Upgrade to Win XP

[CSULB71]

I am considering upgrading from Win 98SE to XP Home Edition with SP2. I see quite a few used ones on eBay, where the sellers claim "used only once on a computer that is no longer in service", or "installed it on my PC but decided to buy Vista instead", etc.
Will there be any problems with my activating a used one with Microsoft if the prior owner had activated their copy, as long as there is a legitimate product key with the CD? Microsoft will have a record of the prior PC's ID and will know my activation attempt is for a different PC, but does that prevent me from activating XP on my PC?

[MOVIEGEEK]

DO NOT BUY USED OS SOFTWARE,there is no guarantee that it can be activated.Microsoft only allows activation on one PC but you can reactivate if you are the original owner and upgrade your PC.
I have seen new XP CD's for $130USD.

[Bodyslide]

New Egg had XP with SP2 for less than $100.00 a few weeks ago. Buy Your OS new and in the Box.....Don't get ripped off....

[redwudz]

All you are really buying in the case of Ebay is the XP product key. Most all recent XP discs are the same. You could even illegally sell a full backup of a XP disc and it may work, as long as the product key is valid. MS will reset a product key after about 120 days after activation and allow you to install it again on the same machine fairly easily. The Ebay OSs may be relying on that. But those XP OS discs may still be registered with the original owner. This may cause some uncomfortable questions from MS if you try to activate.

If you ended up with a 'dead' OS disc, you would have to buy a new product key from MS to use it. In this case, you would be paying twice for the same OS.

Usually activation is just semi-automatic over the internet. If that fails, you can call MS and do it with a automated server. If that fails, you will have to talk to a real person and convince them you aren't a 'pirate'.

Bottom line, buy the OS from a reputable dealer. You should be aware there is a OEM version of XP. It was created for people building computers. You normally have to buy a motherboard and a CPU to purchase this, all in the same order. A stand alone version (Not OEM) costs more. They are exactly the same, it just depends on what you are purchasing.

[bevills1]

You might also consider Windows 2000 Professional which requires no activation, and it's virtually the same as XP minus a few bells and whistles.

[oldandinthe way]

You might also consider Windows 2000 Professional which requires no activation, and it's virtually the same as XP minus a few bells and whistles.

Except for all the latest security updates.

[TBoneit]

Redwudz Said "A stand alone version (Not OEM) costs more. They are exactly the same, it just depends on what you are purchasing."

Functionality is the same for any Home version type or any XP Pro version type.
3 types of XP Home, OEM, Upgrade, Full retail.
4 Types of XP Pro, OEM, Coroporate. Upgrade, Full Retail.

There are differences. At a basic level the Keys between Home and XP Pro are no interchangable. The Keys are not interchangable between OEM, Corporate, Upgrade or full retail.

Further OEM XPs will not do a upgrade. You will end up with a clean fresh install. They do not require wiping the drive but will delete the windows folder if you want to reuse it. A Upgrade will of course only do upgrades whether or not the previous version is on the hard drive or inserted in the cd rom drive when prompted. And a Full retail will do upgrades or a full install on a new drive.

Hope this info helps others.
Cheers

[jman98]

Although technically reselling PC software is legal in the USA, many companies argue that it is not and won't support it. If you are foolish and tell Microsoft that you bought XP "used", they may refuse to help you to activate it. There are ways to get around Microsoft's activation requirement, but I can't say any more about that. You'll have to do your own research.

Bottom line as most of us say - yes, most likely there will be problems with this. And you will have no recourse with the seller or Ebay who can both rightly say that you were sold exactly what you needed to make it work and it's not their fault that Microsoft is (probably) illegally refusing to help you.

[CSULB71]

Thanks for all the advice. That's what I figured -- "used" is not the way I want to go, then. Although, the potential problems must not bother a lot of people because every one of the used ones on eBay have had multiple bidders, so they must know the tricks to get it activated. I don't (and don't want to know), so I'll buy a new retail upgrade package.

[bevills1]

I still get periodic security updates for Win 2k just like my friend does for Win XP, no problem.

[TBoneit]

Well another difference is in the Licensing as I understand it.

You pay more for a retail XP, however you can use it on different hardware just not more than one at a time.

The OEM OTOH costs less and is tied into the motherboard for licensing. IOWs you are not allowed by the license to update the processor and Motherboard just as a upgrade. You can change the Mobo for repairs.

Big long thread here a while ago as I remember it.

My guess is that most of the "Used" XPs are OEM being pulled off of computers being replaced. And therefore they are not supposed to be transferable. If they are Retail copies and have the original license/Product Key and discs and haven't been blacklisted by Microsoft for too many activations then you would be OK.

[bevills1]

Does that mean one would need to buy another XP if a motherboard/CPU upgrade is done? All the more reason to choose 2k if that's true.

[jdachik]

Tigerdirect has XP SP2 Home for $90:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2552182&CatId=306

[noemi7]

Does that mean one would need to buy another XP if a motherboard/CPU upgrade is done? All the more reason to choose 2k if that's true.

I have completely new comp and had no problem to re-register XP.

[Noahtuck]

Does that mean one would need to buy another XP if a motherboard/CPU upgrade is done? All the more reason to choose 2k if that's true.

I've run my XP Pro on more than one MOBO/CPU/HDD/ect upgrade.

[TBoneit]

IT means that they could, note the word could, not activate it. Right now XP Activation is fairly easy.

OTOH when Xp was new the people using the pirated versions more or less had no big headaches. Now MS has gotten smarter and one or more of their upgrades causes nag screens and such in the pirated versions. My guess is that sooner or later that'll change for the worse.

[bevills1]

Noahtuck and noemi7, did Microsoft ask any questions about it being already activated on another system? I'm curious because I saw on CallForHelp before it was dropped by G4TV that Microsoft would allow activation on 2 or 3 systems even though it's technically only supposed to be on a single system.

[SingSing]

How much new code is in the XP SP2 update ?

My kid's laptop has XP with SP1, and it is infested with couple of virus. I don't want to format and reload XP sp1.

Can I update to XP2 to get rid of it ?

Can I remove SP2 cleanly with control panel ?

[TBoneit]

You could have problems updating to SP2 over a infected XP. Updating will not remove the virus.

You need to either refomat to get rid of the viruses or clean the drive which probably has viruses and Spyware as these days many virusues are there to download other types of malware. SP2 and other updates could have fixed the security holes that the viruses can use to sneak into your computer.

[TBoneit]

Noahtuck and noemi7, did Microsoft ask any questions about it being already activated on another system? I'm curious because I saw on CallForHelp before it was dropped by G4TV that Microsoft would allow activation on 2 or 3 systems even though it's technically only supposed to be on a single system.

When you activate over the phone MS asks "is this copy on any other systems". Another question is "Have there been any changes to the system such as Hard Drive or Motherboard?" I'm paraphrasing as I do not recall the exact wording.

There is also the fact that many computers that were bought new from brand names have never had the product key on the side of the computer activated. The come with a already activated XP that is imaged onto the drive during manufacturing and uses a different key. So advantage of buying a Dell for example as long as you arder it with the discs is that you can reload and not have to activate as long it has a Dell Mobo.

Some brands will activate over the internet and some (Dell) will need to be called in to activate.