Installing copy of Windows on 2 personal computers?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kevin
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K

Kevin

Ok, here my problem.
I bought a copy of Windows XP Pro Upgrade. When i had my
Laptop about 3 weeks ago. Then I recently bought a
desktop and i'm trying to use the same copy on this
computer. Both computers i own so i thought it shouldn't
be a problem. I only use one at a time anyways. Just
wondering if there is a way that i can get it to work.
Everytime a log on i keep getting this restration notice,
and when i try to apply it. It doesn't work.
 
2 comps = 2 xps
this is the agreement you picked when you loaded the
software....read the agreement....read the agreement.
when it comes time to update the second comp you will
have to reload the entire system every time. sounds like
funny.
what business are you in. would you do two services for
price of one. dont think so.
save yourself lots of grief and just get the second xp
box. you can afford 2 comps you can afford 2 xps.
sams club has xp home for $85.00
 
you can not do this stupid.
when you load the software you will read (?) the
agreement and it will tell you only one xp per computer.
the rest of us had to get two copies of xp for two
computers so should you.
 
This question comes up everyday.
The end user licence agreement (EULA) that you SHOULD
read when you load the xp version states you agree to one
computer with one xp.
====You should read the agreement================
=================================================
 
I did this.
However only one can be updated. The other is standalone
computer in original environment. I can not update the
second so use it only for games. If I get second one on
the internet too many problems can happen.
Good luck on this.
 
Hi Kevin,

Sorry, the license doesn't allow for that. You need to copies of WinXP, one
per machine.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x

Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone
 
Greetings --

Let's apply a little common sense to the question, shall we? Does
your local grocer let you walk out of the market with three loaves of
bread when you've paid for only one? Can you drive two cars home if
you've paid for only one? Does your local clothier allow you to leave
the shop with two shirts if you've purchased only one? Have you
noticed a trend, yet? So where in the world did you ever get the idea
that software manufacturers would sell their product licenses any
differently?

As it has *always* been with *all* Microsoft operating systems,
it's necessary (to be in compliance with both the EULA and copyright
laws, if not technically) to purchase one WinXP license for each
computer on which it is installed. The only way in which WinXP
licensing differs from that of earlier versions of Windows is that
Microsoft has finally added a copy protection and anti-theft
mechanism, Product Activation, to prevent (or at least make more
difficult) the sort of multiple installations you're asking about.


Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH
 
Let's apply a little common sense to the question, shall we?
If you want to do something like this - unless, maybe, you've
spent your entire life as a computer nerd and you can figure
a way around it by yourself - you're going to
have to get an operating system that is not produced by a
monopoly.

Therefore, I suggest you might consider Linux.
 
Greetings --

"Common Sense?" How laughable. You've just contradicted yourself.
If Microsoft really were a monopoly, there would be no alternative
operating system for you to recommend. Instead, there are several
alternatives, aren't there?


Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH
 
Bruce Chambers said:
Greetings --

"Common Sense?" How laughable.
Click to expand...

Hahaha. How laughable. You are wrong

You've just contradicted yourself.

No, I didn't.
If Microsoft really were a monopoly, there would be no alternative
operating system for you to recommend. Instead, there are several
alternatives, aren't there?
Click to expand...

No. There aren't.

The U. S. Justice Department found
Microsoft had obtained a monopoly position with its operating system.
 
Let's apply a little common sense to the question, shall we? Does
your local grocer let you walk out of the market with three loaves of
bread when you've paid for only one?
Click to expand...

No, but I can play ONE DVD that I bought in as many players as I have, as
long as it isn't at the same time. This is a much closer analogy than your
bread or car one. You buy a license for XP and a movie.
 
Bruce Chambers said:
Let's apply a little common sense to the question, shall we?
Does your local grocer let you walk out of the market with
three loaves of bread when you've paid for only one? Can you
drive two cars home if you've paid for only one? Does your
local clothier allow you to leave the shop with two shirts if
you've purchased only one? Have you noticed a trend, yet?
So where in the world did you ever get the idea that software
manufacturers would sell their product licenses any differently?
Click to expand...


Your analogy doesn't hold up. For example, if I buy a loaf of bread, my
whole family can share in eating that bread and we can do so anywhere in the
house, separately or together, and do so on any table or platform. When I
take the family for a ride in the automobile, I can drop them off at various
places for each to go about their business. When we share Windows at the
same time (to roam the internet, for example), we can all only go one place.
Likewise, an automibile is often licensed in both spouses name, is owned by
both, and can be used by either. And so on.

