XP/mobo swap/OEM licence

[Gibbo]

I am on my second motherboard on the current OEM licence. I have never had to reactivate on the phone - only online with no problem at all. I started XP with an Asus A7V mobo and XP2100+ and a Voodoo4 graphics card, then got an Asus P5LD2 and P4 640 3.2 and a GF6600GT graphics then I swapped the graphics for a NE7600GT and now I am just about to swap the motherboard again to a Asus P5WDH and a E6600 cpu......I'm not even planning to re-install XP on this swap, just change the mobo drivers!!! - the original instal (as in the XP2100+ days is still present on my tertiary HDD -which I bought with the OEM copy - as was - so maybe this is why?)......

I hope I'm not about to screw everything up completely.

What difficulties might I encounter?

Am I mad?

I have so many applications on my C:\ that it would take all night (and possibly more) to re-install everything hence the desire not to reinstall.

[ikonia]

isn't this breaking the license terms of XP and Vista OEM - one motherboard, if it frys you have to get the same version.

[Gibbo]

isn't this breaking the license terms of XP and Vista OEM - one motherboard, if it frys you have to get the same version.

probably - so if the same version is unavailable?

I am merely asking what problems I am likely to encounter if I don't reinstall but merely plug the SATA drive onto the new mobo and boot from it? - we''re talking Win XP Pro here

[this_is_gav]

probably - so if the same version is unavailable?

If you get a replacement through RMA then you're covered. If you get one yourself just to replace it, then the license dies with it.

MS might be sympathetic, but they have no obligation to be.

[Gibbo]

If you get a replacement through RMA then you're covered. If you get one yourself just to replace it, then the license dies with it.

MS might be sympathetic, but they have no obligation to be.

I think you have missed the point that I have already done this before with no problem at all (using a new install).

What I am asking here is if I do not re-install what problems (other than activation) might I encounter?

[directhex]

isn't this breaking the license terms of XP and Vista OEM - one motherboard, if it frys you have to get the same version.

the language of the license uses the words "direct replacement"

what's considered a direct replacement by your OEM is really down to their discretion - whilst a company like dell has thousands of boards for every system ever, it's quite reasonable for a small oem (e.g. the corner-shop style computer stores) to directly replace a board with a similar but not identical board

for example, i use oem windows with myself as the oem. my motherboard popped at christmastime, prompting a parts replacement from my oem. my oem didn't have the same model available, and couldn't get it from his suppliers - so used an equivalent that was obtainable. replacing a socket 754 board with a new core 2 system is obviously not a direct replacement. replacing an asus 754 board with an msi 754 board is

[Gibbo]

What I am asking here is if I do not re-install what problems (other than activation) might I encounter?



I can handle the mobo replacement issues with MS, I've managed before...

[directhex]

What I am asking here is if I do not re-install what problems (other than activation) might I encounter?



I can handle the mobo replacement issues with MS, I've managed before...

the thread topic concerned licensing

as for the above question? depends, really. i moved from k8t890 to nforce4 without a reinstall with no problems (windows needed rebooting a few times, but otherwise fine). i've utterly failed on moving from sis648 to i845

[Gibbo]

moving from 945P to 975X, anyone any experience?

[ikonia]

I see, so putting text in bold makes it

OK to potentially break the license


If you don't re-install I suggest you'll have a nightmare trying to use an old install on a new system, more so depending on how different things like chipsets, CPU's are etc etc.

Out of interest, why would you not want to re-install, because of already installs apps etc etc ?

[directhex]

uh... intel to intel, even the drivers are the same. where's the problem, other than the legalities?

[ikonia]

Lets also be clear,

did these motherboards die - or did you just swap them out because you wanted an upgrade.

[shaithis]

moving from 945P to 975X, anyone any experience?

I recently did a motherboard swap from an Asrock Conroe945-DVI board to an Asus P5W DH, with Windows XP 64.

The boot up after switch-over was seamless. A few drivers re-installed themselves but otherwise it was as painless as it could possibly have been, 1 reboot and then I installed the Intel storage driver pack and did another reboot just to be safe.

[shaithis]

Lets also be clear,

did these motherboards die - or did you just swap them out because you wanted an upgrade.

Lets be clear,

99% of people couldn't give a monkeys whether someone has broken the EULA or not. Going on a personal crusade over the issue is not going to change the way many people think, in fact having someone try and rub your nose into Microsofts EULA does nothing more then make you want to pirate the OS, rather then just trying to deal with the OEM activation BS.

Why do YOU care so much if he has swapped the board or not? Unless your a shareholder in Microsoft it doesn't effect you in the slightest.

[directhex]

Why do YOU care so much if he has swapped the board or not? Unless your a shareholder in Microsoft it doesn't effect you in the slightest.

http://forums.hexus.net/showpost.php...23&postcount=4

[Gibbo]

Out of interest, why would you not want to re-install, because of already installs apps etc etc ?

Cos of the sheer number of apps and the amount of time it takes to install it all. I am trying to keep this whole upgrade secret from the wife and the longer it takes, and the longer the PC is U/S, the more likely I am to get discovered....and served with divorce papers for spending so much £££ when I have just refused her a HDTV for the bedroom and a new kitchen.