XP and registration

[User Friendly]

Hi all:
Just recieved xp home edition from my father.I installed on one of my computers and did the registration thing.
I wanted to install xp on my laptop is that possible or do I have to buy another copy of xp to do this?
It looks to me as You only get one install per computer.Is this true?
I have been using win98se for a long time,this xp is all new to me.:p

[Steve]

Unfortunatly, you can only install XP on one computer at a time. If you want XP on your laptop you'll need to buy another copy. Keep in mind that registration and activation are two different things. You don't have to register your copy of XP but you do have to activate it. Here are a couple of links that explain it.

Description of Activation (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;302806)

FAQ on Activation (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;302878#5e)

[User Friendly]

Thanks for reply!
Okay if I want to uninsall xp and install it on my other computer can I do that?
Or do you only get one chance to install it?
As I activated xp already.

[Paul Komski]

If already activated on one pc, when you attempt to activate it (on line) on the other PC you should get a message saying that the activation cant proceed. There will be a freephone tel number with which to call MS and you can then explain the situation to a PERSON.

Have the PC you want to activate in front of you when you make the call because there will be codes to enter and read back. In a simple situation like this there should be no problem. If you wanted to use the same CD to install on a new PC every day then I guess there would be a point at which they would refuse to activate.

The first pc should have XP uninstalled from it but would work OK - that is until you connected it to a MS site or something similar. I think there may be something in the EULA which would allow them to deactivate it at that point.

[User Friendly]

Thanks for reply
I am using xp know and it seems like my computer is always sending something threw my modem all the time,As I have a U.S robotics V90 external modem and I noticed the lights are always flashing sending and recieving data.I did not notice this when I used win98se.
Is there programs that are running that I dont see?

[david eaton]

There are a lot of things running in XP that are unneeded, and can be turned off. About the best guide to what to stop/close/remove is Black Viper's Site (http://www.blackviper.com/).
That said, there is no need for anything to be accessing the outside world, unless you want it to. Check in Task Manager (Ctrl-alt-del) to see what is running.

David

[User Friendly]

Wow Thank-you so much for the reply!
I will go to black vipers site and check it out.
:eek:

[Paul Komski]

I noticed the lights are always flashing sending and recieving data

If there's info sending and receiving via a modem that you don't know about then it seems like a firewall (such as the free verson of Zone Alarm or of Kerio) would be a very good idea.

As a minimum use XP's native firewall which will keep most things out but wont keep things in.

[YODA74]

you can use a copy of xp on one home comp. and one laptop...

"The End-User License Agreement (EULA) for many Microsoft application
software products contains the following sentence: 'The primary user of
the computer on which the SOFTWARE PRODUCT is installed may make a
second copy for his or her exclusive use on a portable computer.' If
your EULA contains this sentence, then, subject to the conditions
mentioned, you may make a second copy of the software."

Does the EULA on your XP CD have that sentence? The file name is
EULA.txt. More than likely, you won't find it, but by following the
letter of MS's PA policies, you can easily install XP on your laptop, no
matter what your EULA says. The easiest way would be to create your
second installation 120 days after you last activated your first
installation of Windows XP, as Microsoft purges your PA (Product
Activation) data after 120 days, so activation of your second
installation should go through smoothly over the internet.

If you can't wait 120 days, then the next easiest way is to do phone
activation of your second installation. When you talk to the PA phone
rep, say you want to activate your copy of XP. If they try to ask you
any questions before asking to exchange activation codes, tell them that
the answer would require you to divulge what you deem to be personal
information, and that you are uncomfortable with that since giving out
personal information is not a requirement of activating Windows XP. And
if they continue to try to ask questions, ask to speak with a
supervisor, because you have called to activate your copy of XP, not to
be interrogated. More than likely the phone rep will then start the
process of activating XP, but if you do have to talk to a supervisor,
don't worry. Start off the conversation by saying how rude it is to be
interrogated by the PA phone rep when all you want to do is activate the
software you paid for. You will be activated. MS won't deny an
activation unless you tell them that XP is installed on more than one
computer, but they have no means to verify this info, so they must rely
on the end user (YOU) *volunteering* that info, and MS has no right to
compel you to give that info. All that activation tells MS is that
enough of your computer components have changed, in the last 120 days or
less, to require phone activation. MS can not figure out whether XP is
really installed on another computer, or not, thru PA, unless you
actually tell the PA phone rep that XP is installed on more than one
computer.

Question: What type of questions should I answer from the MS's Product
Activation phone reps?

Answer: "What is your 50 digit activation ID?" and nothing else. Don't
be rude, and wait for the phone rep to ask you some other question
first, before telling them how uncomfortable you are answering any
questions that would require you to give them what you consider to be
personal info. [Hell, sometimes they don't even bother asking anything!]
When you call up to activate, listen to the recording, you will hear
something like, no personal information is required to activate.
Remember those words, and use it against them, at the appropriate
moment.

