Erasing(formating) disk - xp licence ?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Majki Majk
  • Start date Start date
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Majki Majk

I would like to clean HDD, to format it, i don't longer need it. XP sp2
is installed on the disk which was activated over the license key . Is
there a way to preserve OS XP SP2 activated and licensed, let's say e.g.
to clone it ?
 
Majki said:
I would like to clean HDD, to format it, i don't longer need it. XP sp2
is installed on the disk which was activated over the license key . Is
there a way to preserve OS XP SP2 activated and licensed, let's say e.g.
to clone it ?
Click to expand...
Sure, Clone it!
 
Big_Al said:
Sure, Clone it!
Click to expand...
All cloning will do is give you the same stuff you want to get rid of.
One advantage is that when you screw it up...that is, fail to navigate
M$ anti-piracy roadblocks, you'll still have what you started with on
the other disk.

Jellybean keyfinder will tell you the license key.
SIW is another interesting program that will log all sorts of stuff.
Save the wpa.dbl file.

But you've got other issues. Where are you gonna get the new OS?
And will it work with your key on your hardware?
M$ has installed MANY hurdles to your installing the OS.
 
mike wrote:
But you've got other issues. Where are you gonna get the new OS?
And will it work with your key on your hardware?
M$ has installed MANY hurdles to your installing the OS.
Click to expand...

Admittedly - there are devices in place in order to check if things are on
the "up and up"... And those devices can and do go astray on occassion - but
many?

Literally - to install:
- Product Key (which includes the license agreement type and therefore - cd
type/version.)
- Agree to the EULA (which could be considered a part of the above.)

To install and continuing to utilize:
- Product Key (which includes the license agreement type and therefore - cd
type/version.)
- Agree to the EULA (which could be considered a part of the above.)
- WGA

Again, many?
 
Majki said:
I would like to clean HDD, to format it, i don't longer need it. XP
sp2 is installed on the disk which was activated over the license
key . Is there a way to preserve OS XP SP2 activated and licensed,
let's say e.g. to clone it ?
Click to expand...

I do not understand your needs in this case.

You say you want to clean the HDD - format it.

If taken literally - you want nothing on it at all. No operating system,
nothing. I would assume you are getting a new hard disk drive and eitrher
wish to use this as a secondary drive or in an external hard disk drive case
or something? You have at least a couple of choices.
- You can make an image of the partition(s) on the drive to save for later
and/or to apply to your new hard disk drive that will become your boot
drive.
- You can just back up your important stuff (files/folders) and then wipe
the whole drive in whatever means you feel comfortable with.

Then you go on to say you want to preserve the activated and licensed copy
of Windows XP... Here's where you have me confused. Do you want to wipe
the disk for use elsewhere or what?

Are you thinking you want a clean installation of Windows XP on that disk or
some other disk in that machine? If so - you can install from your
installation media and use your product key and activate it again. There is
no limitation on this - you can use your legitimate copy/license of Windows
XP and install/activate it on the same machine every day if you so desire -
although you will probably have to start activating by telephone. heh

If it is an OEM copy and you are thinking you wan to move it to a new
machine - from the EULA (End User License Agreement) of that type of license
(OEM) - you cannot. It is non-transferrable. It is forever tied to the
first machine it was installed and activated upon. If that machine bursts
into flames but the CD and CD key were safely tucked away elsewhere - by the
strict guidelines of the EULA - you should burn them too.

Essentially - if you could explain what it is you are attemptig to get to -
what is the goal - perhaps someone here can provide you with more focussed
guidance.
 
mike said:
All cloning will do is give you the same stuff you want to get rid of.
One advantage is that when you screw it up...that is, fail to navigate
M$ anti-piracy roadblocks, you'll still have what you started with on
the other disk.

Jellybean keyfinder will tell you the license key.
SIW is another interesting program that will log all sorts of stuff.
Save the wpa.dbl file.

But you've got other issues. Where are you gonna get the new OS?
And will it work with your key on your hardware?
M$ has installed MANY hurdles to your installing the OS.
Click to expand...

*I would like that WinXP OS stays on the other(cloned) disk so i can
boot it the same way i was previously on the same computer but with
other hdd. Just figuring out theoretically how is this possible to do.
The second disk is the same capacity although not the same version nor
manufacturer. The second disk as cloned would serve me to put it into
computer(if first one fails)and to continue to work.

