Is This Ideal Flawed?

[shanenin]

I know this has been asked in similar threads, but I do not feel it was fully answered. I own the following OEM versions of windows XP: sp1 home, sp2 home, sp1 professional, sp2 professional. Since computers that are sold with XP preinstalled are OEM versions, shouldn't the key that is on the COA of any of these computers(dells, emachines, etc..) work with the corresponding XP OEM disk to do a reinstall in most(all) instances?

Edited September 28, 2005 by shanenin

[JDoors]

Just to clear something up, have you bought and paid for five installations of Windows on five different computers? It's not clear why you seem to be saying that an SP1 installation differs from one with SP2.

[shanenin]

lets say a dell computer comes preinstalled with an XP sp2, I don't think I am able to use my OEM XP sp1 cd with the COA of a computer that says OEM sp2, or can I?

[JDoors]

You know, MS's policies are so extensive and convoluted I doubt a public message board is the ideal place to ask these questions. I bet MS has pages devoted to this subject and it might be best to go to the source. If you're trying to conform to their policies then they are the ones to ask.

Forgive my suspicions but if all you're trying to do is to get around their policies then I got nothin' to say.

<edit> Thanks for taking that in a good-natured way. I couldn't remember what your purpose was, sorry. (Good grief, how's my memory gonna be when I really get old?)

Edited September 28, 2005 by JDoors

[shanenin]

You know, MS's policies are so extensive and convoluted I doubt a public message board is the ideal place to ask these questions. I bet MS has pages devoted to this subject and it might be best to go to the source. If you're trying to conform to their policies then they are the ones to ask.

Forgive my suspicions but if all you're trying to do is to get around their policies then I got nothin' to say.     

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am just trying to figure out the most commonly used way the computer repair shops reinstall windows. I am assuming toms of people bring in computers who need windows xp reinstalled, but do not have restore disks.

thanks for your sugggestion :-) **sarcasm**

[pro1driver]

for what my "2" cents is going to be actually worth, here is what i've done so many times, and got so many responses about.

i have at least 3 windows cd's that are XP home OEM.

i have only 1 windows 2000 pro cd

i have 2 upgrade XP home cd's.

all these (xp) cd's i purchased through web sites when i would buy an "acceptable hardware item", and in one instance, that was an USB cable.......!!

now, i will either build, or rebuild pc's. either way, i almost always use any one of the windows cd's that I OWN out right.

i have installed windows on so many pc's, i really can't give a specific number.

there has NEVER, EVER been a problem (for me at least) using the same cd's over and over again.

all those pc's can get all the Windows updates (from the windows update site), but i think that there isn't any windows (MS) tech support, but then again, when was the last time any "Tech support" actually helped anyone.......??

this is what i do, some will disagree, but i don't give a rat's ass, i OWN all those windows operating system cd's, and they are all legal copies, each and everyone of them.

i think how i'm able to do this is because i wait the "usual" 120 days before i re-use a cd for another install to another pc.

hey, i spent good money, i'm going to get all i can from it as well.

Edited September 28, 2005 by pro1driver

[Freidog]

I know this has been asked in similar threads, but I do not feel it was fully answered. I own the following OEM versions of windows XP: sp1 home, sp2 home, sp1 professional, sp2 professional. Since computers that are sold with XP preinstalled are OEM versions, shouldn't the key that is on the COA of any of these computers(dells, emachines, etc..) work with the corresponding XP OEM disk to do a reinstall in most(all) instances?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A CD isn't tied to a key. With a valid XP home OEM CD key you can successfully install from any XP home OEM disc onto any computer.

So yes as long as you use a CD key specific to that machine (ie the MS product code on the case as you suggest), you should be able to install from any disc of the same product and activate it.

[xxkbxx]

At the computer shop I work at we have a copies of all Microsoft OS's 95, 98, 98 SE, ME, 2000 Pro, XP SP1, XP SP2, XP Pro, and so on.

Whenever someone needed the OS reinstalled (about half the jobs) we would do so with OUR disc, unless they had their recovery CD. CD's are not tied to keys, so you can use any CD with any legitimate key

[shanenin]

Thanks everyone for your input :-)

one last thought, will an XP home sp1 oem disk work with a computers key that came preinstalled with XP home sp2?

[MrBill]

Thanks everyone for your input :-)

one last thought, will an XP home sp1 oem disk work with a computers key that came preinstalled with XP home sp2?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Probably not...