Two questions regarding buying second-hand licenses for Windows XP and/or Vista and Microsoft’s validation:
Assuming the seller legally possesses the license and is no longer using it on any computers, are there any legal and/or Microsoft policy issues with this?
If the seller either doesn’t legally possess the license, or is still using it, at what point and how would that manifest itself as a problem for the buyer (assuming the computer is going to access the internet )? Is there a way for the buyer to check that the code is valid early in the process (ideally before handing over the cash)?
(Stupid hardware that doesn’t have drivers for Windows2000 which otherwise works perfectly fine as an OS… grrr.
(and thanks to those of you about to suggest Linux, but one too many softwares that won’t work under Linux not to mention not having two free weekends to learn it and set it up. (If only I could convert my knowledge of MS-DOS extended/hi-memory boot loading optimization to something useful in the 21st century! ))).
The seller can only legally sell you the retail copy of Windows. He cannot sell you his OEM copy. OEM copies are not transferable between computers. So if its the retail boxed version you will not have any problems. If you fail validation you can just call MS and they will fix it.
Frankly. at this stage in the game youre better off with Vista because its more secure. You could buy a new OEM license for Vista for around 99 dollars. Its legal to install on only one machine and it cannot be transferred. That might be your better bet. You can install it on your beater, upgrade to SP2, and be done with it.
Regardless of what you choose you may need to upgrade your RAM. Win 2000 wasnt very ram thirsty, XP and Vista are.
This presumes that the code hasn’t already been used. Even in a sealed box, I’d worry that the code was used and rewrapped. That’s why the OP asks, “Is there a way for the buyer to check that the code is valid early in the process (ideally before handing over the cash)?”
No, with retail you can transfer it between machines. If it fails validation you just call, they will know its a retail edition and as such is allowed to be transferred between machines. It doesnt matter if its been used before. Thats why they make a retail edition and why it costs so much more than the OEM.
Right, but what happens if the seller installs Vista on their computer, then puts the CD back in the box and sells it? The buyer I assume gets some kind of error message when installing, and I assume Microsoft tells them “Sorry, somebody is already using that serial #.”
Is anything different if the seller’s machine isn’t being used any more, say it’s sitting in a closet, but the seller never did anything to tell microsoft to deactivate that copy?
That’s exactly what I did. I bought XP Home Retail a few years ago, installed with no problem. Got a new pc this year, and installed the same key on the new one with no problem.
My guess is that when Microsoft sees a lot of time go by, they just presume this to be the case. But surely they would not allow the same key on several machines in a single week, or even a single month.
Retail copies of Vista are allowed for a single activated install at any one time. A user can uninstall from a system and reinstall on a new system. In addition as long as a user uninstalls they can transfer the license to another party for installation.
After installation the product must be activated. Non-activated products will stop functioning after a pre-determined period.
As stated aobe OEM copies are tied to the PC and can’t be resold.
Other different license types may have special installation rules.
When you try to validate Windows, you get an error. Microsoft has an option to buy “Genuine Windows Advantage” or something like that, which is a reduced price for the normal retail copy. (Of course, you’ve already paid for a bad version, so it’s not like you’re saving much). As part of that process, you report the original serial number and the fact that there was an illegal sale.
In theory, Microsoft tracks down these illegal sales, but my guess is that they only bother looking for the worst offenders.
It is possible to validate the same serial number more than once, so MS must make some accommodation based on time frame. (I know this from experience, because my office has four retail copies of XP and we accidentally reinstalled one computer using a serial number that was already in use without any problems).
>hen puts the CD back in the box and sells it? The buyer I assume gets some kind of error message when installing, and I assume Microsoft tells them “Sorry, somebody is already using that serial #.”
No, the seller loses his validation because he was first. The buyer is fine.
Actually it’s the reverse, whomever installs it first is the “legitimate” owner.
Now if you feel that you’re getting a rejection in error you can talk to the customer support line. This happens a lot f someone tries to install on a new system after they got rid of their old system. A quick call to the support line will allow them to activate you on the second system.
I don’t know the exact parameters that are allowed in the case of “suspicious” copies, but the customer service folks are trained to deal with such issues. It’s been a while since I had to work with them on this so I don’t know the current policies.
This is true activation of the product uses your CD key (the 25 character key used to install) and can trace it back to a specific PC configuration which tells it if it’s installed on roughly the same system or a different system. That’s why you can reinstall as often as you like but not install on a new box without triggering the “error”.
Microsoft does it’s best track down the offenders and takes action when applicable.
>A quick call to the support line will allow them to activate you on the second system.
That is EXACTLY WHAT IVE BEEN SAYING THIS WHOLE TIME. I dont understand the suspicion here. The retail license allows this. Its not a big deal. The worst case scenario is a phonecall.