activating Win XP Home on two computers

[Derek01F]

Hey I have a friend that wants to use one XP Home disc and put it on a laptop and a desktop. He wasn't sure on how to do it. I suggested using Ghost. If there is anyway to do that or if Ghost will actually work for it could you let me know. Thanks

 

[Osiris]

If you ghosted it, both system would have to be the same, like same mobo, etc. If he hasnt activated it 3 times yet, he can install it. But if he has activated it twice or more, he would have to call M to get a new serial.

 

[EricB]

put it on both. trust me, when I say the activation will go through on both no problem

 

[Tyler1989]

A Microsoft serial is good only for one computer when you register with a serial it sends computer hardware info to microsoft if you install it on another PC using the same serial it will have different hardware and different hardware serials. Microsoft may get suspicious. Win95 to today are only to be used once per install. I don't think you will get in too much trouble though.


There are also special serials that do not require authentication so they can be used over and over but I think these are only for MSDN accounts.

 

[EricB]

Despite what everybody says, Microsoft do not care if you install a copy of xp on 1pc and have a backup on a laptop. there was a link explaining it, and it was posted on this site before, but I can't find it.

they do have issue's about using it on 2 pc's however

 

[Derek01F]

Oh so you can have it on a desktop and say the laptop is a back up?

 

[Tyler1989]

I'm not to sure, sounds far stretched but if it's true cool I'll ask my instructor.

 

[EricB]

Oh so you can have it on a desktop and say the laptop is a back up?

yes

 

[Derek01F]

Your instructor...where you going to school at?

 

[Tyler1989]

I should say my past instructor, but we became good friends actually.