XP Pro installation on two computers? 2

[FosTech]

Hello!
I have two computers (a Desktop PC and an IBM T30 notebook) and each have their own COA.
The IBM notebook has a "hidden" recovery partition and has the COA on the bottom of the unit.
The desktop has a retail copy of XP Pro with its own COA.
After performing the XP recovery process on the IBM notebook, there is a bunch of IBM crap installed which is fairly well redundant and only takes up additional space on the hard disc.
Does anyone know if I can - LEGALLY - use my XP Pro CD from my desktop to perform a clean installation on the notebook and use the COA provided on the bottom of the notebook when prompted.
I would like to selectively download/install the drivers/applications available on the IBM web site for my T30.
Please let me know if you aware of any legal issues with my query.
Thanks in advance!

-Brett

 

[bcastner]

Legally, no.

More importantly, the COA key on the notebook will not allow the Retail installation to occur. Only a retail COA key works with a retail copy of XP.

Finally, Microsoft will not activate XP in this circumstance.



____________________________
Users Helping Users

 

[FosTech]

Thanks Bill,

Just as I thought.
I have seen worse recovery installations that dump a pile of junk (AOL, trial versions of software etc.), but the IBM is not too bad, but still - a clean installation gives me a warm feeling in my techinal heart.

Regards,

-Brett

 

[linney]

I am no lawyer so I don't pretend to offer expert legal advice. I always understood, or believe it to be so (I'll take correction on this) that if you remove XP (Retail version) from one machine permantely, you may then install it on another machine. As long as you don't end up with two machines with the same Product Key.

Other things you can look at include these.

http://www.ryanvm.net/msfn/updatepack.html

http://www.nliteos.com/nlite.html

 

[FosTech]

linney,
Thanks for taking the time to reply to my post.
The issue here is that I would be using the disc from the desktop (XP Pro) to reinstall a clean version of Windows XP Pro and I would use the COA (XP Pro) from the bottom of the IBM T30 notebook.
There is no crime here except that I prefer a clean installation of XP Pro on my notebook.
Not too much to ask - don't you think?
Again, thanks.

-Brett

 

[firewolfrl]

you could change the setupp.ini and make your number work

http://www.thetechguide.com/howto/setuppini.html

Just to note: there is a good chance you will not be able to activate.

here is an option I have used in the past:
look on the laptop for the "I386" folder
if it exists then: use a program called UltraISO

http://www.ezbsystems.com/ultraiso/

and copy (using UltraISO)your retail XP cd to your desktop as an ISO file.
open up the ISO file and delete the I386 folder. then copy the I386 folder that is on your harddrive that you found earlier to the ISO file then save the file.

then burn the ISO image to a CD

make sure before you do anything you need to have all the drivers needed for the install.

this does not always work but I have seen it work multiple times.

what this does: you are using the install and license that is compatibile with your laptop


Does the laptop have a create system restore CD/DVD option?
some manufacturers have that option. this helps alot if they do because you can get the drivers off of it.
also you might want to search around a bit for drivers that have their installs in the C:/

I always create an exact clone image of the drive before I do anything to the drive. that way I can reinstall the cloned image if I screw up the install. I use Acronis for this/

http://www.acronis.com/

this also makes a great restore CD/DVD


good luck

 

[FosTech]

firewolfrl,

Thanks for posting the links and information. Very interesting stuff.
I have already created ghost images of both partitions and copied them on to a bootable DVD with the Ghost executable.
I registered and activated prior to making the image, so activation is not required everytime I decide to do a restore.
The restoration process takes about 15 minutes and all of my personal OS preferences are complete, saving me a lot of tinkering time.

-Brett

 

[linney]

This is just further information along the lines of "firewolfrl's" post.

Creating a Windows Installation CD from your Recovery Disk
Making a CD for Windows XP, 2000, 2003, and NT

http://www.easydesksoftware.com/recovery.htm#XP