Windows XP transferable?

James Muehlner

James Muehlner

Joined
Mar 3, 2003
Messages
726
My computer seems to have died, and if it really is dead, I am probably going to end up getting a new barebones system, and transfering everything over but the motherboard, RAM, and CPU. I don't think that XP will still run on the new system. What I want to know is, is there any way to transfer XP over to the new system? I'm not going to use the old one anymore, as it's dead. I can't ask Microsoft, because they want a product identification number, which I don't have, because you need to go into the start menu on XP to get it. Obviously, I can't do that. I might be open to *ehem* unnoficial solutions, provided they actually work. I really do not want to buy a new license for $85 dollars.
 
I think it would be quite a problem if you need to transfer it. If you do it might screw up certain things in the software as it was installed according to the old system.

I can't think of anyway other than getting a new license.

However, you might be able to access the product identification number by booting up the old hard drive on the new system. It will probably boot up and you might even get into windows but it won't be a stable system anymore. But i'm thinking most probably you will be able to access the product identification number.
 
If I can boot off the old one I'll just reinstall XP over the old version, because that quite often works, but I'm afraid that XP will decide not to work because my system has changed too much.
 
You might be able to try it. I find XP less of a hassle than previous version of windows and it tends to sort itself out quite well. But when you put it in the new computer just make sure you boot it up with as little as possible installed. Take out sound cards and other things you don't need yet. This will lessen the confusion. YOu may just be able to run it without a video card if the new system has a built in one. So just plug in the keyboard and mouse and of course the monitor.

Edited to add: I don't think it will mess up your new system if you do that but it might mess up what's inside the old hard drive. Worse case scenario is it doesn't work and you just dump the old hard drive and install a newly acquired WinXP on the new hard drive. Maybe just put the old one as a secondary drive.
 
I've been able to image machines using Symantec Ghost 7.5 of different hardware configurations with a Windows XP-based image. Even better if you've upgraded to Service Pack 2. Example: I create an image using a Dell laptop. I then use that image to build a Compaq laptop. Granted, there are some configuration variations between the two. Just a little bit of tweaking after the imaging is complete and the target laptop is good to go. XP seems to be pretty adaptive. I think the reason for this is that XP has more drivers available in the OS than previous versions of Windows. XP is more plug and play and less plug and pray than its predecessors. :D
 
You could always bittorrent windows xp corporate. In my opinion if you have payed for the software once it doesnt matter how you aquire or register it if you already have a legal right to have it. If you need any help getting it and finding a key I will be happy to help.
 
That's what I need to hear grnamin! If you could do that, then I'll probably be able to just switch over the hard drive, boot up from the XP CD, reinstall over the old version, and be good to go. (I hope)
 
Actually it shouldn't be much of a problem at all. I would just build the new system, and go about installing XP as normal. When it gets to the activation part it might actually let you activate it without hassle. If not there is information on how to contact Microsoft to get an override and allow it to be activated.

Worst case scenario, they don't let you activate it again. If that is the case shoot me an email. I can get you a totally legit copy of XP Pro through my school for like $10.
 
If you don't have the product ID number, you can't even install XP on a new computer, never mind activate it. You probably could put the hard drive in another computer and boot it in safe mode (assuming that the hd isn't the source of your problems to begin with), get the ID number, and then call MS to tell them that you want to install XP on the new computer.

Is it even worth the bother, though? If you want bare bones, you can get a system for $300 that includes XP.
 
James Muehlner said:
That's what I need to hear grnamin! If you could do that, then I'll probably be able to just switch over the hard drive, boot up from the XP CD, reinstall over the old version, and be good to go. (I hope)
Click to expand...

Try booting the new PC with just your old hard drive, without the XP CD. The operating systems might be able to adapt. Have any drivers provided with the new PC handy just in case.
 
Isnt there a license key on a sticker on the side of the old computer? you already own the license you bought it when you got the old computer. Most computers that ship with an OEM version of Windows have an embossed sticker on them somewhere with the license key on it.
 
bladefixation2 said:
Isnt there a license key on a sticker on the side of the old computer? you already own the license you bought it when you got the old computer. Most computers that ship with an OEM version of Windows have an embossed sticker on them somewhere with the license key on it.
Click to expand...

Ahh, that would only be true of mass produced computers. If you build your own or get it built from a smaller maker it will have no such sticker. You will however have a Windows XP CD with the key sticker on it. But all of that isn't really the point here. Windows XP requires activation, meaning getting in touch with Microsoft. It is a measure to ensure that every coputer has its own license, as it checks to make sure that one CD is used only once.

However the bottom line is that as long as you are only trying to keep one computer up and running then MS should help you out with it. I haven't tried it myself yet, luckily, but have never heard of any problems. All you need to do is give them a call, you get a number and some information when activation over the net fails, and explain what happened. They will then give you instructions on how to get it fixed up.

Actually it will install just fine, and run perfectly for 30 days. That is a grace period for activation during which you will be bugged to activate. After that time you will be locked out of the OS. Let us know how it works out James.
 
Microsoft won't hassle you about activation. The activation thing is to stop the people who used to buy one copy and sell hundreds of computers with it installed. When you call them up the guy who answers the phone looks to see if your copy has been activated hundreds of times already ... nope ... okay, no problem. :cool:
 
Well, here's the story. I got the computer, moved the hardware, and it worked fine, except that XP does not want to work. I tried booting directly from XP, but it just restarted instead of loading up. So, I popped in the XP CD, and did a repair installation. Now it gives me a blue screen of death - (if this is the first time you've seen this error, restart blah blah blah STOP: 0000007b) < or something like that. Does anyone have any idea what to do now? At the moment I am doing another repair installation.
 
Sounds like you have a hardware problem (RAM, Mobo, CPU....).

I tried to reinstall my laptop and kept getting the "you need to register this computer" message and every time I tried to register it said I already had. But every time I started up it would warn me again with one less day. I couldn't use either key because it was arguing with itself and every legitimate fix I tried failed. The "illegitimate" fixes worked like a charm however. :p

N2
 
The second repair installation did not work either. I noticed that it does not do the full installation before crashing, but right before it boots into Windows for "the first time," after it has restarted several times during the installation process, it gives me the error. Same error 0x0000007b. I know it's a memory address, but I don't think it's a hardware problem. Everything seems to be working correctly except for the failure of the operating system. I sure hope it's not a hardware problem, since I just got the computer today. Anyone else care to shed some light on this problem?

If no-one can help, I will do another installation, and copy the files over, but
I really want to get this installation to work.
 
Download knoppix or
phlack . Both are full linux os that run from the cd. It's a good way to see if everything works ok with a diferent os without having to actually install anything.

If the computer is ok, you may need to completely format and start over... Not sure if you tried that or not.

N2
 
Ok, I tried flashing the bios, it did not help. I may try the Linux thing, but just to make things clear, what I want is to get this current installation to work on a new computer. I could of course reformat and start everything over. That wold undoubtably work, but I would lose all my mp3s, school projects, you name it. I really want to save the information on the hard disk. If worst comes to worst, I may be forced to get another hard drive, install on that one, and put my current one as a slave to it. But I hope I don't have to do that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top