OEM XP Licenses (Dell)

[KW1816]

Err ... Hypothetical question time

If I bought a brand new system, from say Dell, and I choose to have XP Media center as the OS, does the OS come pre-activated ?

Hypothetically I have a spare XP pro license and a PC I'd like to install XP MCE on, the new PC would get XP pro and I'd use the MCE from the new PC on another PC.

Would this, hypothetically, work ?
Ta

[nichomach]

Hypothetically speaking, you'd be breaking the EULA for the copy of XP MCE - when you purchase an OEM Windows license, it's tied to the machine it's installed on.

[KW1816]

Hypothetically speaking, you'd be breaking the EULA for the copy of XP MCE - when you purchase an OEM Windows license, it's tied to the machine it's installed on.

I know, it must be my northern roots but the idea of paying for something I want to use elsewhere but can't,and then having to buy the same thing in a different box really bugs me.

Now if OEM's could offer a discount for NOT including an OS, or offer an alternative retail (portable) version at slightly extra cost I wouldn't mind so much.

[directhex]

it's banned by the EULA, but permitted by european law. the trick is in convincing it to install without complaint on a non-dell box

[KW1816]

It's not so much the installation but the activation and continued updates etc that would worry me.

If it doesn't come pre-activated then I'd make sure to activate it on the PC I would want to use it on - so I suppose the question still stands - does it come pre-activated ?

[Kumagoro]

I have used OEM numbers on other PCs and they activate fine and update fine.
Thats using a standard install disk though not the recovery CD.
Infact I had to do it yesterday friends PC mobo died got a new one the recovery CD
said not for use on a non HP machine so i used the standard disk and number and its ok

These numbers though are pre to MS setting up that thing they did a year or so ago
with specific companies ( i dont really know what they did or what effect it has, does
anyone remember?)

[KW1816]

IIRC they stopped internet activation for most of the large OEM's. It was supposed to stop you popping down to PC world and pinching the COA numbers from the PC's on display

[Kumagoro]

I actually just checked the computer I was working on and I hadnt activated it like I thought
I had. It doesnt let you activate the thing cheeky buggers.

Im guessing if I phone up it will be ok and they will give me the number.

[gman1981]

As far as I am aware new Dell PC's don't come pre-activated becasue that is down to the End User to do as well as regsiter the software. However, once it is activated on the Dell PC, it is pretty much tied to that PC, as once (I think) 5 changes of hardware are detected it won't let you activate it over the internet. On top of that the Windows CD you get with the Dell will be a Recovery CD and will only work on similar Dell PC's.

Feel free to correct me If I'm wrong ... but I think that is the way it works.

[Kumagoro]

right I just called bangalore, I could barely understand what the bloke was saying but
this is what happened.

I clicked on activate by phone, i dialled the second 0800 number,

I pressed one to activate a windows product. I entered the 46 digit number
and it didnt work I got put through to kepal (made up the name) who asked me
for the long digit number windows told me about he then asked for the activation
code.

After that he gave me the code i stuck it in and pushed next and finish and it was activated.

Everytime you install XP it will have to be done this way.

The bloke was obviously getting pissed off at me as i kept saying what, say it again etc.
Top nob head he was.

Now I am trying to find out how to make a recovery CD so i dont have to speak to kepal again.

[KW1816]

I think I'll risk it - XP MCE is only an extra £23.50 so even if I do end up replacing it and not using MCE it's not the end of the world.

[psykik]

xpmce on a laptop is just great, i reccomend it over xp pro on its own

[KW1816]

I'm planning on replacing my existing HTPC with something a bit more powerfull. I've tried a few front ends in the past (like myHTPC/Meedio, Xlobby, Mainlobby) and thought it's about time to try out the MS version.

Key point for me will be ease of use so anyone, including the wife, can use it

[cougarslam]

this is probably against forum rules but their is a way of skipping activation by changing a 0 to a 1 in the registry somewhere.

[BUFF]

Not afaik but once it is activated it is possible to back up that status for future restores iirc ...

[Kumagoro]

Search for windows xp activation files and youll find something like this

http://articles.networktechs.com/43-p1.php

When Windows XP was released everybody was complaining about the activation... As time went on people began to realize that they could backup their activation file. I get enough people asking about this that I thought I'd just put the information here. All you have to backup is two little files!

Go to your _:\WINDOWS\System32\ and find a file called "wpa.dbl" and "wpa.bak" back those files up to a floppy, CD or whatever you want to put it on.

When you want to restore these files go into safe mode and put them into your windows\system32 directory. When you reboot you should be activated without actually going through MS