XPPro, activation...

[Smirabi]

ok, after wading through a bunch of obtuse discussions of irrelevant information, it seems that winxppro cannot be activated on more than one machine simultaneously. is that correct? i'm not asking for ways around this, i'm just trying to make sure i understand exactly what activation is all about. so, thanks for your help and if there's anything you think i should know that i obviosuly do not know, feel free to share.

thanks

[Daegon]

i have not had any problems installing xp pro on multi pcs, activation is just callin microsoft and registering the product

in my knowledge anyway

[bchur83]

You are not supposed to install on more than one machine. If you payed for one License, you get one license. If you put it on more than one machine, technically you are breaking the law. Sure you can do it, but they may catch on and report your serial as being a pirated serial.

[Smirabi]

ooooh kay... yeah i figured that trying to activate one key on multiple machines would trigger some kind of alert or something and next thing i know men in black suits are gonna come and take my toys away from me. but it seems that daegon has not had any problems like that...

any other users out there want to comment on what might happen if i were to activate a license on 2 separate machines?

[Smartweb]

I think it would just say something like unable to activate. It might not let you log in anymore though. It might ask you to call them.

[MisterEd]

I was having problems with a Windows XP Pro CD. It turns out it was scratched. I order a replacement CD from Microsoft for $30. Before I received the replacement I fixed the scratch and have never had to use it. I wonder what would happen if I used the replacement on another computer. I wonder how this would work with Microsoft. Is there anthying special about this CD? Sometime I am going to try it and hope both computers do not get disabled by Microsoft after I try to activate it.

[Antillian]

Originally posted by MisterEd
Sometime I am going to try it and hope both computers do not get disabled by Microsoft after I try to activate it.

I don't think they'll disable anything or do something similar, it may not let you activate the key you give it. But, I would like to think that if you had say 2 comps in your home and you wanted to install XP Pro on both of them, if you called them up and told them what you were doing, I'd bet they'd give you a new key.

[MisterEd]

Originally posted by i_am_tux


I don't think they'll disable anything or do something similar, it may not let you activate the key you give it. But, I would like to think that if you had say 2 comps in your home and you wanted to install XP Pro on both of them, if you called them up and told them what you were doing, I'd bet they'd give you a new key.
The replacement CD has printed on it "Not for Retail or OEM Distribution". Unlike my retail copy it makes no mention of SP1. It does have a different key than my retail CD.

Definition:
"NOT FOR RESALE SOFTWARE. Product identified as "Not for Resale" or "NFR," may not be resold, transferred or used for any purpose other than demonstration, test or evaluation."

It looks like I can use it but not sell it but it is probably not legal since I do not have a seperate license for it. Microsoft distrubutes NFR software as gifts and for promotional purposes. You see copies like this identified as NFR for sale on the Net from "#9 Software.com" and on Ebay.

[Smirabi]

Originally posted by i_am_tux


I don't think they'll disable anything or do something similar, it may not let you activate the key you give it. But, I would like to think that if you had say 2 comps in your home and you wanted to install XP Pro on both of them, if you called them up and told them what you were doing, I'd bet they'd give you a new key.

yeah, i'd "like" to think that too, but do you really think M$ will give you a free version of XPpro just because you have two computers? i dont. it would be nice, but i would not count on it.

[stan03]

*subscribes to thread* i was wondering this myself since im about to reformat two computers.... and i thought i heard somewhere that the licence allowed for two (2) cpus...

[MRD]

It allows for 2 cpus, but only in the same computer, i.e. a dual cpu system. It doesn't allow for 2 different computers.

[stan03]

aw dern... :( so i guess i have to keep using home edition on my old computer then....