Quick Q about installing XP..

[cfairchild]

Can I install my OEM copy of XP to one machine, activate it(not register it) and then install it again on another machine? I wont even try it if it will be too much of a problem. :) Thanks!

[jdrom17]

Should work if its a new copy. You get a few activations with it, if it doesn't activate just phone up Microsoft and they'll activate it, just make up some story.

[cfairchild]

really? so I can install it on 2 different machines. Can anyone corroborate this to make it more believable?

[Zefram]

Well, even if you activate the Windows XP, the activation program sends 'hardware keys' of your computer to windows server............... so if you install the same copy of Windows XP to other PC and try activating it, if the 'hardware keys' doesnt match then the windows wont be activated.

You could probably call microsoft and acquiring activation code by saying that you've upgraded the PC or something.........

And i've seen cases where a user could run 3 PC with the same windows XP copy without problem on the activation, and i've also seen a user which cannot activate his PC after reformatting the harddrives! WTF with that? :p

[cfairchild]

ok, I will try to activate it on my PC then call MS and see where that takes me. Thanks so much jdrom and Zefram for the help as it is hard to find an answer about this.