And if you ever have to reactivate the first installation within 120
days of activating the second installation, then just do phone
activation in the manner described above.

Question: Isn't this "illegal?"

Answer: Not at all. There are no laws that prevent an individual from
installing software on more than one computer that they own, and as a
matter of fact, US Copyright law limits computer program Copyright owner
by saying it is not infringement to make additional installations. Only
MS EULA states this One Computer BS, and they had it in their OS EULAs
since Windows 3.1, and have yet to try to enforce it in a legal manner,
as they've been too afraid that they would lose. That's the whole
reason that they dreamed up PA, to trick the ignorant consumer that
their One Computer BS is actually legally enforceable, so that MS can
sucker the consumer out of more money, eventhough MS has never proven
that they are entitled to it.

So you can just be another MicroSucker and believe without any proof
that MS's One Computer BS is really enforceable in a court of law, and
see more of your money go to subsidizing the XBox & MSN, or you can wait
for some real honest proof, and protect your rights & money from the
chicanery of a greedy under-handed monopoly! Why let MS be the Judge in
your own home, when they are too afraid to bring their One Computer EULA
term before a *real* Judge? Until then, shouldn't you be the Judge in
your own home?

[david eaton]

Hmmm... I found this in the winxp EULA file: -

1. GRANT OF LICENSE. Microsoft grants you the following
rights provided that you comply with all terms and
conditions of this EULA:
1.1 Installation and use. You may install, use, access,
display and run one copy of the Software on a single computer,
such as a workstation, terminal or other device ("Workstation
Computer"). The Software may not be used by more than one
processor at any one time on any single Workstation Computer.
1.2 Mandatory Activation. The license rights granted under
this EULA are limited to the first thirty (30) days after you
first install the Software unless you supply information
required to activate your licensed copy in the manner
described during the setup sequence of the Software. You can
activate the Software through the use of the Internet
or telephone; toll charges may apply. You may also need to
reactivate the Software if you modify your computer hardware
or alter the Software. There are technological measures in
this Software that are designed to prevent unlicensed use of
the Software. Microsoft will use those measures to confirm
you have a legally licensed copy of the Software. If you are
not using a licensed copy of the Software, you are not allowed
to install the Software or future Software updates. Microsoft
will not collect any personally identifiable information from
your Workstation Computer during this process.

Sorry No laptop!

David

[rond36]

I found this at http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/basics/activation/mpafaq.asp

Question: How many installations can be made with one product license? Has this changed with the introduction of Product Activation?

Answer: The underlying principles of Microsoft's software licenses have not changed. Microsoft's End User License Agreements (EULAs) have always stipulated the number of PCs that software can be installed on. Product Activation does not change that. Office XP may be installed on one PC. The primary user of Office may also install one copy on a laptop computer for their exclusive use. To install Office XP on more than these two devices, another license of the product must be acquired. Licenses for Office XP acquired preinstalled on a new PC are single-PC licenses that cannot be transferred or installed a second time on another PC or laptop computer. Windows XP may be installed on one PC. There are no secondary use rights (e.g. no "laptop clause") in the Windows XP EULA. The aforementioned licensing terms have not been changed due to Product Activation. Some special licensing programs (such as the Microsoft Developer Network) provide additional licensing terms. Please check your specific license agreement or EULA for specifics. Re-installation and re-activation on the same PC can be done an unlimited number of times. Pricing and licensing details are available for Windows XP and Office XP.

[Budfred]

If you want to install on another computer and don't want to challenge M$ in the process, you do also have the option of buying another license from M$ at slightly less cost than the full price of WinXP. You use your current disk and the license to install and activate...

[User Friendly]

Thanks for all the expert replies!
Great info.
I did get into task mgr and remove some programs that were running using up valuable cpu resources.
As I type know the lights are no longer flashing on my modem send data ,recieve data.
The one I removed that disabled sending data was MSLAUGH I believe that how it was spelled.I have no idea what this is?
Tks alot.:cool:

[mjc]

MSLAUGH is just a worm......

msblaster to be a little more specific.

I would say that you are in need of a complete AV scan, AT (anti-trojan) scan, spyware scan.

Check the links here (http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15179) for the various programs. Also doing a HijackThis (http://mjc1.com/files/merijn/hijackthis.zip) log (most of what it displays is harmless, some even necessary; so post the log before removing anything), and posting it here would be a good idea.

[User Friendly]

mjc Thanks very much!
I went to the link you suggested and downloaded antivir guard and it found the mslaugh and the msdll I believe it was called.
mjc the link for hijack this does not work for me.

[mjc]

Fixed the link...

[User Friendly]

Thanks!
Problem know is that I have these squiglly lines runing up and down on the monitor when I use my browser,just at the sides of the screen,never saw this before.
:confused:

[rjshenal]

I think I will just stick with Win98SE for a while

[User Friendly]

I believe the lines at the sides are just a driver problem,as I just installed another monitor.microscan5v adi.