Windows XP on Both Comps

[Mil]

Last year I bought a new computer that came with Windows XP Pro. I just finished building another computer and I've used the disk that came with my other computer to install the operating system, but it say's I have 30 days to ativate it. What will happen if I choose not to activate it. I have also networked my new one to the other comp. Couldn't I just access the hdd from my store bought comp?

thnx,
Mil

[Budfred]

If you don't activate it, it will shut down on you and you will have to replace the OS. I am not sure if you could simply use the new computer as a workstation with the old computer as server and no OS on the workstation. I suspect that you can't, but some of the more expert people can tell you more about that.

Budfred

[Mil]

thanks for the reply, One more question........can I use the same Product Key Number that's used for the store bought comp?

thnx,
Mil

[Budfred]

If you register the new computer with MS, you will not be able to use the copy on the old computer. Also, if the copy that came with the other computer is OEM, it is possible that MS will refuse to allow you to register it on the new system, I am not sure about that. MS is trying really hard to keep people from using XP on more that one computer at a time and it has the ability to shut down your whole system if it is not properly registered. I am not sure if it can shut down your prior setup remotely, but when you try to register the new setup, you will have to call and explain why the configuration of the computer has changed so drastically from when it was first registered and they may simply refuse to allow activation then. What a lot of people do is put another operating system on the second computer so that you don't have to hassle with XPs copy protections. I plan to intall Win2000Pro as a primary system because it is generally as stable as XP and then use partitions with other versions of Windows and Linux to play with.

You might want to hold off taking action until you get more responses, there are a lot of people here who know a lot more about this than I do.

Budfred

[mjc]

No, you can not......

The whole reason the activation scheme was placed on XP was to prevent exactly what you are wanting to do......

When XP does close down on you it will lock you out completely and you may not even be able to recover the data on the machine.....

Now if you were to reuse the hard drive from the old machine with the current install on it then maybe you would be allowed to reactivate it, but otherwise MS wants you to pay for another license...and with XP that usually means another copy.

[Mil]

Thanks for the feedback Budfred and mjc, I guess I'll have to pull out the pocket book. :(

Mil

[Budfred]

I recently got a copy of Win2000Pro on eBay for a little less than $100. I could get you the link to the seller if you would like, they were selling a bunch of them. Also, I think NewEgg has a decent deal on them too.

Budfred

[Paul Komski]

"Read all about it."

Microsoft Product Activation: Frequently Asked Questions (http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/basics/activation/mpafaq.asp)