Switching OSs

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bruce
  • Start date Start date
B

Bruce

I have the retail upgrade to XP Pro that came with a CD and product key
installed on my current computer. I am buying a new Emachines that comes
with XP Home, can
I just run this on the new machine to upgrade and then activate or do I need
to do something to remove it from the old computer first.

Then, I also wanted to know if the new computer which I haven't picked up
yet that
comes with XP Home can be used to install on my old pc.

Thanks
 
XP Home on the new PC cannot be installed on any other system as it is an
OEM disk and it also likely tied to the original hardware.

If the retail XP Pro upgrade is a standard retail version and not an OEM
version, then it can be used to upgrade XP Home to Pro on the new system but
it must be removed from the original computer. If it has been less than 120
days since you activated XP Pro on the original computer, when you attempt
to activate on the new computer, you will be prompted to call a phone
number. When you do so, just tell the operator you are removing it from
your old system and installing on your new system.
 
Hi, Bruce.
can
I just run this on the new machine to upgrade and then activate
Click to expand...

Yes. If it has been more than 120 days since it was last activated on your
original computer, you should be able to activate automatically over the
Internet. If it has been last time, you will probably have to make a
5-minute phone call (the number will appear when you try to activate),
explaining what you are doing.
do I need
to do something to remove it from the old computer first.
Click to expand...

Yes, you should remove WinXP Pro from your old computer first. HOW you do
this depends on how you installed it there originally. If you "upgraded"
from Win9x/ME AND told it to preserve the files for the previous operating
system, then there should be a Reversion option in Add or Remove Programs;
use this to remove WinXP and restore Win9x/ME. If WinXP was "clean
installed" or you did not opt to preserve the old files, then you will need
to "clean install" the former Windows again. Before doing that, you will
need to at least delete WinXP's boot folder (probably C:\Windows); it might
be simpler to backup your data, reformat (especially if you've converted to
NTFS), and clean install the previous Win9x/ME.
Then, I also wanted to know if the new computer which I haven't picked up
yet that
comes with XP Home can be used to install on my old pc.
Click to expand...

Not likely. That will be an OEM version of WinXP, which is permanently
licensed to that specific computer and cannot be moved to any other.

For some details, see this page:
http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/activation.mspx

RC
 
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