Windows Key

RobbieMc

kleefarr wrote: »

:eek: What have I started? :eek:



Rabbit hunting season eh?

All in good fun,

But did you get your question answered to begin with?

Thats all that matters, the rest is a nice debate on windows codes and you hates Vista

seamus

RobbieMc wrote: »

Never had any issues with " sorry sir, but your mainboard is not the one you bought so you can't use this code...."
:P

That's because they can't prove it. Just because a key activates and you're using it, doesn't mean that you're not breaching the terms of your licence.

Look at it this way - if you have a licence to drive a car, you are still fully able to jump into a truck and drive it (assuming you can figure out how). Holding a car licence doesn't mean that what you're doing is legal however.

The same thing applies with MS licences. Yes, it's perfectly possible to activate an OEM key on a different machine, but that activation isn't a rubber stamp from MS saying, "Yep, this is legal, work away".

Jonathan

RobbieMc wrote: »

Yeah, but were talking about the licence key here. I have been using the same CD from my original machine now for the past feww years. It came with my Compaq Presario 5000 laptop I had from new. Laptop died ages ago, but I have since changed to a desktop, upgraded mainboard and hard drive's and graphics and each time I would always start with my OEM, windows XP cd and code from the Compaq.

Never had any issues with " sorry sir, but your mainboard is not the one you bought so you can't use this code...."
:P

Yea. That is called piracy.

kleefarr

RobbieMc wrote: »

All in good fun,

But did you get your question answered to begin with?

Thats all that matters, the rest is a nice debate on windows codes and you hates Vista

Yep. Was answered in the first reply really.

I have also read that some people swapping mothers have had no problems If the motherboard is the same make model BIOS.

BKtje

Ahhh, yes. But I never said Vista in that post. XP however is another matter.

I gave two links, the second of which was about XP while the first was about Vista.
Anyway it doesn't really matter as others have already set you straight.

I have also read that some people swapping mothers have had no problems

I would never swap my mother!

ethernet

jmccrohan wrote: »

That is only because Microsoft releases 2-3 service packs over the course of an os (3-4 years). Ubuntu on the otherhand releases new versions every 6 months. I'm sure you would be complaining at reinstalling ubuntu every 6 months too. Some people are never happy.

Not to be willingly going OT, but, in fairness, those Linux releases every six or nine months are usually not much more than package upgrades. You don't have to reinstall the OS to get the latest 'version' of the OS. Stick with a version with long-term support is ideal in this situation to avoid much upgrading.

kleefarr

Just to let you guys know, everything turned out fine. I found the whole XP package at the bottom of a cardboard box and install went very smoothly.

kleefarr

:mad:

I spoke too soon.... about an hour ago windows shut down giving a "PFN list corrupt 0x0000004E" error.

Will start new thread.

:mad:

New thread here... http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055349939

Will look into possible RAM and driver problems.

Overheal

Noisy thread is noisy.

Thats not a Key issue OP methinks

dr.bollocko

dr.bollocko wrote: »

I was under the impression, and as far as I know I was mistaken but never checked up, that the key is allowed to be used for at least two other PCs?
I put XP on my laptop using my old desktop key and registered it with microsoft and didnt have any problems.

Only educational versions of Office can be installed on three machines. Other versions can be installed on one PC and one laptop.

About the key, Microsoft clear their records every 120 days so a key which was tied to one machine is released after that time (source). So yes it does activate but it's not necessarily legal to do so.

Lazarus2.0

Thanks , Karsini . Very interesting article .