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    Can I transfer XP?

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by purplegreendave, Jun 10, 2008.

  1. purplegreendave

    purplegreendave Has a notebook.

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    Want to transfer XP off an old dieing laptop (Toshiba Satellite) onto a Frankenstein-eque mashup of two ancient desktops (they'll work fine, the specs are ok, I'm just swapping out optical drives & RAM)?
    Is it as easy as downloading an app to tell me my key and then d/l'ing an iso of a disk to boot it?

    AFAIK, this is perfectly legal - the license is being killed on one pc COMPLETELY and reinstalled elsewhere...
     
    purplegreendave, Jun 10, 2008
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  2. Gregory

    Gregory disassemble?

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    It isn't necessarily perfectly legal. Did the copy of XP come with the laptop as an OEM copy? If so then you will probably find that you can't install it with that key. And it would be illegal.
     
    Gregory, Jun 10, 2008
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  3. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    If XP came with the PC, then you cannot transfer it (OEM copy cannot be transferred).
     
    Greg, Jun 10, 2008
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  4. purplegreendave

    purplegreendave Has a notebook.

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    Right OK <_<
    If I were to transfer some element of the hardware over, would that count?
    If so, what?
     
    purplegreendave, Jun 10, 2008
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  5. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Nope...entire computer. Can. Not. Legally. Be. Done.
     
    Greg, Jun 10, 2008
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  6. purplegreendave

    purplegreendave Has a notebook.

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    OK, thanks...
    Sucks though :(

    Just one last, sort of unrelated thing - if you upgrade a pc does that mean you can't reinstall if/when something goes wrong? That'd suck...
     
    purplegreendave, Jun 10, 2008
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  7. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Most OEM stuff is tied (technically) to the mainboard. I've upgraded my XPS 420 in a few places (TV tuner, HDDs) no problem.

    If a mainboard needed to be replaced, or something, and it is covered under warranty than all is well. If out of warranty...well, I guess it depends on what you do. Kind of sucks, but that is why OEM is cheap.
     
    Greg, Jun 10, 2008
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  8. purplegreendave

    purplegreendave Has a notebook.

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    Thanks - repped
     
    purplegreendave, Jun 10, 2008
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