Can you unactivate and sell copy of Windows XP Pro?

[RobDMB]

I am thinking of switching over to windows media center edition. I have an exisitng copy of xp pro on my computer and was wondering if I make the change is it possible to unactivate and LEGALLY sell my old copy of xp pro? if I can't sell it is there at least a way that I can transfer the license to another computer that I may build in the future?

 

[MrChad]

Is it an OEM or retail copy?

 

[RobDMB]

I'm not sure. It came with a customized laptop which I bought. It definitely isnt one of those special disks that dell includes. It is a regular xp pro disc but I am not sure if it is retail or oem. How can you tell?

 

[Evander]

don't all oem's have "OEM" in the license key? on your sys, hold windows key + Pause to go to system properties, and see if your serial number has oem or not in the string

 

[RobDMB]

Yeah its oem. I just checked. Can these be sold or at least transferred to a different system.

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: RobDMB
Yeah its oem. I just checked. Can these be sold or at least transferred to a different system.

According to the license agreement, no. An OEM license can only be used on the computer it was sold with. You can sell the computer with the license, but you can't separate the two.

 

[RobDMB]

That sucks. So even if I am planning on building myself a new desktop I can't just use the oem copy on that machine if its still within my ownership.

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: RobDMB
That sucks. So even if I am planning on building myself a new desktop I can't just use the oem copy on that machine if its still within my ownership.

Not with an OEM copy. If the hardware sold with an OEM license fails, Microsoft usually lets you transfer the license to new hardware. Under normal circumstances, however, you need a retail license to transfer between hardware.

 

[mparr1708]

Originally posted by: Evander
don't all oem's have "OEM" in the license key? on your sys, hold windows key + Pause to go to system properties, and see if your serial number has oem or not in the string

This is not an accurate way of determining if you have an OEM version of the OS. If you have a retail CD (the one with the holographic logo on the front) then you should be fine. If you purchased your computer from a custom builder (Like ABS as an example) you probably did get a retail copy. If however, you have blue Dell cd that says "OEM not for distribution except with new Dell computer" then you obviously have an OEM copy of the OS.

FYI: The key listed under the "registered to" section in system properties is not your install key. That is a generated key. If you look at the system properties of any XP box it will say OEM in that key.

 

[RobDMB]

So maybe there is hope. So if I end up having a retail version can i sell it or simply tranfer it to another machine?

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: RobDMB
So maybe there is hope. So if I end up having a retail version can i sell it or simply tranfer it to another machine?

Yes, a retail license is much more flexible. You can remove it from one machine and transfer it to another machine or to another party entirely.

 

[mparr1708]

Originally posted by: MrChad

Originally posted by: RobDMB
So maybe there is hope. So if I end up having a retail version can i sell it or simply tranfer it to another machine?

Yes, a retail license is much more flexible. You can remove it from one machine and transfer it to another machine or to another party entirely.

Yup and Yup but don't get to happy. You can only activate the license so many times before it tells you to call microsoft to activate. This can also happen if you try to activate the software on completely different hardware then it was originally activate on. If this happens you may have a hard time getting this past the help desk dweeb that answers the phone. You should be able to get it done though. Just be persistent 🙂.

 

[GreyMittens]

The sticker that has your product key on it will say in no uncertain terms 'OEM Product' on them. This should be stuck some where on your computer.

 

[Nocturnal]

Originally posted by: mparr1708

Originally posted by: Evander
don't all oem's have "OEM" in the license key? on your sys, hold windows key + Pause to go to system properties, and see if your serial number has oem or not in the string

This is not an accurate way of determining if you have an OEM version of the OS. If you have a retail CD (the one with the holographic logo on the front) then you should be fine. If you purchased your computer from a custom builder (Like ABS as an example) you probably did get a retail copy. If however, you have blue Dell cd that says "OEM not for distribution except with new Dell computer" then you obviously have an OEM copy of the OS.

FYI: The key listed under the "registered to" section in system properties is not your install key. That is a generated key. If you look at the system properties of any XP box it will say OEM in that key.

Actually, no. Microsoft does have CDs that were pressed for OEMs. If you go to Newegg.com, that little Windows CD they sell in a sleeve is holographic. So OEM applies to OEM, no if ands or buts as far as I know.

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: mparr1708

Originally posted by: MrChad

Originally posted by: RobDMB
So maybe there is hope. So if I end up having a retail version can i sell it or simply tranfer it to another machine?

Yes, a retail license is much more flexible. You can remove it from one machine and transfer it to another machine or to another party entirely.

Yup and Yup but don't get to happy. You can only activate the license so many times before it tells you to call microsoft to activate. This can also happen if you try to activate the software on completely different hardware then it was originally activate on. If this happens you may have a hard time getting this past the help desk dweeb that answers the phone. You should be able to get it done though. Just be persistent 🙂.

Have you ever called the Microsoft activation line? Everything I've heard about it makes it sound like a painless process.

 

[nweaver]

I've called activation (problem with XP in our MSDN, we had lost our VL version) and it was painless for the first few, then they got a bit raunchy (but this was after too many, I fixed the issue so we didn't have to call again). I have also called for my home PC, and it was painless. That is why the "I want to disable activation cause it's a pain" threads get me, it's painless, except for the voice recognition sucks a bit sometimes.