XP Pro Activation

[hojoprime]

I'm building a PC that will use removable hard drive racks to run two separate instances of Windows XP Pro (one on each hard drive). Will I have to buy two retail copies of XP Pro to activate them? I called Microsoft's licensing department and the person didn't even know. Thanks

 

[ColKurtz]

Since you're not running them both at the same time, I would imaging you're fine with one license but I would call M$ to make sure.

Oh, wait...

I called Microsoft's licensing department and the person didn't even know.

You were either in the wrong department or gave up too easily. The "licencing department" should definately know, and if they say they don't ask for a supervisor. Get your question answered FIRST, then ask whey the have clueless people answering the phones.

 

[superkdogg]

I'm guessing here, but since your one activation will log all the same hardware as a second activation would, I think you'd be OK in that M$ may not even know it's on there twice.

Admittedly, I am underinformed on this and guessing.

 

[TAandy]

Originally posted by: superkdogg
I'm guessing here, but since your one activation will log all the same hardware as a second activation would, I think you'd be OK in that M$ may not even know it's on there twice.

Admittedly, I am underinformed on this and guessing.

Not a reply to the question but I read your sig.
New member of the TeAm, welcome
How are you helping? (don't mind me asking )

 

[nbarb99]

I'd like to know the answer to this, if you can get a hold of someone who knows anything about it at M$. I'll LOL if M$ wants you to buy two copies of XP to run on the same computer

 

[D1gger]

Quote from the EULA for Win/XP Pro:

"* Installation and Use. Except as otherwise expressly
provided in this EULA, you may install, use, access, display
and run only one (1) copy of the SOFTWARE on the COMPUTER."

This seems to say you can have only one copy of the software on the computer. The reality is, I have installed two copies on a single computer; one copy had problems and I had to install a second copy to rescue some files before I reinstalled. I even activated the second copy over the internet, and had no trouble.

 

[corkyg]

This is an old question - and it has been legally interpreteted to mean "one at a time."

In other words, it is proper to have a backup HDD - a duplicate of the first. This is easy with mobile racks. You don't even have to activate the second drive since it is a complete clone of the first. As long as only one is used at a time you meet the EULA standards.

 

[hojoprime]

Originally posted by: corkyg

You don't even have to activate the second drive since it is a complete clone of the first. As long as only one is used at a time you meet the EULA standards.

Unfortunately each drive will be for a separate user, so both instances will probably have to be activated. (However, if I clone drive 1 after it's been activated, will drive 2 have no activation request?)

Anyway I managed to get someone from Microsoft to answer my question, and indeed, if two instances of XP are used on separate drives, the EULA requires two purchased copies of XP. The question is whether the activation process will still forbid the use of two instances using a single purchased copy. In that case I would imagine that the activation process will see it like there's a new piece of hardware each time the hard drives alternate, but what are the repercussions of that? Does activation balk when someone replaces their hard drive?

 

[ribbon13]

MS is the practitioner of the most under handed business tactics since Carnegie Steel...

Who cares? It's like they've never done anything 'grey area' :roll:

 

[corkyg]

Originally posted by: hojoprime
Does activation balk when someone replaces their hard drive?

No. I do that every week on three different systems. Each has two drives - only one of which is ever used at one time. So, every week, I reclone and the reserve drive becomes the active drive, and the other gets a week off.

A new drive is easy - I have done that many times. The cloning process works, and XP simply finds "new hardware" and lets me know it is ready for use.