*Aha, about the first issue...i have a disk 30gb with OS XP from other
computer....i use it as external disk...XP OS2 is installed on it,
curiously, will the system boot from this disk ? The whole system is up,
so don't understand can that OS from the disk be usable?

*To add: The thing which concerns both issues is that i'm trying to
understand too is there a way to install windows xp on some HDD and then
use this drive on various computers as a boot system in an external casing?
 
Shenan said:
I do not understand your needs in this case.

You say you want to clean the HDD - format it.

If taken literally - you want nothing on it at all. No operating system,
nothing. I would assume you are getting a new hard disk drive and eitrher
wish to use this as a secondary drive or in an external hard disk drive case
or something? You have at least a couple of choices.
- You can make an image of the partition(s) on the drive to save for later
and/or to apply to your new hard disk drive that will become your boot
drive.
- You can just back up your important stuff (files/folders) and then wipe
the whole drive in whatever means you feel comfortable with.

Then you go on to say you want to preserve the activated and licensed copy
of Windows XP... Here's where you have me confused. Do you want to wipe
the disk for use elsewhere or what?

Are you thinking you want a clean installation of Windows XP on that disk or
some other disk in that machine? If so - you can install from your
installation media and use your product key and activate it again. There is
no limitation on this - you can use your legitimate copy/license of Windows
XP and install/activate it on the same machine every day if you so desire -
although you will probably have to start activating by telephone. heh

If it is an OEM copy and you are thinking you wan to move it to a new
machine - from the EULA (End User License Agreement) of that type of license
(OEM) - you cannot. It is non-transferrable. It is forever tied to the
first machine it was installed and activated upon. If that machine bursts
into flames but the CD and CD key were safely tucked away elsewhere - by the
strict guidelines of the EULA - you should burn them too.

Essentially - if you could explain what it is you are attemptig to get to -
what is the goal - perhaps someone here can provide you with more focussed
guidance.
Click to expand...

What You are generally saying is when installed winXP on some HDD on
some computer and it's mootherboard, there isn't a way to use the same
disk on some other computer which doesn't have a HDD because the WInXp
wouldn't boot from that computer ?

I thought the WIndows generally are self-adaptive on some way ?
 
VanguardLH said:
Think abour your post. You omitted something critical.

Just how are you going to wipe a hard disk and then try to keep any OS,
activated or not, on it? You aren't, but then you didn't mention what
you really intend to do.
Click to expand...


What You are generally saying is when installed winXP on some HDD on
some computer and it's mootherboard, there isn't a way to use the same
disk on some other computer which doesn't have a HDD because the WInXp
wouldn't boot from that computer ?

I thought the WIndows generally are self-adaptive on some way ?

Ok, let's simplify the things...if i got three computers, all with HDDs
which are formatted and empty how to find which version of Windows(or
some other OS) they have(i.e. which product key they contain) ?

Then i suppose i would use yellybean to restore the key and inastall
that OS which the motherboard contain ??
 
<snipped>

Majki Majk wrote:
Ok, let's simplify the things...if i got three computers, all with
HDDs which are formatted and empty how to find which version of
Windows(or some other OS) they have(i.e. which product key they
contain) ?
Click to expand...

Magic Jellybean Keyfinder...
Belarc Advisor...
Some other application that when ran can give you what is installed and the
product keys.
 
Majki said:
What You are generally saying is when installed winXP on some HDD on
some computer and it's mootherboard, there isn't a way to use the
same disk on some other computer which doesn't have a HDD because
the WInXp wouldn't boot from that computer ?

I thought the WIndows generally are self-adaptive on some way ?
Click to expand...

No - what I am saying is that in accordance with the agreement you agree to
every time you log onto a Windows XP system - you cannot (in accordance with
that agreement) move that copy of Windows XP to another machine *IF* it is
an OEM licensed copy. What comprises a 'machine' may be up for debate here.

Is your copy an OEM licensed copy?

As far as changing motherboards/etc - you will need to do a repair
installation in all likelyhood before you will get it working again.
Windows XP won't adapt to a whole bunch of major changes like that without
one.

(A repair installation is not a clean installation or a parallel
installation. A Google search for "Windows XP Repair Install" will give you
more information.)
 
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