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dmoore2145

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19 years ago

D

dmoore2145

17 Posts

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5372

December 4th, 2007 20:00

Installing XP Pro

My wife has a Dell XPS 400 with XP Professional on it. I have a XPS700 with XP Media on it. Why can't I install her XP Professional software on my XPS700 desktop? 
  • B

    BigBrother

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    4801 Posts

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    Posted December 4th, 2007 20:00

    dmoore2145,
     
    The license for the Windows XP Pro which came with your wife's XPS400 is for one system only.  It is licensed for only the XPS 400 on which it was factory installed.  Installing software which is licensed for only one computer on more than one computer is illegal and is often referred to as software piracy. 
     
    This is not to say that folks have not installed an OEM version of Windows onto more than one computer.
     
    The applications such as MS Works or MS Office which may have come factory installed on the XPS 400 are also licensed for use on one computer only.  It is licensed for use on the XPS 400 on which it was factory installed.  Same legality as for the Windows operating systems. 
     
    As for the MS Office or MS Works programs, the product key for those products is already activated and is "tied" to the system on which it was originally installed. 
     
    Steve
  • D

    dmoore2145

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    Posted December 4th, 2007 21:00

    Thanks. I wasn't trying to steal anything. I have two xps computers and paid for two windows operating system software.
    I was just wondering why they would not be interchangable.
    Thanks for the explanation!
  • J

    jmwills

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    11984 Posts

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    Posted December 5th, 2007 02:00

    As long as you have the exact same OS on both systems, those discs can be used on either machine for purposes of reinstallation only. You did not purchase two copies of the OS but rather two licenses to use the OS. Sounds like splitting hairs, but those are the terms of the EULA. I suspect you are receiving some sort of error message which prompted the original post.

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