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Thread: Which type of XP licence is used in Sony Vaios ?

  1. #1
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    Which type of XP licence is used in Sony Vaios ?

    Hi

    I've just built a PC to replace a sony vaio laptop that had an unfortunate tea spillage on it.

    As it's now completely dead and written off, I was thinking about using the licence of the laptop on the PC it replaces.

    I can't find anything in the EULA from MS that says this isn't allowed, but reading the other post about activation on an HP-supplied PC with XP, I'm wondering if the PID key is tied to the laptop and can't / won't work on another hardware platform.

    I'm not trying to bypass or cheat, it seems OK to me to re-use a licence that was on some hardware that's no longer functioning - after all, we did buy the lappy in the first place

  2. #2
    mutantbass head Lee H's Avatar
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    Software which is usually supplied with a pre-built system tends to be *OEM* which means that it technically lives and dies with the system it's supplied with.

    The only licensing that allows the installing on a system that's been replaced is retail licenses.

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    Moderator chuckskull's Avatar
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    Unless the vaio version is specifcally limted. You should be able to install XP using the sticker code on 3 machines iirc (not at the same time though). You'll need a proper XP disc though.

    Just peel it off and whack it on a new rig

  4. #4
    Mike Fishcake
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    The way I understand it is that the OEM license is technically for the motherboard of the PC you're using.

    However, if you phone up MS to get it reactivated, they are usually happy to give you a new activation key if you explain that you've had to replace the motherboard, as we've done this several times in the past when we've replaced motherboards on peoples' PCs.

    Personally I think that ethically and morally you're in the right. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that you're legally in the right ;-)

    You could always phone up and embellish the truth. You had a faulty motherboard, but now you've had to reinstall on a new motherboard.

    Oh, and on another note - if you've not done so already, grab yourself a cheap 2.5" HDD caddy and whack the HDD from your notebook into it, so you've got a nice little pocket HDD, then at least your dead notebook isn't totally worthless

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    • tfboy's system
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    Thanks, I have an OEM cd of XP, so can try the PID key on that and see if it works.

    At work, I have an MSDN subscription so have the normal XP Pro and XP Pro VL versions. Is the XP Pro an OEM or retail licence model? I know they only differ by the txtsetup.sif or whatever the file that determines what licence the CD employs...

    I've bought all the bits new from Scan and other places, so technically, the new PC qualifies for an OEM licence

    Mike, I totally agree with you regarding the ethical / moral / legal points of view

    The HD is an annoyance. My old man (he owned the laptop) took it to a local PC supplier, and they removed the HD, stuck it in a USB / Firewire caddy and confirmed they could see the date. Took it home, plugged it in and nothing, or rather some concerning clickling noises as if the HDD can't boot. It turns out it's dead now and can't fire up properly.

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    Moderator chuckskull's Avatar
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    Your license PID will be for an OEM version. If you look clesely the sticker will be sony branded.

    then again you could always just take both CD's home with you

  7. #7
    Goron goron Kumagoro's Avatar
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    I use OEM keys from laptops on my desktops and they have all worked fine. The numbers
    are pre the time when MS decided to make oem versions for certain manufacturers non
    activateable.

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    Have you had any luck tfboy? I was interested cos I have a Z! series Vaio (very nice - but showing its age now) and the XP sticker says '2 CPUs'. Now, of course the laptop only has one so I was wondering if I could use the license key on another computer.

  9. #9
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    • tfboy's system
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      • 2x8GB Corsair Vengeance LPX)
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    Hi cubabit.

    Nope, I didn't get anywhere with it I tried the PID with the various licence formats available from my MSDN subscription, and nothing happened.

    However, regarding your sticker, it probably mentions "1 - 2 CPU"

    That'll be because you have XP Pro and Pro supports 1-2 CPU workstations. (Advanced and Enterprise servers support 4, 8, or something like that).

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