[thelist] Windows XP editions

[Michael Pemberton]

"Ken Schaefer" <ken at adOpenStatic.com> wrote:

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> From: "Tim Burgan" <burgan at iprimus.com.au>
> Subject: [thelist] Windows XP editions
> 
> 
> : I'm wanting to upgrade from Win98 to XP in order to install
> : VMWare to test my sites in.
> :
> : I'm looking to buy a second-hand unused version that came
> : bundled with a DELL computer. The seller says that this XP
> : CD can only be installed on a Dell computer is this true??
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> 
> Hi,
> 
> No Dell OS CD that I've ever received has required that you have a Dell
> machine. Some of the *other* applications that are bundled (notably WinDVD,
> do a machine ID check before installation).
> 
> However, we buy Optiplex/Latitude/PowerEdge (i.e. from the Premier store),
> so we may be getting a different deal to home users.
> 
> Now, OEM CDs are *licenced* to the machine that they are sold with. So even
> if there is no technical barrier, you are still breaching the licencing
> conditions by using the CD on another machine.
> 
> Cheers
> Ken

Some of the Compaqs at work have been arriving with "custom" rebuild cds. 
>From memory, these do contains a fully functional copy of XP.  However, the
build is automated to suit the compaq systems.  This may be the case with the
Dells.

To install on a different system, you may need to run the install from dos to
remove the automation.  At worst, you could get hold of a "backup" copy from
an "alternative" source, your legal product key should work.

If I've left anything out, just yell.

---
Michael Pemberton
evolt at mpember.net.au