Multiple copies of windows

[Jimmy Macintosh]

Just curious on peoples thoughts,

I had a hard drive crash at the beginning of the year, subsequentally got the hard drive replaced under warranty but they wouldn't install windows on it unless I could produce the CD. Well a search proved fruitless, we all assumed that they had put a back up on a section of the hard drive and I bit the bullet and bought a new copy of Windows XP home edition. (Bit annoyed at that especially as Costco put it on sale for half the price a day or so later). I have subsequently moved, and low and behold I've found my manufacturers install disc so now I have two copies of windows XP. I'm going to run the manufacturers install disc and overwrite my current set up. Now the thing is, can I sell my "new" copy of windows as I've no longer got it installed or are there going to be issues?

[Cypherus]

Apart from the fact that the original install disc would more than probable have been an OEM copy, possibly with a lot of features normally included in the purchased copy omitted replacing the bought copy with the supplied one shold present no issues but recalling back this one came up a while ago, small local company I supplied with new units and full install discs of XP pro for seven replacement machines asked MS if it could de-register it's currnet copies of XP home it had purchased by mistake and had been running, was told flatly NO, by Redmond.

However there IT tech sold em on when it was noticed that while the copies could not be re-registered under another owner, MS was quite happy to re-activate the copies to any machine once installed using their automated 'Telephone' activation service, His view was that how many times would the actual owners name/address be asked for in any dealings with MS by the average home user, not often enough to worry about as the help service component had already expired and would not be acted upon by MS even if the new owner tried to use the service.

I have no comment on the legality of this action though except... :ok:

[planecrazy.eu]

Well when you for sure cant sell your software is when its says 'not for resale', but having just looked over my Vista box i cant see that any place.

So i am guessing that you can sell the copy as long as its with the C.O.A.

I can see no issues activation, You will just need to ring the activation line, to my knowledge, you go to a person should there be any issues with the number of times you have tried to activate you product, five or above i think gives M$ cause for concern.

Software must be able to change ownership as if you buy a second hand pc with Windows its still 'legal'.

However you cant sell VENDOR OEM coppies of Windows, or any software for that matter, as thats only for use on NEW systems by the manufacture and is only legal whilst its on the shipped system. As for OEM Editions, its legal to re-sell them if they are been sold with "hardware" and if its been installed on what is classed a new built machine, or a machine where a hardware componant has been upgraded.

In short

Yes you can sell the "Purchased Copy"

[Parapunter]

Exactly, the worst that will happen is that it won't activate over the internet, the user will have to call the 0800 freephone number & explain the situation/make something up & MS will activate it for you. I've done this over & over with my copy when I've built new machines after HD failures, psu explosions etc. Really a non issue.