When it comes to a family, it's worth noting the law in most states
considers all property (including computers and software) to be jointly
owned. Certainly, the family's money was used to purchase that property. In
the future, we'll see how the courts handle the license issue as they
address family dispute cases. Will they treat software like a product (TV)
or a consumable (video tape)?


Dwight Stewart (W5NET)

http://www.qsl.net/w5net/
 
Greetings --

Actually, it's your analogy that's out in left field. Your family
can all share a single PC with a single WinXP license. That wasn't
what the OP is asking about.

Can you buy a set of license plates for a single automobile, and
use them on every other car that your family members own/drive? Can
you take your family to a local restaurant, feed them all separate
meals from the menu, and pay for only one entree? If you purchase a
music CD, can you play it in multiple stereos systems simultaneously?

The simple point is, if one purchases a single product - it makes
no difference if its a meal, a loaf of bread, a service, or a software
license, one is entitled to only one of the product so purchased. If
a software license specifically permits multiple simultaneous use,
fine. WinXP's license does not permit this. It's really quite
simple - either one abides by the terms of agreements freely entered
into, or one does not. The latter person has no integrity, and is
someone with whom, I certainly will never knowingly do business, or
even associate.


Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH
 
Bruce Chambers said:
Actually, it's your analogy that's out in left field. Your family
can all share a single PC with a single WinXP license. That
wasn't what the OP is asking about.
Click to expand...


Actually, I think the OP was commenting about a family being asked to buy
multiple copies of a product. Lets face it, to do so is a huge strain on the
typical family budget ($200 for at least two copies of the OS, $700 for at
least two copies of Office, and so on). For most, the only answer is to use
only one computer. But, with that solution, the family is denied the use of
a second computer and Microsoft doesn't get the extra sale anyway (nobody
gains). A second, reasonably priced, "family" license would provide
Microsoft with a little extra money (which they seem to so desperately need)
and perhaps gain them a little positive publicity as well.

By the way, I noticed you switched from a general discussion about
families to my family alone in your reply above. This is not about my
family - my wife and I (no children) happen to own four computers (two Macs
and two PCs), each with fully licensed software.


Dwight Stewart (W5NET)

http://www.qsl.net/w5net/
 
Greetings --

Why does not being able to afford to upgrade every PC in the house
to WinXP deny anyone the use of the other PCs? There's no need for
every PC in a household to run the same OS, or even the same
applications (although the latter does facilitate file sharing).
Anyway, if a family cannot afford the software licenses for multiple
computers, then they can't really afford the multiple computers in the
first place. They need to re-examine their financial priorities if
maintaining the family's computers, which, after all, are luxury
items, is causing an economic burden.

Now, would I like to see something like the "family" or household
license program? Certainly, but there's not such thing at present.
That's a business decision for Microsoft to make.


Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH
 
Kevin said:
Ok, here my problem.
I bought a copy of Windows XP Pro Upgrade. When i had my
Laptop about 3 weeks ago. Then I recently bought a
desktop and i'm trying to use the same copy on this
computer. Both computers i own so i thought it shouldn't
be a problem. I only use one at a time anyways. Just
wondering if there is a way that i can get it to work.
Everytime a log on i keep getting this restration notice,
and when i try to apply it. It doesn't work.
Click to expand...


From: Frequently asked questions about Microsoft Product Activation
http://tinyurl.com/8ubuq


Q: Does MPA allow customers to install products on a portable compute
and on a desktop computer?

A: Consumers may use the terms of the product's EULA to determine i
this is allowed. Sometimes, the Microsoft EULA permits customers wh
are the primary users of Microsoft programs, such as Office and Word
to install one additional copy on their portable computers for thei
exclusive use. This does not apply to product licenses that ar
acquired with the purchase of a computer. These OEM licenses ar
single-use licenses that cannot be transferred to another computer
Windows XP can only be installed on a single computer. A new license i
required if you install and activate the product on a differen
computer.



Q: What happens if you try to install and activate a product on mor
computers than the EULA allows?

A: Installation of the product on more computers than the EULA allow
is a violation of the EULA. Technically, MPA does not limit the numbe
of computers where the product can be installed. For example, you coul
install Windows XP on 100 computers, but activation would not b
successful on 99 of those computers. If you installed Office XP on 10
computers, activation would not be successful on 98 of those computers
This limits the usefulness of the installations that are in violation o
the EULA. Outside MPA, Microsoft does not know how many computers hav
Windows XP or Office XP family products installed
 
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