Giving my computer away - need help

[atybimf]

I'm giving my computer to my nephew. I'm going to reformat the hard drive. I was wondering if I give him my XP Pro disc if he will be able to use it and register it and whatnot.

Thanks

 

[Koharski]

as long as you don't use the XP disk on another computer, yes.

 

[atybimf]

Cool, thanks.

 

[regnez]

Originally posted by: Koharski
as long as you don't use the XP disk on another computer, yes.

that's true, but if he ever has to reinstall windows for whatever reason, he is going to have to call microsoft to reactivate it, whether it is on another computer or not. just so it is known.

 

[UMfanatic]

actually as long as the product has not been activated too many times he might be able to get away without calling microsoft, my MCE 2005 will activate about 4 or 5 times before it says you have activated it too many times. and Microsoft only asks why you are reactivating it they do nothing beyond that to confirm anything.

 

[Koharski]

i've reinstalled XP dozens of times since I bought it and never had any activation problems since its been on the same system.

 

[atybimf]

I've only reinstalled XP once before so it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Lemon law]

I can see wiping the disk--gets rid of all your personal information the easy way---nor should it be a big hassle to get windows installed and reactivated with microsoft. But then you have to ask what your nephew knows about computers---do you install the motherboard drivers and such--and do the windows updates---and have some freeware security software already installed so the first time he goes online--he is not a sitting duck?---or do you just hand him the windows installs disks and say its all yours?---and then maybe have to field a pile of questions on what he does next.

 

[crydee]

I installed XP on my new machine and a week later I unhooked my pata dvd-roms to hook up my old pata hdd to transfer files and after I turned it back on from hooking up the hdd I had to call them and reactivate it because of a "major hardware change" pain in the ass... first you have to say all 3043043 numbers and letters to the dumb machine then it gets it wrong and then you have to talk to someone you can't understand and then they give you a code and then it works.

 

[atybimf]

Originally posted by: Lemon law
I can see wiping the disk--gets rid of all your personal information the easy way---nor should it be a big hassle to get windows installed and reactivated with microsoft. But then you have to ask what your nephew knows about computers---do you install the motherboard drivers and such--and do the windows updates---and have some freeware security software already installed so the first time he goes online--he is not a sitting duck?---or do you just hand him the windows installs disks and say its all yours?---and then maybe have to field a pile of questions on what he does next.

I was asking the question to make sure I didn't need to buy another copy of XP. I'm going help him out though

 

[Revolution09]

LOL that is the best description of the process I've ever heard... it's soooo true, that's exactly what happens. :laugh:

I've reinstalled my Windows XP about 10 different times, all I've had to do is phone them and reactivate it (or you can do it over the internet). It should be no problem.

 

[Randybob]

You'll want to do more than just format the hard drive if you've had financial information on there. http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,117330/article.html

 

[crydee]

Well hopefully his nephew won't be using tons of expensive stuff to get old information off a formatted hdd to steal his identity =(

 

[ViviTheMage]

Originally posted by: regnez

Originally posted by: Koharski
as long as you don't use the XP disk on another computer, yes.

that's true, but if he ever has to reinstall windows for whatever reason, he is going to have to call microsoft to reactivate it, whether it is on another computer or not. just so it is known.

takes 6 minutes .. on average.

 

[Lemon law]

In MHO, microsoft acts like total aholes in the reactivation process---my first experience with reactivation was a new computer I bought that came with XP preinstalled and came with the
the XP install disk---with 30 days before I had to do anything---yet the moment I installed a netscape browser--with no hardware changes---up comes the screen demanding I reactivate
in mere days.

My most recent is when I did a selective start up to troubleshoot a problem--with zero hardware changes---and up pops the update screen---with no data in screen 3---I ended up calling into the call center twice to get doubly annoyed and it ended up being a total waste of time----just to prove yet again prove I owned this copy of windows.---microsoft asserts a right to perpetually bug you---but when it comes to giving you help with their buggy OS---they are missing in action.

That total public be damned arrogance in the end will doom microsoft---but when a non-microsoft OS comes along that will run the huge base of programs that are out there that only now run on windows, people will happily desert microsoft in droves---and meanwhile is a powerful argument for Linux.---that now only needs better driver support and a better open source base of software.

 

[acole1]

Originally posted by: Lemon law
In MHO, microsoft acts like total aholes in the reactivation process---my first experience with reactivation was a new computer I bought that came with XP preinstalled and came with the
the XP install disk---with 30 days before I had to do anything---yet the moment I installed a netscape browser--with no hardware changes---up comes the screen demanding I reactivate
in mere days.

My most recent is when I did a selective start up to troubleshoot a problem--with zero hardware changes---and up pops the update screen---with no data in screen 3---I ended up calling into the call center twice to get doubly annoyed and it ended up being a total waste of time----just to prove yet again prove I owned this copy of windows.---microsoft asserts a right to perpetually bug you---but when it comes to giving you help with their buggy OS---they are missing in action.

That total public be damned arrogance in the end will doom microsoft---but when a non-microsoft OS comes along that will run the huge base of programs that are out there that only now run on windows, people will happily desert microsoft in droves---and meanwhile is a powerful argument for Linux.---that now only needs better driver support and a better open source base of software.

PICNIC FTW!! :laugh:

Problem 1: Buying a computer with XP pre-loaded and not reinstalling right off the bat.

Problem 2: Using Netscape.

Yes, as we all know, Windows is not user proof yet.