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Windows XP

nboy22

nboy22

Diamond Member
Hello everyone, I need some help with this one. My dad is looking at purchasing a copy of WinXP pro.

I see there are all sorts of versions out there like Pro, Pro SP2, Pro SP3.

From my understanding, he could find the cheapest copy of Pro, and install both SP2 and SP3 with no problems. Is this not correct?

Also, I noticed that the regular Pro and Pro SP2 versions I can find online are MUCH cheaper than the SP3. Why? Did Microsoft have to ramp up the price for some reason?

So after we get that sorted out.. Where's the best place for the cheapest price? I think I've seen some on the web in the past few months for as low as 40 bucks.

I appreciate it 🙂
 
Originally posted by: nboy22
So after we get that sorted out.. Where's the best place for the cheapest price? I think I've seen some on the web in the past few months for as low as 40 bucks.
Click to expand...
I haven't looked lately, but I'll bet that few copies of XP Professional sellingl for $40 meet Microsoft's licensing rules. They are likely either in violation of MS' licenses or outright fraudulent software/licenses.

XP is basically out of production, so anything you buy is from old inventory. If "legal" XP becomes scarce, the prices will rise. Most XP copies in this world are OEM copies, which aren't supposed to be sold except as part of an entire PC sale. Retail versions of XP, which can be resold at will, will likely remain pricey. RETAIL MS operating systems have always been a decent "investment". Even after several years of use, you could still sell a nicely boxed RETAIL copy of Windows 98 for half of what you paid for it years earlier.

Looking at Newegg.com, it appears that brand-new XP Professional SP3 (OEM) hasn't really changed since last year's prices: around $140. If somebody is offering it at 1/3 that price, you have to ask, "Why?".

XP SP3 copies are going to more valuable than SP1, for instance, because it's a bit of work and time to either slipstream older versions to SP3 or to update a fresh install to SP3.
 
You can always buy a regular Windows XP CD and then slipstream (or merge) all of the service packs onto it and then make a CD. This way you can make your own XP service pack upgraded CD. Much better than installing updates after you install Windows.
 
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