Potential COA conflict?

[CondorMan]

I have a laptop which came with XP Pro and it was also supplied with a recovery disk. On the under side of the laptop, there's a Microsoft label with the Product Key. Even though this doesn't specify "OEM", I assume that it is (is that correct?).

I wanted to get rid of the manufacturer-specific software/settings etc., so bought a new XP Pro OEM disk and installed that recently, using the Product Key that came with it. I've been through the activation procedure subsequentky and everything's fine.

I have become aware that I could have used the original Product Key on the laptop with the OEM CD that I bought (again, is that correct?).

The potential problem is that I'm contemplating building a new PC and would like to install XP Pro. I'd like to reinstall XP Pro on the laptop, but use the original Product Key and that would leave the new OEM Product Key to be used when I install XP Pro on the newly built PC.

I have a number of further questions:

Is what I'm contemplating legal? I have 2 XP Pro Product Keys and (will have) 2 computers.

If there are any warning messages about the Product Keys having been used before, at what stage will that occur - at installation or when I go to the Internet to activate the XP Pro and get Windows Updates?

If there is any sort of warning, would I have to contact Microsoft (I've no idea of their location and hope that I won't have to call them in the US!) and are they likely to be sympathetic or will they say "Tough - go buy another XP Pro installation disk"?

Finally, I suspect that there are illegal ways of getting around this, but I have no intention of going there. I want to stay on the right side of the rules! I'd hasten to add that I haven't stuck the label with the new Product Key on the under side of the laptop (yet!) as it's only a few weeks ago that I went through the process of installing and then getting my software/files etc. back as I wanted them.

Thanks for your time and patience.

 

[bcastner]

Your first OEM version of XP, pre-installed, is tied to the hardware of that laptop and cannot be used elsewhere.

Q1: I have become aware that I could have used the original Product Key on the laptop with the OEM CD that I bought (again, is that correct?).
I XP came pre-installed, with only Recovery media, the purchased OEM key and the key on the laptop for use with the Recovery Media are incomapatible.


Q2: Is what I'm contemplating legal? I have 2 XP Pro Product Keys and (will have) 2 computers.

The "legal" solution would be to uninstall purchased OEM XP, and use the Recovery Disk on the laptop.

Then use the purchased OEM license and key on the new computer.

You will have to do a telephone activation in both cases.





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Users Helping Users

 

[CondorMan]

Thank you for your usual comprehensive response!

It's a real nuisance that the laptop manufacturer has refused absolutely to supply an "ordinary" XP Pro installation disk. I don't want their bundled software so I am, in effect, having to purchase a new XP Pro installation disk and discard the licence which I purchased when I purchased the laptop. I was under the impression that I could use the laptop Product Key with the normal OEM installation disk but you've put me right about that.

Oh, how I wish that laptop manufacturers would give the option of purchasing with or without the bundled software (i.e. with a Recovery Disk or standard OEM XP Pro installation disk)! That would also give users the option of installing Linux on their laptop rather than being forced to have Windows.