de-activate xp and office license so I an move to another computer

  • Thread starter Thread starter mvollmers
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mvollmers

I'm sure this is an easy one, but I can't find it when I search. I have a
desktop with XP Pro and office 2007 suite installed. I am building a new
computer, and will be getting rid of the old one. How do I deactivate the
license code for the windows products so that they can be installed on
another computer? Does that happen automatically when I uninstall it, or is
there a form or something that I have to tell MS? Thanks!
 
mvollmers said:
I'm sure this is an easy one, but I can't find it when I search. I have a
desktop with XP Pro and office 2007 suite installed. I am building a new
computer, and will be getting rid of the old one. How do I deactivate the
license code for the windows products so that they can be installed on
another computer? Does that happen automatically when I uninstall it, or is
there a form or something that I have to tell MS? Thanks!
Click to expand...


There is no "de-activation" or "de-registration" process, as such.

Assuming a retail license (OEM licenses are not legitimately
transferable), simply remove WinXP from the computer it is currently on
and then install it on the new computer. If it's been more than 120
days since you last activated that specific Product Key, the you'll most
likely be able to activate via the Internet without problem. If it's
been less, you might have to make a 5 minute phone call.

Here are the facts pertaining to activation:

Piracy Basics - Microsoft Product Activation
http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/basics/activation/

Windows Product Activation (WPA)
http://www.aumha.org/a/wpa.htm


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

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safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

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killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot
 
ah, excellent. both are retail versions (I have disks), and it's been more
than 120 days. Thanks!
 
mvollmers said:
I'm sure this is an easy one, but I can't find it when I search. I
have a desktop with XP Pro and office 2007 suite installed. I am
building a new computer, and will be getting rid of the old one.
How do I deactivate the license code for the windows products so
that they can be installed on another computer? Does that happen
automatically when I uninstall it, or is there a form or something
that I have to tell MS? Thanks!
Click to expand...

Bruce said:
There is no "de-activation" or "de-registration" process, as
such.

Assuming a retail license (OEM licenses are not legitimately
transferable), simply remove WinXP from the computer it is
currently on and then install it on the new computer. If it's been
more than 120 days since you last activated that specific Product
Key, the you'll most likely be able to activate via the Internet
without problem. If it's been less, you might have to make a 5
minute phone call.

Here are the facts pertaining to activation:

Piracy Basics - Microsoft Product Activation
http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/basics/activation/

Windows Product Activation (WPA)
http://www.aumha.org/a/wpa.htm
Click to expand...
ah, excellent. both are retail versions (I have disks), and it's
been more than 120 days. Thanks!
Click to expand...

The point of 'I have disks' means very little towards whether they are OEM
or Retail... *grin*

Enjoy your new computer.
 
Hi,
You say that OEM XP installations can't be transferred. Darn that is
exactly what I wanted to do. I have legit xp eom that I installed on my
laptop. I was visiting a client, had to erase their system to solve a
particularly bad virus problem. I ordered a new xp oem (because their system,
an Acer, didn't come with system disks). It didn't arrive until after I had
to go, so I installed my eom xp onto my client's machine with the intent of
transferring the copy to them, and my using the ordered one myself.

If I can't transfer my eom xp to them, then I guess I will have to have them
wipe their system again, in order to load the oem xp that I purchased for
them in the 1st place. Or can I install one oem xp over another?

Thanks
Finn
 
FMcGowan said:
You say that OEM XP installations can't be transferred. Darn that is
exactly what I wanted to do. I have legit xp eom that I installed
on my laptop. I was visiting a client, had to erase their system to
solve a particularly bad virus problem. I ordered a new xp oem
(because their system, an Acer, didn't come with system disks). It
didn't arrive until after I had to go, so I installed my eom xp
onto my client's machine with the intent of transferring the copy
to them, and my using the ordered one myself.

If I can't transfer my eom xp to them, then I guess I will have to
have them wipe their system again, in order to load the oem xp that
I purchased for them in the 1st place. Or can I install one oem xp
over another?
Click to expand...

Did you utilize your product key on the laptop where you used your copy - or
their product key? Or did you later go back and change the product key used
to the one on the sticke on their laptop?

If so - your OEM is technically unused (if it was only ever installed on
that laptop and that laptop is not using that actual product key/license
anymore.)

Easiest (wisest) thing is to have them use the proper product key for their
system - usually on a sticker on the system itself from OEMs like that.

The Genuine Advantage Product Key Update Tool is only valid for
users attempting to change their current non-genuine Product Key
to a genuine COA sticker or genuine Product Key - all without a reinstall!
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=50346&clcid=0x409
 
If I can't transfer my eom xp to them, then I guess I will have to have them
wipe their system again, in order to load the oem xp that I purchased for
them in the 1st place. Or can I install one oem xp over another?
Click to expand...

This happened to a couple people I know, their business systems, the
idiot IT person sold them an Action Pack and took the XP stickers off
their new Dells (then sold them on EBay)...

I tried to get MS to just let me purchase and leave on the shelf the XP
Prof OEM pack/license and let them continue to use the AP version -
since it's the same - and they were very specific that it was not
permitted and a search would show the difference if they were audited.

If your OEM CD worked with their KEY, not your old key, then you don't
have to change anything.
 
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