how illegal is this in your opinion?

Question

see. all i have is the license key from my old windows xp home edition.. that computer shut down and stopped working a long time ago.. but yesterday i put it's drive in my external hard drive case & used that little jelleybean windows key finder to find it's license key.. what would be wrong if i download windows xp home edition from one of those file sharing sites & use MY serial? ..i figure it's ok... it's not like i'm sharing my key with the rest of the world or anything.

yup yup.. i just need the install cd..... i just don't find it fair to have to buy another one while i already have one

& no.. it's not installed on anyother running comp anywhere.

Answer 1

Legally, you can do that. You have a license which allows you to run the program on any ONE computer at a time. That includes moving it to a new computer - as long as you STOP using the old ccomputer. You can use any copy of XP to do the install.

Now...the issue you will hit is that the way XP works, when you install it, it calls MS and registers itself. If you try to install it on another computer, it will not work. It will see that it is on the wrong comptuer and refuse to run.

When the activation fails, it will give you a phone number for Microsoft. You can call that number and explain that the old PC died and you need to transfer the license. They will be able to clear the registration, and let it activate on the new PC. (But at the same time they will set it to NOT work on the old PC anymore.)

So what you are trying to do it legal. You just need MS to help you get it done.

(Ho, don't mention that you are using "downloaded" CD for the install. The actual downloading is not legal.)

Answer 2

depends on the type of license you had in the first place. For example. even if you have the original CD's and Key if you were distributed a OEM license it is not transferable to any other machine. This is the type of license HP, Dell, and other computer manufacturers supply.

I have XP Home Edition in the HP installation disks, but can't install it because the CD does not installs unless it is a HP box. I think it is attached to the BIOS of the machine somehow. The machine is long gone, so I just have the CDs somewhere at home.

Not that is good, but you can ask a friend to get you the CD and try to install. Most likely you will not be able because when asking to register the copy it will appear as installed in a different pc. You would need to call MS in that situation and explain you got a new motherboard to be able to unlock it.

Up to you.

Answer 3

The definition of a license is that it can be used on one computer. So what your doing is not illegal because your only installing the software on one computer. If you were to install it on multiple computers then it is considered illegal. For instance my computer has gotten several viruses and I have upgraded it over the years. Each time I get a virus or upgrade I call windows and they give me a new activation key. They don't mind because the license is being used only once.

Answer 4

If this copy of Windows is on a Windows installation cd, then it is ok to install it on a new system as long as you are not using it in any other system. You may have to call Microsoft for a new installation KEY, but that will happen when you attempt to register the software. They will issue a new KEY.

Answer 5

It's not legal to download from a sharing site, even if you legally own the product.

This is a controversial subject, but as it stands... this is the law. Morally, I'm with you, though.

I'm assume that your problem is that you don't have an install CD?

If this is the problem, you can try contacting whoever made your computer to see if they'll sell you, for a reasonable price, an install CD. The big guys (e.g., Dell, Sony) will sell you install CDs if you own one of their computers for $20 or so.

Microsoft does offer "trials" of many of there products that can downloaded, but XP Home is not one of them.

Answer 6

If you download an entire OS from a file share it will most likely be infected with malicious code. I thought I could do that with Office 2003 and crashed a PC on install. I'm sure you know somebody who has copy you can borrow. It doesn't matter the CD just the code. I wouldn't trust a download man find you an install CD.

Answer 7

I'm not sure on the whole file sharing web site thing. But you can borrow a friends windows XP as long as you use your XP license not his and as long as it was not from an OEM for a specific PC. Besides Microsoft has bigger fish to fry than you.

Answer 8

It's technically illegal because you are not getting the software from a legitimate source. Even though you already bought a copy you must buy a new copy. However you aren't going to get burned doing this so I would. But you might want to consider switching to Ubuntu if you are running into licensing problems.

Answer 9

The license key provides you with the use of Windows XP as you see fit, except for using it on more than one computer and is not sold separately.

The software remains yours until you either upgrade, or sell the computer with the XP installed.

Your setup is legal because you are merely using it on your own computer and the key remains valid.

Feel better?
;-)

Answer 10

I believe this is legal, because in purchasing the software, you bought the rights to use it in one place at one time. Since you're not using it on your old computer, you can install it on anything to belongs to you, only once. If you have the serial that you purchased, it will MOST LIKELY be legal. I'm not a politician (Thank GOD!), so don't hold me to that...