Upgrading Windows XP?

Question

If I had a copied version of Windows XP, could I buy a legitimate upgrade version & then get the updates, or do you need a genuine version to upgrade from?

Answer 1

You can only upgrade from a legitimate version. Here's why:

When you buy Windows XP in a shrink-wrapped box, you are allowed to install one copy on one PC. When Windows comes pre-installed on a new PC, it stays with the PC. You cannot transfer it from the bundled machine to a different machine. MS uses a technique called “BIOS locking” to make sure the copy stays ties to that specific PC forever.

Windows installer makes you type the 25-character code that’s printed on the case. The Product Activation program looks at various serial numbers inside your PC – the processor, network card, disk drives, etc. – mixes them together, and produces a second 25 character code that identifies your PC. These 50 characters, together, are called the Installation ID.

When you activate XP, you give MS the 50-character Installaton ID. If nobody else activated that 25-character code or if it has been activated with that specific Installation ID (which means you activated this particular copy of XP from the same PC twice) MS send back a 42-character Confirmation ID. The Installation ID and the Confirmation ID are stored on our PC.

If that 25-character code has been already been used on a different PC you will be notified that the number of times you can activate Windows with this product key has been exceeded.

Source: paraphrased from p. 18, Windows Gigabook for Dummies, by Peter Weverka et al.

Answer 2

The upgrade versions only upgrade from a prior version to XP. You'll need a full version of XP to be legit.

Answer 3

Well, you can jump right into Windows 7, check it out here: http://tinyurl.com/kud3nvq

Answer 4

Only a genuine disc will do! Otherwise, you won't be able to ever upgrade what you have.