Is This Operating System Software Viable and Legal

  • Thread starter Thread starter Regina
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Regina

I'm going to purchase a XP Pro (SP2) disk for a system I built. If I buy it
used, how can I be sure it's usable and legal. Thank You.
 
I'm going to purchase a XP Pro (SP2) disk for a system I built. If I buy it
used, how can I be sure it's usable and legal. Thank You.
Click to expand...

Be aware that there are excellent forgeries of MS software - ones that are
so well done that they are very difficult to identify as counterfeit.

The End User License Agreement for the *RETAIL* version of XP (not the OEM
version) allows a one-time transfer of software to another person as long
as the original media and the product key are delivered together. The
original box may or may not be included.

If available, ask for a copy of the purchase receipt (they can cross out
their credit card number/account numbers on your copy) or ask the party if
they are willing to provide that if MS should request it. I have not heard
of MS requiring this for quite some time (back when XP was first released).
I only mention it as there were posts in the newsgroup way back when about
this so there's a slight chance that you may run into it.

Activation usually occurs over the internet but if this product key was
recently used, you may be prompted to call in and activate. If you get a
live person, say that you have just purchased and installed a used copy of
XP. That should be the end of it.

"Purchasing Genuine Microsoft Software"
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell/en/prepurchase.mspx
 
Be aware that there are excellent forgeries of MS software - ones that are
so well done that they are very difficult to identify as counterfeit.

The End User License Agreement for the *RETAIL* version of XP (not the OEM
version) allows a one-time transfer of software to another person as long
as the original media and the product key are delivered together. The
original box may or may not be included.

If available, ask for a copy of the purchase receipt (they can cross out
their credit card number/account numbers on your copy) or ask the party if
they are willing to provide that if MS should request it. I have not heard
of MS requiring this for quite some time (back when XP was first released).
I only mention it as there were posts in the newsgroup way back when about
this so there's a slight chance that you may run into it.

Activation usually occurs over the internet but if this product key was
recently used, you may be prompted to call in and activate. If you get a
live person, say that you have just purchased and installed a used copy of
XP. That should be the end of it.

"Purchasing Genuine Microsoft Software"
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell/en/prepurchase.mspx
Click to expand...

Tks for the response and link.
 
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