The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    XP x86 and x64 licenses not compatible??!

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by MaXimus, May 24, 2009.

  1. MaXimus

    MaXimus Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    432
    Messages:
    1,906
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    How come the Vista licenses are intercompatible between 32 bit and 64 bit but when I tried to install XP it did not accept my genuine 32 bit key? :( I called Microsoft and they said I need to send them a proof of purchase in order for them to generate my a key :(
     
    MaXimus, May 24, 2009
    #1
  2. Gophn

    Gophn NBR Resident Assistant

    Reputations:
    4,843
    Messages:
    15,707
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    456
    It depends...

    For Vista:
    - if you have Retail license, 32-bit and 64-bit licenses are interchangeable
    - if you have OEM license, then you are stuck to only 32-bit or 64-bit.. depending on what you ordered/received from your OEM with your machine.

    For XP:
    - all licenses are different
    - even XP Professional 32-bit to 64-bit are different licenses and keys.
    - and there are Retail, OEM, and VLK licenses
    -- for Home, Professional, Media Center, and Tablet PC editions
    .... so none interchangeable.
     
    Gophn, May 24, 2009
    #2
  3. jackluo923

    jackluo923 Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    1,038
    Messages:
    3,071
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    105
    And there's also Corporate and evaluation keys for both Windows XP and Vista.
     
    jackluo923, May 24, 2009
    #3
  4. Gophn

    Gophn NBR Resident Assistant

    Reputations:
    4,843
    Messages:
    15,707
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    456
    Corporate is VLK (volume license key)

    and true, I forgot about eval licenses. :)
     
    Gophn, May 24, 2009
    #4
  5. VipeR_930

    VipeR_930 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    1
    Messages:
    23
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Not true. OEM licenses are interchangeable between 32 and 64 bit. I've done it on my own machine plus others, unless I broke some EULA. =\
     
    VipeR_930, May 24, 2009
    #5
  6. Gophn

    Gophn NBR Resident Assistant

    Reputations:
    4,843
    Messages:
    15,707
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    456
    it used to not work... maybe something changed.

    I do not use Vista much, so I could be wrong. :)
     
    Gophn, May 24, 2009
    #6
  7. MaXimus

    MaXimus Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    432
    Messages:
    1,906
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Here's what the stupid MS guys said:

    If I used a 32 bit vista key to install 64 bit, it will install fine, but after a while, I will get a message saying I have an error with my license key even if I activated, I spent 30 mins explaining that it was ok and I have done it but he wouldn't get convinced :rolleyes:
     
    MaXimus, May 24, 2009
    #7
  8. S.SubZero

    S.SubZero Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    467
    Messages:
    1,348
    Likes Received:
    121
    Trophy Points:
    81
    I don't understand this, but I assume you want to install.. XP64?.. with a XP 32-bit key. You can't do this, because the two OS's were released at different times, for different audiences, and are built on different code bases. XP64 is based on Server 2003 and uses Server 2003 hotfixes and service packs.

    XP64 has its own set of keys.
     
    S.SubZero, May 24, 2009
    #8