Shuffling Windows among laptop PC's

[Muse]

My laptops:

Laptop 1 Windows 7 Home Premium 32bit (on a machine that can run 64bit)
Laptop 2 Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit (came with Vista Business 32bit, factory installation, COA included)
Laptop 3 Windows XP Pro (on a machine that can't run 64bit Windows due to its CPU)

I want to move the Windows versions among the computers. Here's why: Laptop 2 came with a COA for Windows Vista Business Edition, and that OS preinstalled, the factory installation, and I backed it up. I could restore that version of Windows to Laptop 2 (which came with it), and presumably move its Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit to Laptop 1. I have the installation disk. Laptop 3 won't run 64bit, so I'd like to install Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit to it (I have that installation disk), basically moving it from Laptop 1.

My concern is that I need all the PC's to come up as legally installed and I'm afraid that the Windows Genuine blah blah will barf on something.

Do I need to call Microsoft and get the go-ahead/approval to do all this? I legally own all the software. If I can do all this I can scratch Windows XP from Laptop 3 (obviously a good idea!), without having to buy anything.

 

[Charlie98]

There was an OS discussion recently, someone (mfenn I believe) pointed out that a Windows license doesn't differentiate between 32- or 64-bit, just W7 Home or W7 Pro, etc.

I don't know if you can use a preinstalled backup copy for a clean install and have it work successfully, I would just use an original install disk.

 

[Cerb]

My concern is that I need all the PC's to come up as legally installed and I'm afraid that the Windows Genuine blah blah will barf on something.

Do I need to call Microsoft and get the go-ahead/approval to do all this? I legally own all the software. If I can do all this I can scratch Windows XP from Laptop 3 (obviously a good idea!), without having to buy anything.

Any retail full versions can be moved to any hardware. So, if you bought Windoes 7 Home Premium full retail, you can install it on any of those PCs. Ultimate of course is only available that way, AFAIK.

Did the 1st laptop come with any COA? If it came with 7 HP, FI, just reinstall it, but using the 64-bit version. You can download 7 ISOs still, I'm pretty sure (if not, you can build one, or maybe find someone to borrow one from).

 

[JackMDS]

It is hard to know for sure since the Computers' vendors do not tell you what the exact Lic. condition for such manipulations (or they disclose for what thier self agenda is).

I would make an Image backup using Acronis TI of each one of the computers.

By doing so you can always Ghost back the image to its original computer and nothing would get lost.

Then do whatever you want to, if on line activation does not work Call MS activation. After few hours of work you would be able to make a final decision according to the outcome on each computer.



😎

 

[Cerb]

It is hard to know for sure since the Computers' vendors do not tell you what the exact Lic. condition for such manipulations (or they disclose for what thier self agenda is).

Microsoft already does this, so the vendor doesn't need to. OEM licenses are tied to a motherboard. Retail upgrades I don't recall (never needed to mvoe one). Full retail OS licenses can be moved, but with only a single install active at once.

 

[Muse]

Any retail full versions can be moved to any hardware. So, if you bought Windoes 7 Home Premium full retail, you can install it on any of those PCs. Ultimate of course is only available that way, AFAIK.

Did the 1st laptop come with any COA? If it came with 7 HP, FI, just reinstall it, but using the 64-bit version. You can download 7 ISOs still, I'm pretty sure (if not, you can build one, or maybe find someone to borrow one from).

Laptop 1 is a Thinkpad T60 and I have it in a minidock, so I can't see the COA right now (am typing on it), but I'm 99% positive the COA is for Windows XP Pro. When I bought it I had the right to order Windows Vista (it was about to be released), to be shipped to me on a disk, I pay shipping, I believe, but by the time I contacted them to order it it was too late!

The Windows 7 HP I have was off Amazon via Circuit City, ordered in March 2014, for about $100:

Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 32bit (OEM) System Builder DVD 1 Pack (New Packaging) Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 32bit (OEM)

I don't know if that's what you'd call "full retail."

 

[Muse]

It is hard to know for sure since the Computers' vendors do not tell you what the exact Lic. condition for such manipulations (or they disclose for what thier self agenda is).

I would make an Image backup using Acronis TI of each one of the computers.

By doing so you can always Ghost back the image to its original computer and nothing would get lost.

Then do whatever you want to, if on line activation does not work Call MS activation. After few hours of work you would be able to make a final decision according to the outcome on each computer.



😎

Yeah, that sounds like the safest, wisest course to proceed in doing this. I can do this easily because most of the computers have WD drives in them, I have the free version of Acronis TI, and have external WD drives, in any case, so I can use it with any computer.

