Can you deactivate winXP?

[PeteyCPU]

Is it possible to deactivate WinXP? The reason I ask is I got a copy of XP pro for my laptop and want to replace XP Home. Thus I can sell the copy of XP home.

 

[MrYogi]

:Q

 

[PeteyCPU]

Maybe I should mention that these are all full retail copies

 

[mroleg]

no you cant. moreover you gotta activate every time you reinstall some major hardware part.
they don't mind though. i do it at least twice a month.

 

[PeteyCPU]

Thanks for the answer. Does this mean I am basically stuck with an extra copy of XP Home?

 

[CQuinn]

You can transfer the license

Here's a short article about it.

 

[lucky9]

I've never thought that I was renting my operating system from MS. If I were "stuck" with a situation of that nature, I'd reactivate with the new computer and name...If I heard there were problems with activation in that circumstance I'd just let them use my name...I'd figure that I could go over to their place and do the activation online for them, and they could let me use it "if needed" so it would still be mine. Probably not exactly what MS would like, but let's get real. It wouldn't hurt MS, it would probably end up helping them sell something down the road.

 

[PeteyCPU]

I found this after digging on the microsoft website:

Can I transfer a license to another computer?

Consumers should use the terms of their license agreements to determine if it is permitted to transfer a license to another computer. If a transfer is permitted by the license agreement, the product has to be removed from the computer on which it was first installed. Users may have to complete the activation on the new computer by placing a call to the Microsoft Activation Center.


So all that has to be done is remove it from the original system and the new user calls in activation I think.

 

[GonzoDaGr8]

Originally posted by: PeteyCPU
I found this after digging on the microsoft website:

Can I transfer a license to another computer?

Consumers should use the terms of their license agreements to determine if it is permitted to transfer a license to another computer. If a transfer is permitted by the license agreement, the product has to be removed from the computer on which it was first installed. Users may have to complete the activation on the new computer by placing a call to the Microsoft Activation Center.


So all that has to be done is remove it from the original system and the new user calls in activation I think.

Bingo
As long as they are retail, There is usually no sweat in selling/giving them away. OEM copies get a little stickier.

 

[Mitzi]

FYI you can actually deactivate an activated copy of Windows (its a simple registry change) though I don't have the exact instructions here at the moment...I'll post them when I get home tonight...

 

[PeteyCPU]

Awesome, that would save me and a potential buyer a hassle.

 

[Amorphus]

Originally posted by: mroleg
no you cant. moreover you gotta activate every time you reinstall some major hardware part.
they don't mind though. i do it at least twice a month.

funny, I don't have to do that...

 

[KF]

Originally posted by: PeteyCPU
Awesome, that would save me and a potential buyer a hassle.

Not really. The copy on your computer is no longer activated, but since you are going to delete it anyway, why would you care? It doesn't mean anything to MS one way or the other. If they have records at MS, it is still on record as being activated.

 

[Doomer]

Does this mean I am basically stuck with an extra copy of XP Home?

I'll give ya 20 bucks for it.

 

[Slogun]

If you activated that particular cd key 3 or more months ago microsoft no longer has it on record and it can be sold to someone else and reactivated. (Or reinstalled on your own system and reactivated again).

There was much discussion on this topic when WinXP (and product activation) was new.

 

[timswim78]

Originally posted by: Slogun
If you activated that particular cd key 3 or more months ago microsoft no longer has it on record and it can be sold to someone else and reactivated. (Or reinstalled on your own system and reactivated again).

There was much discussion on this topic when WinXP (and product activation) was new.

Do you have a link to this policy or do you know this from experience?

 

[GonzoDaGr8]

Originally posted by: timswim78

Originally posted by: Slogun
If you activated that particular cd key 3 or more months ago microsoft no longer has it on record and it can be sold to someone else and reactivated. (Or reinstalled on your own system and reactivated again).

There was much discussion on this topic when WinXP (and product activation) was new.

Do you have a link to this policy or do you know this from experience?

This is coming from experience..Activation was a HUGE topic in here for a long time.

 

[Slogun]

Originally posted by: GonzoDaGr8

Originally posted by: timswim78

Originally posted by: Slogun
If you activated that particular cd key 3 or more months ago microsoft no longer has it on record and it can be sold to someone else and reactivated. (Or reinstalled on your own system and reactivated again).

There was much discussion on this topic when WinXP (and product activation) was new.

Do you have a link to this policy or do you know this from experience?

This is coming from experience..Activation was a HUGE topic in here for a long time.

Word