Conversion between XP Pro and Home.

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I need to swap operating systems (one is XP Pro, one Home) between two
computers. What is the best method. Of course I do not want to format either
machine. I own both licenses, the Home is OEM, the pro an upgrade.
 
Hi,

OEM versions are tied to the first system they are activated on, you cannot
move it to new hardware. The upgrade can be moved, but you will need a
different copy of WinXP for the remaining system.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
 
A. Page said:
I need to swap operating systems (one is XP Pro, one Home) between two
computers. What is the best method. Of course I do not want to format either
machine. I own both licenses, the Home is OEM, the pro an upgrade.
Click to expand...

If the Home was installed with the computer when you bought it, it is
forever tied to the computer and cannot be installed on the other.
 
Define what is a "computer"
Because with upgrades to hardware one computer can be transformed in to an
other.
 
Always Backup important data first!!! Ensure you have hardware drivers for
the system you are swapping into saved on the drive before you do the swap
(or you could d/l and burn them to CD) and you should also d/l SP2 unless
you already have it on disk. Do a decent disk cleanup, empty temp files,
scan for spyware etc then defrag. Pull the XP Pro drive from the old system
and swap it into the system you want to move it to. DO NOT immediately boot
to the Desktop. Instead start the system with the XP CD in the drive and do
a Repair Install. This will rebuild the HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer).
Once you are done you will need to reinstall SP2 (unless your copy of XP Pro
came with SP2 embedded) and Critical Updates.
Info on How To Run a Repair Installation is found here
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm

As you now know an OEM copy can not legally be moved to another system. In
fact some OEM versions that come preinstalled can't even be moved illegally.
Some are tied to the BIOS of the system they were initially installed on.
You need to grab another copy. OEM versions can be purchased separately.
This will give you a new license. You should then be able to run a Repair
Install as mentioned above. However remember that if you purchase an OEM
version the same rule applies. Once it has been install - even as a Repair
Install - it will then be tied to the system it is installed on.
--

Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell/User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp


| I need to swap operating systems (one is XP Pro, one Home) between two
| computers. What is the best method. Of course I do not want to format
either
| machine. I own both licenses, the Home is OEM, the pro an upgrade.
 
Some OEM versions that come preinstalled are BIOS locked. That means you
can't swap out the motherboard. Another issue has to do with activation. If
you get locked out of the activation centre you may not be able to
reactivate. As you know significant hardware changes will trigger WPA.
--

Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell/User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp


| Define what is a "computer"
| Because with upgrades to hardware one computer can be transformed in to an
| other.
|
|
|
|
| | >
| >
| > "A. Page" wrote:
| >
| >> I need to swap operating systems (one is XP Pro, one Home) between two
| >> computers. What is the best method. Of course I do not want to format
| >> either
| >> machine. I own both licenses, the Home is OEM, the pro an upgrade.
| >
| > If the Home was installed with the computer when you bought it, it is
| > forever tied to the computer and cannot be installed on the other.
|
|
 
I would never buy an OS that was bios locked... what if the motherboard
fails?
Another issue has to do with activation
Click to expand...

You can call by telephone and explain politley to MS that they are jerks.
Then they will give you a new activation code.



Harry Ohrn said:
Some OEM versions that come preinstalled are BIOS locked. That means you
can't swap out the motherboard. Another issue has to do with activation.
If
you get locked out of the activation centre you may not be able to
reactivate. As you know significant hardware changes will trigger WPA.
--

Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell/User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp


| Define what is a "computer"
| Because with upgrades to hardware one computer can be transformed in to
an
| other.
|
|
|
|
| | >
| >
| > "A. Page" wrote:
| >
| >> I need to swap operating systems (one is XP Pro, one Home) between
two
| >> computers. What is the best method. Of course I do not want to format
| >> either
| >> machine. I own both licenses, the Home is OEM, the pro an upgrade.
| >
| > If the Home was installed with the computer when you bought it, it is
| > forever tied to the computer and cannot be installed on the other.
|
|
Click to expand...
 
