If You Build A Pc Is It Ilegal To Use Your Old Os

[healimonster]

Say you buy a pc with XP OS installed.

Then you want to upgrade the PC, keep some componets, buy some new ones.

At the end of the day you have a PC that needs an OS.

Is it illegal to use the OS that came with your old PC?

[Smurfette]

Nope. When you bought the computer you bought a licence to use the OS on one machine.
If you built a second computer and used your original copy of the OS on both, then you would be breaking copyright laws; you don't necessarily need to sell the old PC.

[healimonster]

So its not illegal to use it on the new one and not the old one.
So it is illegal to use it on both.
And its very illegal to use it on the new one and sell it with the old one.

(I am sure this happens a lot)

If I just used it on both is there a way that it can be caught over the internet. Getting XP updates and hot-fixes and such?

[Supernatural]

The only problem you may have with using the same copy of XP twice is activating it. If it's a pro corp version, then there should be no problems. Windows Update doesn't check your serial.

[healimonster]

My PC came with XP home.

So if I build a new PC I will have to activate it? I guess I probably won't be able to do that.

I have the reboot disk or what ever came with it. But unlike my old pc with window 95 I don't think I got one of those oem numbers. Who knows maybe I did.

What does it take to active it?

[Smurfette]

I'm pretty sure you should've been given a serial number that you use to install XP. That is unless there is an msi file on the rescue disks that inserts it into the setup process during install.
The activation process is pretty straight forward and XP guides you through it either by making a phone call or connecting thru the web.

[nanotek]

i would register through the phone as paranoid as i am as they cant trace your ip if your not using a proxy

[Supernatural]

Originally posted by nanotek@19 November 2003 - 12:49
i would register through the phone as paranoid as i am as they cant trace your ip if your not using a proxy
That's not just paranoia... that is strait-up phobia.

[healimonster]

So to recap

If i build a new PC I can use my same OS with out the feds coming after me?

[Smurfette]

Originally posted by healimonster@20 November 2003 - 05:06
So to recap

If i build a new PC I can use my same OS with out the feds coming after me?
Yes.

[slammy_dunken]

Originally posted by Supernatural@19 November 2003 - 10:22
Windows Update doesn't check your serial.
Yes it does. Windows Update has a list of blacklisted serials, so if one of those serials is trying to access Windows Update, they won't be able to connect and download the updates.


If i build a new PC I can use my same OS with out the feds coming after me?
Yes, but most people don't give a crap about this 'using the same OS and key on two PCs' thing anymore. And for the activation problem, there's some files out there that can crack the activation for you. Search in google for something like that. ;)

[bob_the_alien]

Originally posted by slammy_dunken@20 November 2003 - 01:33
, there's some files out there that can crack the activation for you. Search in google for something like that. ;)
:lol:
And this is pretty much the best way to do it; having to buy more than one license just because you have more than one PC in your home is just plain stupidity.
A home user should never have to do this

[kurtsl0an]

actually, i had 2 fix a puter - where the mobo was fried by lightening so instead of paying gateway $260 bucks for a replacement mobo - i upgraded the entire system, but kept the same hard drive (formatted and re-installed xp however)...

when it was time 2 activate via the internet, i was told the version of xp home was already activated, so i had 2 call microsoft. they proceeded to tell me (this is no LIE) that this xp home was registered to the gateway, not some other puter. i explained to them that the gateway was fried, and they said i would still need to purchase an additional license! i freaked out and demanded 2 speak to a manager...the manager told me the same thing and i told her that was unacceptable....after arguing for a half hour, they finally gave me the reg codes.

was in total shock! microsoft claims that xp home is "attached" to the cpu, and if upgraded - u cannot switch over (unlike the old OS's).

bastards - :angry:

[echidna]

Originally posted by kurtsl0an@20 November 2003 - 18:44
actually, i had 2 fix a puter - where the mobo was fried by lightening so instead of paying gateway $260 bucks for a replacement mobo - i upgraded the entire system, but kept the same hard drive (formatted and re-installed xp however)...

when it was time 2 activate via the internet, i was told the version of xp home was already activated, so i had 2 call microsoft. they proceeded to tell me (this is no LIE) that this xp home was registered to the gateway, not some other puter. i explained to them that the gateway was fried, and they said i would still need to purchase an additional license! i freaked out and demanded 2 speak to a manager...the manager told me the same thing and i told her that was unacceptable....after arguing for a half hour, they finally gave me the reg codes.

was in total shock! microsoft claims that xp home is "attached" to the cpu, and if upgraded - u cannot switch over (unlike the old OS's).

bastards - :angry:
you should look at what else they maintain in the EULA

would you believe.. the reserved right to execute, delete, read & write data to the machine, without your knowledge!

they basically feel [and specify] that cycles on a machine running XP are their cycles.

another reason why i don't think i will ever use it on one of my own computers.

[Evil Gemini]

Yes it does. Windows Update has a list of blacklisted serials, so if one of those serials is trying to access Windows Update, they won't be able to connect and download the updates.

I have the typical fck serial and my xp pro downloads and updates fine. (disabled it anyways because they fuck my pc up)

[MusicChick]

Originally posted by bob_the_alien@19 November 2003 - 23:53
And this is pretty much the best way to do it; having to buy more than one license just because you have more than one PC in your home is just plain stupidity. 
A home user should never have to do this
I agree. ;) If you bought it, its yours. Its your business if you want to put it on another machine or not, if the other machine belongs to you. :)

[Supernatural]

Originally posted by slammy_dunken@20 November 2003 - 00:33
...Windows Update has a list of blacklisted serials, so if one of those serials is trying to access Windows Update, they won't be able to connect and download the updates....
That's not entirely true. This is only the case when installing SP1. There are only 2 blacklisted serials. No one uses them anymore.