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Can you still buy Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3 any where?

W

Wangstang

Member
I've been hunting for XP Professional Service Pack 3 from a reliable retailer and the only thing I can find are OEM backup/recovery discs that require a pre-existing computer....IE a Dell or other name brand computer with XP pro already installed at the factory. I'll need two legit issues of the OS.

I'm building two home/shop computers with old parts...One is using an old P4 and will be running software that was originally designed to work in windows 98. The other is going to use either Pentium D or at the most a first gen core 2 quad but will need to run software written to opperate in a specialized workstation that ran windows 98 and three Pentium III processors.

Any idea where I might find XP Pro?

Thanks
Wes
 
I'm actually not sure if it will work...I was going to do the first install on that computer, and if the software wouldn't work there, follow MS requirements to uninstall and then put it on the P4 computer, unless I can get the XP software for a good enough price that I'll just eat the cost of the OS one extra time.

Thanks
Wes
 
Maybe you could borrow a copy from someone so you can try it first. I haven't run XP in a long time, but I think it'll go long enough without entering a key to trial it before it shuts down.

You could also try running it under WINE in Linux, or perhaps DosBox. I have my doubts about them working, but it's free to try.

Sorry I don't have a specific answer to your question. You might have more luck buying XP second hand. Look around the FS forum here.
 
TechNet

Edit: I edited the link because most of the results in Google Shopping were for renewals. Make sure to get the regular license, not just the renewal. Standard will give you 2 keys for most products, XP being one of those products. You will also get Vista, Windows 7, all of the servers, etc. They even have Win 3.11 available if you want it.
 
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You can just buy Windows 7 Licenses. You get downgrade rights with it, so you can install XP if you want to.l
 
Lifted said:
TechNet

Edit: I edited the link because most of the results in Google Shopping were for renewals. Make sure to get the regular license, not just the renewal. Standard will give you 2 keys for most products, XP being one of those products. You will also get Vista, Windows 7, all of the servers, etc. They even have Win 3.11 available if you want it.
Click to expand...


My understanding of technet is that you have to renew every year or the installs you have in place become inviolation installs. Is that wrong?

seepy83 said:
You can just buy Windows 7 Licenses. You get downgrade rights with it, so you can install XP if you want to.l
Click to expand...

Are you saying a windows 7 license key could be used to activate a copy of Win XP Pro?

Wes
 
Wangstang said:
Are you saying a windows 7 license key could be used to activate a copy of Win XP Pro?
Click to expand...

Sorry...after looking into it further, downgrade rights only apply to Volume Licensing and OEM. The only way to get downgrade rights on a Full Packaged Product (FPP) (AKA Retail) license is to also purchase Software Assurance from Microsoft.


Also, something to mention about Technet...technet licenses are for evaluation purposes only. They are not for use on production systems.
 
Wangstang said:
My understanding of technet is that you have to renew every year or the installs you have in place become inviolation installs. Is that wrong?
Click to expand...

Yes, that's wrong. keys/licenses are good forever.

seepy83 said:
Also, something to mention about Technet...technet licenses are for evaluation purposes only. They are not for use on production systems.
Click to expand...

Since he is not using these for production business purposes, he is not in production. He is a technician using these for personal, non business systems. That is allowed.
 
If you're still looking for a licensed copy of XP w/SP3 (that also happens to be cheaper than buying a license for TechNet), you could try here:

[ deleted ]

I have no idea if this is as good an option as it appears on first sight, but, it is an option...

---

Google search shows the vendor is unreliable.

Harvey
Senior AnandTec Moderator/Administrator
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Lifted said:
Since he is not using these for production business purposes, he is not in production. He is a technician using these for personal, non business systems. That is allowed.
Click to expand...


If you bother to read the terms, it's pretty clear that it is not allowed with TechNet licensing. Taken from Microsoft's license terms for TechNet:
"Only one user may install the software on your devices and use the software only to evaluate it, even if you obtained a server license. You may not use the software in a live operating environment, in a staging environment, or with data that has not been backed up. You may not use the evaluation software for software development or in an application development environment."

TechNet licenses are only for evaluation purposes only. If you install Windows XP with a TechNet license, you are supposed to use that installation to evaluate the Windows XP Operating System. It doesn't matter that it's a personal (non-business) system. He's not using it to evaluate the Operating System, he's using it to run an application.
 
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