Installing a new OS over an old one

steveland?

Hi folks

I've recently inherited a laptop that used to be my Dad's business laptop. He doesn't need it any more so I've got it now. It has Windows 2000 Professional and NT on it or something along those lines so it keeps trying to connect to the network in the office and I don't want to sign up for a new internet account on it or connect it to my broadband modem in case it connects to the office.

Anyways what I was wondering was is it possible to install XP onto it and completely wipe all the old OS and all the business shenanigans on it? And will installing a new OS mean that it'll be slower and will be missing lots of DLLs like my old PC was when it was upgraded from 95 to 98?

Plus is it legal if I use the XP cd from my newish PC since the PC and the laptop will probably be being used together and I own the XP cd anyways or do I have to buy the full version of the XP system?

Thanks,
Steve

By the way I forgot to mention I'm fairly computer illiterate so the simpler the answers the better, cheers

ColmOT [MSFT]

You've gotta buy a new XP cd for the laptop. Otherwise you are using an illegal installation.

The new XP cd that you buy will allow you to upgrade over the W2K/XP install if you get the UPGRADE version. But if you buy the FULL version, you can wipe the hard disk and install XP then.

Fenster

Just pop in the XP disc, reboot and follow the installation instructions.

jessy

If you do an upgrade then you won't really be wiping anything you're just upgrading the OS, all your fathers stuff is still there.

I've herd that there are some people out there that like to obey the law so if your one of them you'll need a new copy of XP. Get XP home at www.overclockers.co.uk for about 90Euro.

To wipe everything just do a format, or if there are partitions use "Kill disk".;)

MazdaMan

Microsoft allow you to legally install a version of XP you already own to a Laptop. Thjey are specific about this, means you can install XP OS on 1 PC and 1 Laptop.

If the laptop runs OK with Win2k then it will run just as good if not better with XP, dpending on CPU and RAM, recommended minimum on a laptop to be PII500 + Min 256Mb Ram.

In my experience, if less than 4 years old, Win XP will generally find all hardware. You can even install XP SP2 update. Fixing various issues and adding additional security. ( Basically cleans up most of the bugs)

steveland?

MazdaMan wrote:

Microsoft allow you to legally install a version of XP you already own to a Laptop. Thjey are specific about this, means you can install XP OS on 1 PC and 1 Laptop.

If the laptop runs OK with Win2k then it will run just as good if not better with XP, dpending on CPU and RAM, recommended minimum on a laptop to be PII500 + Min 256Mb Ram.

In my experience, if less than 4 years old, Win XP will generally find all hardware. You can even install XP SP2 update. Fixing various issues and adding additional security. ( Basically cleans up most of the bugs)

Cool well at least that means i wont have to go about buyin a new one.

Tried installing it but it wont let me do it unless im an administrator and i dont have any passwords other than the one my da used to open windows.

I know there used to be a way to close windows and run dos but i cant find that option any more so i wont be able to just install it from d:\setup.exe

Anyone have any other suggestions short of formatting the hard drive cos thats a little drastic for my liking

Capt'n Midnight

MazdaMan wrote:

Microsoft allow you to legally install a version of XP you already own to a Laptop.

Lets be bloody clear about this - you can't MOVE any OEM version of windows or office to different hardware than it was supplied with origonally - even though you paid for it, you only paid for a license to use according to terms and conditions , you do not own it, since it is a license sale of goods and services acts do not apply .

If you have local admin rights on the laptop then you can change the networ DOMAIN to a WORKGROUP, then remove the file and print sharing, delete all the dial up networking entries, and delete HOSTS and LMHOSTS files from \windows\system32\drivers\etc

this will block a lot of the connections to the previous network

Alternatively if you get your hands on the reinstall CD you could scrub and start again - actually if you don't have admin rights then you are looking at a reinstall anyway.

Next question - how come the company left a notebook go walkies without scrubbing it

steveland?

To answer your last question first it was my Dad's laptop to begin with.

And like i said i dont have administrative rights on it. I can only sign in on it with my dad's old account and he wasnt the administrator.

ColmOT [MSFT]

Microsoft allow you to legally install a version of XP you already own to a Laptop.

Microsoft does not allow this for Windows XP. Each computer must have a legal unique copy of Windows XP installed on it. Otherwise it is piracy.

From the Windows XP End Users Licence Agreement:

1.1 Installation and use. You may install, use, access,
display and run one copy of the Software on a single
computer, such as a workstation, terminal or other
device ("Workstation Computer"). The Software may not
be used by more than two (2) processors at any one
time on any single Workstation Computer.