 

[Dahak]

Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 32bit (OEM) System Builder DVD 1 Pack (New Packaging) Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 32bit (OEM)

I don't know if that's what you'd call "full retail."

Nope, it still oem, so by the license once its install onto a machine it is tied to that machine

So based on what you have here, as per the licenses

Laptop 1 - Stuck with Home Premiem - either 32 or 64bit cannot move
Laptop 2 - Can go back to Vista Business, either 32 or 64, and can move Ultimate (32 or 64) to any machine
Laptop 3 - Stuck on XP (cannot move) or you can use that Win7 HP that you purchased, but once installed, cannot move

So if for laptop 2 you go back to vista business, you can move ultimate to laptop 3 but given the age of laptop 3 i would say running 7 on it might not be best

 

[Muse]

Nope, it still oem, so by the license once its install onto a machine it is tied to that machine

So based on what you have here, as per the licenses

Laptop 1 - Stuck with Home Premiem - either 32 or 64bit cannot move
Laptop 2 - Can go back to Vista Business, either 32 or 64, and can move Ultimate (32 or 64) to any machine
Laptop 3 - Stuck on XP (cannot move) or you can use that Win7 HP that you purchased, but once installed, cannot move

So if for laptop 2 you go back to vista business, you can move ultimate to laptop 3 but given the age of laptop 3 i would say running 7 on it might not be best

Laptop 3, IIRC, won't run 64bit Windows. If I understood you correctly, I can't use the Win7 HP OEM I bought on Laptop 3, because it's tied to Laptop 1 now. Hmm. So, if I'm understanding things, my only upgrade path is to buy Win7 32bit for Laptop 3, assuming it's up to it. I figure it is, but you are suggesting it may not be.

 

[Charlie98]

TBH, you have nothing to lose... give it a try.

I use the system builder OS on all my installs, if MS allows you to reactivate the license... good!

I just swapped mobos in my main PC, and I didn't even have to call in to reactivate W7. Of course, it still had the same CPU, etc... technically the same 'machine,' so it isn't an apples to apples comparo to you.

Just FYI, if you have any other licensed software on there (Office, QuickBooks, etc) you will have to reactivate those as well. I had to do the robocall reactivation on my recent reinstall, took about 5 minutes each license.

 

[Dahak]

Laptop 3, IIRC, won't run 64bit Windows. If I understood you correctly, I can't use the Win7 HP OEM I bought on Laptop 3, because it's tied to Laptop 1 now. Hmm. So, if I'm understanding things, my only upgrade path is to buy Win7 32bit for Laptop 3, assuming it's up to it. I figure it is, but you are suggesting it may not be.

I must have missed that bit that the purchased one is on the laptop1.
In the legal way - yes you would have to purchase another copy of the HP to go onto laptop 3.
In reality, most people would move it anyway, if its the system builder/oem copy.
I would not try to move the branded oem versions (hp,toshiba dell, ect)
You could also once you make a backup of laptop 3, you can install win7 do not enter the key and it should give you 30days, that way you can see if its even worth doing 7 on that machine

I just swapped mobos in my main PC, and I didn't even have to call in to reactivate W7. Of course, it still had the same CPU, etc... technically the same 'machine,' so it isn't an apples to apples comparo to you..

Microsoft calls a computer the motherboard so if you want to technically be legal from their standpoint every time you swap the motherboard you have to buy a new version of windows if the previous one is oem/system builder.

But as above, in reality most people will have the 1 copy and upgrade the machine around it.

 

[Ketchup]

There was an OS discussion recently, someone (mfenn I believe) pointed out that a Windows license doesn't differentiate between 32- or 64-bit, just W7 Home or W7 Pro, etc.

This is true. I have a key and software for server 2008 32-bit, and I had no trouble installing a 64-but version with my existing key when I upgraded to 8 GB of RAM.

Just remember, a lot of this will have to do with how the computer manufacturer does the protecting, not necessarily Microsoft. As others have said, try it and see.

 

[JackMDS]

Just remember, a lot of this will have to do with how the computer manufacturer does the protecting, not necessarily Microsoft. As others have said, try it and see.

That is true, thus the suggestion that I made above is the safest and the fasted to try.

It will take less than hour and might be a call to Microsoft Activation service, they will make the final decision if it is Not auto activated on line). At the end of the hour you will know where you stand and make the next decision.

That said the Lenovo T-60 is Core Due. Core Duo Desktops work nicely with Win 7 when adequate graphic card is installed.

The T-60 might work depending on its graphic card and drivers support for the card.

http://support.lenovo.com/us/en/documents/ht003754


😎