Windows XP on new machine

Viral · 8 May 2006 at 06:49

Can I use my copy of Win XP on my new machine if I sell my old one? It is a OEM copy but it did not come with my pc.

Pyrosoft · 8 May 2006 at 10:01

Nope, it's for use with the machine it was bought with.
It stays with the hardware, so what hardware did you buy it with?
I think they sell it on it's own these days though so maybe you never had to get any actual bits with it.

Anyway, it wont be allowed, but it will physically install on the new machine.

Viral · 8 May 2006 at 10:17

It was not purchased with a machine.

Pyrosoft · 8 May 2006 at 10:26

But it was purchased FOR a machine.
A single machine.
Which is what OEM is meant to be for, that is why it is cheaper than a full license.

squiffy · 8 May 2006 at 10:44

I'm pretty sure legally as long as that license is installed only on one machine, then that's ok. If anyone cares (seen huge corporations with unregistered Winzip on 2000 machines)

Pyrosoft · 8 May 2006 at 11:52

Well aye, I reckon that it would be illegal, a full retail version could be installed on any one machine at a time, but OEM goes when the machine goes...but of course the "if anyone actually cares" does come into play a little

Viral · 8 May 2006 at 13:07

Well what if your HDD died one day and you had to replace it with another model as you know that happens a lot.

joroma · 8 May 2006 at 13:08

When you sell the old pc the OEM OS should go with it. Even if you bought the OS with say a hard drive once you installed it on a PC then it stays with that PC. If you want to have the flexibility to install the OS on any ONE machine you own you need the Retail Version.