My dad and I both have computers in the same house and I want to install XP on mine which he has the setup disk for.  Someone told me that if I did then as soon as I connect to the internet they will know that two computers have the same XP serial number OR SOMETHING.  Basicly he said that if I use my dad's setup disk then I am screwed.  Is that true and if so why are people on amazon selling USED XP?

Technically, the software that you get with your computer is for YOUR computer only. It comes with
a license for  use on one PC. If you install that software on another PC, without deleting it from the
first PC, that's piracy.

For somebody to be selling used XP disks, they are saying that they have deleted it from their own
system, and are using something else. Now whether that would stand up to inspection or not, is a
whole different can of worms.

While piracy is illegal, and you can be busted for it if it's discovered incidentally in another type of
search, you getting caught for putting your disk on your Dad's PC is pretty remote.

(Not advocating software piracy in any fashion, just saying......)

ETA: Maybe some of the resident MS types can answer your 'ID #' question. I'm not that 'in the know'
as far as XP's workings....

First, If your dad's disk came with his computer (an OEM disk) it's probably locked to only work with the same model computer and most likely will not boot on your system.

Second, Yes each copy of windows needs its own unique serial number to install. This is validated over the net. Windows creates a key that identifies your computer hardware and links it to that serial number.


If you want to install WinXP you will need a retail or generic OEM copy of the CD at the very least.

When a retail copy of XP is installed on a computer it calls back to Microsoft to “activate” that copy of Windows XP. That copy of Windows XP is then locked to that machine and if you install that copy on another machine Windows XP will not activate on the newer installed computer and after 3 days will not run.

So in theory you cannot have 1retail copy of Windows XP running on 2 or more machines at once.

It has been my experience that Microsoft dumps their Windows XP activation database every 2-3 months and therefore you can install the same copy of Windows XP on different machine if you do the installation a couple of months apart.

This also goes for most OEM versions of Windows XP.

Volume license CD's used by corporations do not need to be activatied and they use the same volume license key...as info.


ByteTheBullet  (-:

Its not the license thats the problem, its the "activation".  After you install XP and enter the license, you have 30 days to activate it with MS.  XP generates a code based on your license and certain aspects of the hardware of your machine, so it is a unique activation code.  If you try and activate a copy of XP that has already been activated, and the hardware is totally different, MS will be suspicous at least.  Also, if you make significant changes to your machine, XP will need to be re-activated.  I changed my motherboard and had to re-activate XP.  It wasnt a big deal but I did have to call MS to get it done.  I forget what questions they asked to verify that I was the rightful licensee of this copy of XP, but they were satisified.  You could probably do it if you try.

XP Pro

My copy is came with a license to use on two PC's, check your documentation.

r/s

Dan