windows xp home oem

[psalliss]

can anyone tell what happens if you want to sell a registered copy of the above. ive got a copy which i was using but have since bought xp pro, so have a spare xp home. can the other person just install then contact microsoft to get acitvated if there is a problem.

[directhex]

XP OEM licenses are non-transferrable under normal circumstances is the short answer

however, if you sell your spare xp home, complete with the cd key sticker pulled off your case (where legally it has to be attached before use), and a non-peripheral system upgrade (a screw does nicely for this) then it's okay.

[psalliss]

ok but what will happen when whoever buys it comes to install it.

[directhex]

if you've used up your 5 hastle-free online activations then they'll need to activate by phone.

[DaftpuNk]

Everybody loves activation! Do you really have to sit through the automated code-dialling even when you know it won't work? Maybe I just don't listen to the options for long enough

[directhex]

yes you do dafty - but after you type in the unsuccessful code, the person who picks up usually tells you to shut up after 1 or 2 numbers given by voice

[Platinum]

I think legaly you cant transfer it to another PC, I was using a OEM copy and ran out of activations, called MS, they said "Have you changed the motherboard in your PC?" I was like yea I upgrade all the time, they then told me I could only use it on the system I bought it with and if i wanted to use it on another PC / major upgrades to that PC then I needed to go out and buy the retail version

[directhex]

if you bought the oem version at the same time as "nonperipheral" hardware (i.e. something internal) then you're allowed to install it on the same machine & upgrade it at will - infact, for them to ask "have you changed your motherboard" is against their own rules & regs, and you can get the person who answered the phone fored for it - product activation hashes are supposed to be one-way, so there's no way that information is legally allowed to be collected as per their policies on what activation entails.