How to use an XP licence that came with a laptop

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

Hello. I am asking this question because I feel that my manufacturer is
extorting me and other customers for asking for another CD so I can format my
computer, as the prices they ask for are rediculus. I have heard that I cant
use the license key (btw its Home Edition) that is written on the sticker on
my laptop with a retail version of XP. I would appreciate it if someone from
Microsoft would address this concern, as I have an XP license which I can't
use! For the mean time, I'm using illegitimate license key but I want do some
updates and I think I have the right to that!
 
Kad123 said:
I am asking this question because I feel that my
manufacturer is extorting me and other customers for asking for
another CD so I can format my computer, as the prices they ask for
are rediculus. I have heard that I cant use the license key (btw
its Home Edition) that is written on the sticker on my laptop with
a retail version of XP. I would appreciate it if someone from
Microsoft would address this concern, as I have an XP license which
I can't use! For the mean time, I'm using illegitimate license key
but I want do some updates and I think I have the right to that!
Click to expand...

In this case it is not the Home, Professional, Tablet PC, Media Center or
x64 part that matters - but the fact that it came pre-installed (with) your
laptop. Given it is a laptop and the OS came pre-installed - that gives it
an 99+% chance of being an OEM license. There are a few limitations to the
OEM license agreement that do not exist with retail license agreements...

- You cannot transfer the license to another computer. If that laptop
melts, sinks to the bottom of the ocean, etc - the license for Windows XP
(even if the CD and product key are safe someplace) goes with it. In
accordance with the EULA (End User License Agreement) - you cannot use that
license on another machine in *any* situation.

- Most OEM CDs can only perform clean installations. You cannot take a
Windows XP Professional OEM CD and upgrade a Windows XP Home system without
formating (or installing in a different directory.)

- Your support for the OS comes from the OEM who sold it to you/installed
it - not Microsoft.

In this case, however - your question is even simpler and stated pretty
straight forward. You have a Windows XP Home OEM license and associated
product key and you are asking if you can use that with a retail CD. The
answer is no - not out of the box. Now you *may* be able to use that
product key with a generic OEM CD - which would be an unmodified OEM
licensed copy. Even there - it is not guaranteed to work.

A Retail Windows XP is not the same as an OEM XP CD is not the same as a
MSDN CD is not the same as a volume licensed CD. The difference - as it
turns out - is very minor and there can be some fancy footwork done to make
one CD accept another types product key, etc... But they are not, by
default, able to mix/match product keys for installation.
 
The licence key on your laptop is for an OEM edition of winxp as origonally
supplied on your laptop

Acer are obliged by their licence/contract with MS to supply some means of
recovering the PC to origonal supply condition.
This maybe by means of recovery cd's or a hidden recovery partition (or a
recovery file that allows you to burn the recovery cd's)

So what did they supply you with, origonally?

If you buy a retail edition you simply use that retail licence key

PS This isnt MS - its a user group
 
Thanks you Shenan for the detailed response. I have downloaded an OEM version
of XP, tried the license key and it worked, so i think i will go ahead and
format the computer (backup the current partition first ofcorse)


DL said:
The licence key on your laptop is for an OEM edition of winxp as origonally
supplied on your laptop

Acer are obliged by their licence/contract with MS to supply some means of
recovering the PC to origonal supply condition.
This maybe by means of recovery cd's or a hidden recovery partition (or a
recovery file that allows you to burn the recovery cd's)

So what did they supply you with, origonally?

If you buy a retail edition you simply use that retail licence key

PS This isnt MS - its a user group
Click to expand...

They apparently had a program - Acer eRecovery - that was asking me to make
a recovery cd the first time i started the computer. I dont remember this,
but after my computer got messed up and I reinstalled windows, its gone.
Thanks for your response.
 
Back
Top