Activating Windows XP

Question

I have never installed or activated Windows XP.   The specs for my Dell are at the end of this message, and recently I inherited an old HP Pavilion 8556c with similar, but not identical, specs.   I am considering taking the hard drive from the old HP, installing it in my Dell, and then installing Windows XP on the newly installed hard drive.  My Dell would then have two hard drives, one with Windows 98se and one with Windows XP.  (The HP would then have zero hard drives.)   However, I have never removed or installed a hard drive, and my Dell runs perfectly well with Windows 98se.  Consequently, before running the risk of messing up my Dell, I thought it would be useful to install, but not activate, Windows XP on the HP in order to get a feel for how well Windows XP might run on the Dell (since the specs are similar).  If Windows XP runs O. K. on the HP then I would probably proceed with my plan to install the HP hard drive in my Dell and reinstall Windows XP on the drive once it is in my Dell.   But is this possible given the Windows activation procedures?  In other words, once I have installed Windows XP on the HP to test it is it permanently tied to the HP?   I am not trying to have two computers run on the same license of Windows XP.  I am just trying to give XP a test run on a similar computer before installing it on my Dell.   Thanks.

pcgeek11 · Answer

IMO; the OEM licensing ( Binding the license to the motherboard via the EULA ) doesn't take place until it is activated. If you do not activate on the HP you should be ok.   Now if it is a Retail copy you can move however you like even after activating as long as it is only installed on one computer.   pcgeek11

jackshack · Answer

If the Win XP CD you plan to use is a commercial off the shelf edition you are allowed to install that on multiple machines, one at a time, provided you remove it from one before installing it on the next.  Only one machine may run it at any given time.  If the CD is a Dell OEM CD, it is legal only for installation on the machine that it shipped with.  Installing it on any other machine, even if it happens to be a Dell, would not be legal unless the machine you are installing it on has a Win XP license.   Assuming that you are staying legal, your Windows XP will likely run ok on the Dell, though a bit slowly.  The processor is ok, and the amount of RAM is on the low side.  Windows XP does best with 512 MB or more of RAM.  If you mount the drive from the HP into the Dell you can use the Win XP disk to set up a dual boot machine; Win XP setup should recognize the Win 98se on the first drive and give you the dual boot option.  All you would need to do is delete and create new partitions on the HP drive, format it, and tell Win XP to install.

dunedin · Answer

I agree with pcgeek11   If you do not activate it you should be able to install it on the Dell   Get more RAM as JackShack said too :smileyhappy:

barkupatree2002 · Answer

pcgeek11   That's great.  I can learn how to install Windows XP on the HP without worrying about messing my Dell (If I mess up the HP that's O. K. -- there is nothing on it I care about).   Thanks.

barkupatree2002 · Answer

JackShack   Since I do not currently have a Windows XP CD and since the HP has Windows 98se installed, I plan to buy an upgrade version of Windows XP from Staples or a similar retailer.  Although I plan to buy the upgrade version I plan to do a full clean install of Windows XP.  And I plan to stay legal - one installation at a time.   Thanks.

barkupatree2002 · Answer

dunedin   Thanks for the info.

Windows General

Activating Windows XP

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