swapping OS

  • Thread starter Thread starter Doug Smith
  • Start date Start date
D

Doug Smith

I have purchased a Dell laptop with XP-Home. I also have
a laptop that I purchased and installed XP-Professional
on it. I want to remove the XP-Prosfessional from that
laptop and install it on the new laptop and likewise
remove the XP-Home from the new laptop and install it on
the old laptop. What do I need to do?
And exactly what information does Microsoft need for this
to be all LEGAL and keep them happy?
 
I have purchased a Dell laptop with XP-Home. I also have
a laptop that I purchased and installed XP-Professional
on it. I want to remove the XP-Prosfessional from that
laptop and install it on the new laptop and likewise
remove the XP-Home from the new laptop and install it on
the old laptop.
Click to expand...

Dell's XP installations are BIOS-locked. So, if your old laptop isn't a
Dell, you'll not be able to swap the two XP installations. If both are
Dells, you should be able to call Microsoft's activation department and have
them switch the two. I'd try the swap first, though. You may find that
they simply won't swap. You also may wind up with the problem of getting
Dell to support your new laptop if you run into a problem and it no longer
contains the factory-installed software.
--
Brian Tillman Internet: Brian.Tillman at smiths-aerospace dot com
Smiths Aerospace Addresses modified to prevent SPAM.
3290 Patterson Ave. SE, MS 1B3 Replace "at" with "@", "dot" with "."
Grand Rapids, MI 49512-1991
This opinion doesn't represent that of my company
 
You will need to contact Dell with regards to the Legal transfer. The
version of XP on your laptop, if it was purchased from Dell with XP
preinstalled, is an OEM version. As such it is legally tied to the system
that it is installed on and can not legally be installed on a different
system even if you remove it from the first. You might find that the version
of XP on the Dell laptop will not even install to a different system as some
OEM versions are designed to install only if certain components are present.

The version of XP that you purchased and installed on the other laptop can
be moved to another system providing it was not also an OEM version. OEM
versions are legally tied to the first system they are installed on. So if
you purchased a Retail Full version of Windows XP Professional or an Upgrade
version of XP Professional you can install it to any system you want
providing you remove it from the previous system you had it on first.
 
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