Can I reinstall XP pro and sell my Vista Home upgrade?

[T9D]

I'm getting a lap top and I want to sell my old desktop. But before I do I would like to part a few things out. One thing being the Operating system. I'd like to reinstall xp professional and sell off the Vista home upgrade. Will I be able to do this or is it now tied to the xp pro key and computer?

 

[JDMnAR1]

Is your upgrade retail or OEM?

 

[T9D]

Retail

I bought Vista home premium upgrade at Fry's

 

[VirtualLarry]

You can uninstall and re-sell Retail copies of MS OSes. It's allowed.

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: v1001Will I be able to do this or is it now tied to the xp pro key and computer?

According to the Vista retail license agreement, it looks like you aren't supposed to split them up after upgrading. From the EULA:

15. UPGRADES. To use upgrade software, you must first be licensed for the software that is eligible for the upgrade. Upon upgrade, this agreement takes the place of the agreement for the software you upgraded from. After you upgrade, you may no longer use the software you upgraded from.

I suppose it could be argued that it's a grey area. If it were me, I'd consider my XP Pro license consumed in the process of using the Vista Upgrade.

 

[RebateMonger]

As long as you re-install the XP license onto its original PC, you should be able to sell the Vista Upgrade package. If you kept the Vista Upgrade installed, then the XP EULA would bind the XP and the Vista Upgrade licenses.

Resale of "Retail Upgrade" packages has never been disputed by Microsoft on sites such as eBay. And you presumably have some sort of COA or licensing paperwork for your XP license. So I believe that, in this case, you still own a separate XP license and should be able to use it within the terms of the original license.

Yes, as mechBgon points out, it's a grey area. But it seems to be a perfectly "fair" interpretation of the EULA. Practically speaking, once Vista is removed and XP re-installed, there's no indication that the two were ever bound together except in your memory.

 

[heymrdj]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger
As long as you re-install the XP license onto its original PC, you should be able to sell the Vista Upgrade package. If you kept the Vista Upgrade installed, then the XP EULA would bind the XP and the Vista Upgrade licenses.

Resale of "Retail Upgrade" packages has never been disputed by Microsoft on sites such as eBay. And you presumably have some sort of COA or licensing paperwork for your XP license. So I believe that, in this case, you still own a separate XP license and should be able to use it within the terms of the original license.

Yes, as mechBgon points out, it's a grey area. But it seems to be a perfectly "fair" interpretation of the EULA. Practically speaking, once Vista is removed and XP re-installed, there's no indication that the two were ever bound together except in your memory.

Nuke it from orbit, it's the only way to be sure.