a couple of their computers. I plan to give the Gateway drive one chance and if it doesn't go just install a new copy of XPhome on it - wiping all that's there. Yea, $$$ isn't the problem, but if they don't spend it on software, they can give it to me.

[WJWheels]

Originally posted by glc The only way I can see it working is put the hard drive back into the Gateway and run the OOBE but do NOT activate it. Then pull it back out and stick it in the other machine, see what happens. You have nothing to lose. Disclaimer - this *IS* technically illegal, it's only licensed to that Gateway.

I'm pretty sure that has all been done. When I first saw the Gateway, it had 1 user set up on XP and it was installed on their network with ISDN access to the internet. I'm sure all OOBE functions had been performed... but also probably activation.