XP Product Key from Busted Laptop - Keep It?

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Limp Gawd
Joined
Jan 31, 2005
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I have an old busted laptop which has only two uses: the hard drive, and I *think* the Windows XP Registration Key (the little labels glued to the bottom).

Scenario: I have a CD of Windows XP Home Edition
The laptop is XP Pro.

Could I install the Home edition and use the Key off the lappie? Will it even work? If not, if I wanted to buy a boxed copy of XP Pro, would I be able to install it on two computers, using the second key off the bottom of the lappie on the second install?

I sure hope this hasn't been asked a million times.
 
Wie gehts!If the key was meant for pro - it won't work. You will probably need to find an OEM XP Pro CD - and what ever service pack it lists on the label - the CD will need to match
 
Just find a copy of XP-Pro somewhere and install it on your machine and use the key and if it works, hazza, simple.
 
FunkStar said:
Just find a copy of XP-Pro somewhere and install it on your machine and use the key and if it works, hazza, simple.
Click to expand...

It's apparent that you don't know the recent changes Microsoft has made in regards to using OEM keys from major vendors. If the OP uses the key, he will be prompted to call Microsoft for activation.

It's obvious by your posts in this thread and another that you have something against Microsoft, which is your right, but advising people to do things against software EULAs isn't in the best interest of everyone here.
 
He should be able to call up MS and state that "My laptop was destroyed" to get them to activate the next machine...
 
OEM key is tied to the original hardware, moving the XP to another machine isnt allowed per MS rules (not that it cant be done)

Also on Feb 28th 2005, MS disabled the internet activation for some OEM licenses, so you may have to call in and answer some ??'s about the PC
 
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