Legal Question regarding windows

SidewinderINC · 8 Feb 2006 at 17:37

Hi all,

i have a legal copy of XP Home OEM that i bought from Ocuk, and have installed it on my system and its all working fine.

my housemate has a pre-built system that he bought from the purple shirt brigade as far as i know. it came with XP home installed on it, its got the little holographic microsoft sticker on the side of it with the CD key on it.

his computer is riddled with spyware and just general crap from him being a spack when it comes to downloading stuff :rolleyes:

he wants to wipe everything and have a fresh start, yet he has lost the CD that came with the system so doesnt know what to do...

is it possible to install XP Home from my CD and use his key when it comes to register? or is the specific Key for the CD locked into that CD?

and does anybody know the legal status of doing that if it is possible?

Cheers

Matt

lordedmond · 8 Feb 2006 at 17:40

a short answer if you use his key then its ok and legal

Otacon · 8 Feb 2006 at 17:48

*Possibly* wont work. OEM CD keys are not all the same, and if the vendor is big enough they tie their media to their own brand machines.

If it works, then you should be ok from the EULAs point of view.

Madgeordie2004 · 8 Feb 2006 at 17:52

Well if it's anything like my sisters machine also from The purple people it wont work. luckily I had more than one OEM version. But the key on the side of her PC would not work with an OEM version of windows.

jonph · 8 Feb 2006 at 18:08

just done mine. As long as your copy is the same version, eg. XP home oem,xp professional full etc, you can install using your cd and his product key.Mine wouldn't activate online,but I rang microsoft and after a few questions(where the machine was originally bought,was xp only installed on one pc,etc),they activated no problem.I've even been told you can use a non geniune copy of the same product to install as long as you've got the original product key.This I've been told,but have'nt tried and may be incorrect. Also I'm not endorsing piracy in any way.

SidewinderINC · 8 Feb 2006 at 18:11

not sure what you're saying otacon with "they tie their media to their own machines"

thanks for that info madgeordie, i assume that is due to what otacon has said...

i'll tell him to find the CD, cause i dont want to get him to wipe everything and then find out that he cant reinstall windows

Otacon · 8 Feb 2006 at 18:23

SidewinderINC said:
not sure what you're saying otacon with "they tie their media to their own machines"

Dell media will only install on Dell machines, HP on HP...... etc etc.

lordedmond · 8 Feb 2006 at 19:07

Otacon said:
Dell media will only install on Dell machines, HP on HP...... etc etc.

Sorry Otacon

not true, yes the Dell cd will self activate on a Dell pc, but trust me on this I have scrapped a Dell ( kept the case )and used the Dell cd and installed on a AMD pc with the key from the scrapped Dell and it installed fine and activated on line.

This is the augument what is a pc, is it the case or is it the MB

this pc has a dell case and amd inside