You must purchase a new copy of Windows XP for your laptop before you can install Windows XP onto it.

Microsoft Office allows 1 copy to be installed on a desktop & laptop IF THE LAPTOP & DESKTOP ARE NOT IN USE AT THE SAME TIME.

Capt'n Midnight

[QUOTE='ColmOT [MSFT]Microsoft Office allows 1 copy to be installed on a desktop & laptop IF THE LAPTOP & DESKTOP ARE NOT IN USE AT THE SAME TIME.[/QUOTE]Can you confirm this, because if a home user wants to use a copy of office on a home PC and the organisation has software assurance then the home user has to pay ~100 to use a copy of office at home.
[cough]www.openoffice.org

ColmOT [MSFT]

Here is what my Office EULA states:

1.1 Installation and use. You may:
(a) install and use a copy of the Software on one personal computer or other device; and
(b) install an additional copy of the Software on a second, portable device for the exclusive use of the primary user of the first copy of the Software.


As I've said here before, I'm not extremely familiar with the ins & outs of the Microsoft licencing policies...and I don't work with licencing on a day-to-day basis. I'm in the development/technical side of things.

If you are not 100% sure, I'd recommend that you contact the Microsoft Ireland office on 1850 940 940.

Capt'n Midnight

This looks like the one.
http://www.microsoft.com/uk/partner/licensing_and_compliance/sa/hup/

Business provisions
This benefit is subject to the following business provisions:
# Participation in the Home Use Programme ends with the expiry or termination of the agreement under which the qualifying software was enrolled in Software Assurance, or if the user ceases to be employed by the organisation. In both cases, the user must stop using the software, uninstall it from the computer or device on which it is installed, and destroy all copies of the software and its component parts.
# The number of Home Use Rights licences that can be given for an application is limited to the number of licences for that application enrolled in Software Assurance
# Home Use Rights licences for each application can only be given to employees who are users of licensed copies of that application with active Software Assurance
# Employees are limited to a single Home Use Rights licence for any given application
# The Home Use Rights licence ties employees' usage rights to continued employment with your organisation and ends with the termination / expiration of the enrolment under which the qualifying application was enrolled in Software Assurance
# Customers must provide information to authenticate their employees when enrolling in the Home Use Programme and only notify eligible employees that they qualify for the benefit
# Employees order Home Use Programme software from a Microsoft-hosted website and pay a fulfilment fee for media, support, shipping and handling

ColmOT [MSFT]

Hi Capt'n Midnight.

My reading of that is as long as an employee is employed & licenced to use the software in work, they are also entitled to use it on one machine at home. The employee will be responsible for the cost of the media, shipping & handling of the media & MS support for the software that they have installed at home.

When the employee resigns or is terminated by the company, or when the company leaves the Software Assurance program, the employee's home licence is null and void, and the software should be removed from their machines at home.

Is that how u see it?

Capt'n Midnight

yes - but then again since I'm not fluent in MsEnglish I might have missed some subtle neunces. (Words like "all" have different meanings than they do in normal usage)

Re: the ELUA Is a laptop a portable device or a personal computer (I would argue it's both) or does it mean only a desktop and a PDA ? So if you use a laptop at home for company work, and you use the IT dept for support, can you use the ELUA above to install office or do you have to use the other license. Bearing in mind the changing rules of Benefit In Kind taxation re company laptops, and trying to get the vat back by buying a home use laptop from a company. It's enough to hurt your brain when you try to work out you can stay legal without having to buy a license for each PC.

Maybe just go back to the "run from CD option" to be on the safe side

Also if you take a PC from a company, then if it's OEM the company might as well give you the license, unless they have used to upgrade. If it's a volume license then the company can of course remove the SW from the machine.

seamus

ColmOT [MSFT] wrote:

Here is what my Office EULA states:

1.1 Installation and use. You may:
(a) install and use a copy of the Software on one personal computer or other device; and
(b) install an additional copy of the Software on a second, portable device for the exclusive use of the primary user of the first copy of the Software.

Well, that seems fairly clear to me. You can install a retail copy of XP on a laptop (or other portable machine), so long as it is only used by the person who primarily uses the PC. That's an interesting clause, as it allows a company, say to give a secretary a PC and laptop with the same licence of XP, and when she leaves, to give both again to her predecessor without having to buy/transfer licences, since the new secretary is now the "primary user" of the PC.