XP Licensing

phigity · Post by **phigity** » Sun Dec 26, 2004 4:43 pm

i got win xp pro for xmas and i know microsoft has gotten really strick with it's licensing with this OS. my question is can i install XP on all my home pc's (i have 3 of them) without getting into trouble or locking the others out of windows? if not how can i go about getting more licenses? thanks!!!

konomi · Post by **konomi** » Sun Dec 26, 2004 5:02 pm

According to the License, No, you can not.
After you install, it will want to activate the license. You will have no problem the first time you activate. The second you will not be able to activate online. You can call in the information. Listen to their questions very carefully and answer them in a way to get the results YOU WANT.

Another secret I have found quite by accident, If you wait and activate them all three at the same time or within seconds of each other there should be no problem.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Sun Dec 26, 2004 5:20 pm

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/ ... etail.mspx

"Windows XP Professional is available as a full product or as an upgrade from Windows 98/Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows Me, Windows NT® Workstation 4.0, Windows 2000 Professional, or Windows XP Home Edition. Under the Windows XP End-User License Agreement (EULA), you may install one licensed copy of Windows XP on one computer. If you need to install Windows XP on more than one computer that you own, you may qualify to purchase up to three (3) discounted additional licenses in one of the following ways."

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/ ... ddlic.mspx

zooner · Post by **zooner** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 3:58 am

typically speaking, you can install it on more then one computer. However, (definately a grey area) you need to wait about 4 months before you install it on another machine.

(speaking from experience, although not my own computers)

phigity · Post by **phigity** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 8:16 am

i think this is just stupid. if you purchased your own copy of win xp from a store then you should be able to install it on all your personal pc's at home. wtf was microsoft thinking when they decided to do this?

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 9:43 am

phigity wrote:wtf was microsoft thinking when they decided to do this?

That's the way it's been. One operating system per computer. Just like my cars, trailers, boats, 'n personal watercraft. I purchase a license plate from the state for each one that I own, I don't take one plate and slap it on each vehicle each time I drive it, that's misuse of plates...a pretty hefty fine if I got pulled over.

With Windows XP and Office XP and on up...they got tired of everyone pirating their software, hence the product activation that needs to occur now. Many other types of software have also followed after getting tired of losing money to pirating...antivirus, office suites, productivity software, specialty software like CAD that won't run without a dongle/key attatched, etc.