Two questions, Vista and XP Pro

[Brandy]

I am thinking of buying Vista for my PC and installing my version of XP Pro on my wife's PC, what do I have to do to register XP after it's on her PC, will this be a problem with Microsoft?


For the second part, I have all her files that contain her programs on D drive, if I just format C drive will I be able to insall XP Pro on it and read the files on D drive then reinstall the programs on D drive so they can be used with XP?

Thanks
Brandy

[soybean]

Is the Win XP on your machine an OEM version or retail version?  Know what I mean?

[honvetops]

Brandy, I'm not 100% sure on this but doing some "googling" I am coming across info like this*

A retail upgrade version of Windows XP includes full Microsoft support.  That license can only be used to install and activate Windows XP on one (1) computer.
...

An upgrade license for XP, when installed, must by definition also include the base W98 license because it is the thing being upgraded.  When the XP license is installed, the two (the original W98 and the new XP Upg) become a single license "entity."

So once the two are together, they can't "cheat" on each other by say using the W98 license to install W98 on another computer, or by say using the XP upg license to install XP on another computer.

If you want to use the XP upgrade license on another computer, you have to first "divorce" the original W98 full and XP upg licenses, then "marry" the XP Upg license to another qualifying product which is being upgraded by the XP Upg license.  Then, the two become one for licensing purposes.

I "think" once you install a Windows XP or Vista Operating System on your puter-
it- marries your motherboard and technically it can only be used "once" .....
There might be ways around this but I personally don't have the knowledge.*

[soybean]

honvetops, you're reading more into this than me.  Where did he say anything about Win 98 or buying an upgrade version of XP?

[honvetops]

it didn't*  your right, I just saw this post on here forever and thought I'd put something in there, call me an idiot.....

I'll leave you to take care of them,  sorry*

[soybean]

Oh, no problem.  I thought perhaps you saw another thread started by him where he does talk about a Win 98SE machine, @ http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,33235.0.html

But, his first post here makes no mention of it.  So, I took his question here verbatim.

[soybean]

Here's the official word from Microsoft: http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/YourPC_do.mspx.  It won't make you happy.

[WillyW]

Here's the official word from Microsoft: http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/YourPC_do.mspx.  It won't make you happy.

The way that reads to me,  is that with an OEM version of WinXP,  you may use it on only one computer for the life of that one specific piece of machinery.
When that computer dies,  your license to use WinXP dies with it.
(For now, we won't go into the details of determining what qualifies as 'dead'.)
Is this correct so far?   


What about the full retail version though?     Suppose you go into Staples and just buy a copy of WinXP off the shelf.   Not and upgrade or anything.... the full install from scratch.

I am under the impression -  and I don't know why, really -   that you can use that copy of WinXP on only one machine  AND  if you wish,  you can trash that computer, build another, and use that copy of WinXP again,   since you are only using it on one computer at a time.
Is this correct?

This last example,  I can easily see how computer hobbiests like those that populate these forums  would run into. 
Is there a procedure that must be followed to "re-activate" WinXP on your new machine?       Is it time consuming?    A pita?
Basically -  what all is involved?

Obviously,  I don't have XP yet.   


Thanks