Many, many people have no idea that the OEM is BIOS locked. No one is going
to tell them that it is. People hardly know that an OEM is non transferable.
The majority of people who purchase computers know very little about how or
why they work. When you purcahse a system with an OEM version of Windows
preinstalled and the motherboard fails then you return it while under
warranty and all is well. If warranty has expired then you are SOL.

When you call Microsoft to reactivate you need to read a code that the
Activation Wizard generates before you are issued a new code to enter. If
that code does not qualify you for reactivation you are not going to be very
successful. Remember that OEMs are the responsibility of the seller not
Microsoft. The seller might issue you a new Product Key but they are not
under obligation to do so. Most OEM keys are glued to the computer case. It
is very difficult to remove them and lose them. You'll know what I mean if
you've ever tried to peal one off. So it is very difficult trying to
convince the seller that the key was lost.

--

Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell/User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp


| I would never buy an OS that was bios locked... what if the motherboard
| fails?
|
| >Another issue has to do with activation
|
| You can call by telephone and explain politley to MS that they are jerks.
| Then they will give you a new activation code.
|
|
|
| | > Some OEM versions that come preinstalled are BIOS locked. That means you
| > can't swap out the motherboard. Another issue has to do with activation.
| > If
| > you get locked out of the activation centre you may not be able to
| > reactivate. As you know significant hardware changes will trigger WPA.
| > --
| >
| > Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell/User]
| > www.webtree.ca/windowsxp
| >
| >
| > | > | Define what is a "computer"
| > | Because with upgrades to hardware one computer can be transformed in
to
| > an
| > | other.
| > |
| > |
| > |
| > |
| > | | > | >
| > | >
| > | > "A. Page" wrote:
| > | >
| > | >> I need to swap operating systems (one is XP Pro, one Home) between
| > two
| > | >> computers. What is the best method. Of course I do not want to
format
| > | >> either
| > | >> machine. I own both licenses, the Home is OEM, the pro an upgrade.
| > | >
| > | > If the Home was installed with the computer when you bought it, it
is
| > | > forever tied to the computer and cannot be installed on the other.
| > |
| > |
| >
| >
|
|
 
In
A. Page said:
I need to swap operating systems (one is XP Pro, one Home)
between two
computers. What is the best method. Of course I do not want to
format
either machine. I own both licenses, the Home is OEM, the pro
an
upgrade.
Click to expand...


You can not do what you plan, for several reasons:

1. The OEM license ties it permanently to the first computer it's
installed on. It can never legally be moved to another computer,
sold, or given away.

2. In many cases, OEM versions are BIOS-locked to the original
computer and won't even work if moved to another.

3. There is no way to downgrade XP Professional to Home, short of
a format and clean installation of Home.
 
A BIOS locked OS comes straight from the computer manufacturer. You
wouldn't buy it because it's not available at retail though I'm sure some
folks have tried selling them on Ebay; knowingly or unknowingly.

As to conventional, supplied by PC manufacturer OEM setups, if the OEM has
gone out of business there is provision to get an activation code from
Microsoft. If the OEM is still in business, assuming they are legit,
Microsoft will send the user back to the OEM.

--
Michael Solomon MS-MVP
Windows Shell/User
Backup is a PC User's Best Friend
DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/

Kenny S said:
I would never buy an OS that was bios locked... what if the motherboard
fails?
Another issue has to do with activation
Click to expand...

You can call by telephone and explain politley to MS that they are jerks.
Then they will give you a new activation code.



Harry Ohrn said:
Some OEM versions that come preinstalled are BIOS locked. That means you
can't swap out the motherboard. Another issue has to do with activation.
If
you get locked out of the activation centre you may not be able to
reactivate. As you know significant hardware changes will trigger WPA.
--

Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell/User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp


| Define what is a "computer"
| Because with upgrades to hardware one computer can be transformed in to
an
| other.
|
|
|
|
| | >
| >
| > "A. Page" wrote:
| >
| >> I need to swap operating systems (one is XP Pro, one Home) between
two
| >> computers. What is the best method. Of course I do not want to
format
| >> either
| >> machine. I own both licenses, the Home is OEM, the pro an upgrade.
| >
| > If the Home was installed with the computer when you bought it, it is
| > forever tied to the computer and cannot be installed on the other.
|
|
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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