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Windows XP Registration Questions... (1 Viewer)

Tim Kilbride

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I am ready to upgrade to either Win2k or XP...I get both OS's for the same price (full install versions, not upgrades). When I upgrade, I save my data on CD, reformat the harddrive(s) and then do a fresh install.

What issues will I face with XP registration stuff? I do change hardware once every 4-6 months or so (upgrade video card or sound card type stuff). Can I install on more than one machine. I have 2 laptops and 2 boxes all at home networked, router to the outside world.

What about the NTFS file systems...I use Win2k at work, will my files here at home be compatible with my box at work? Can I set the file system to FAT32?

What is the minimum hardware that can 'Realistically' run XP. My wife has a IBM i1400 series laptop @ 450Mhz with 128Mgs ram, will this be capable of running XP?

I don't game at all...mostly Adobe/ Powerpoint stuff for work and surfing/paying bills online.

Thanks in advance guys...any info will be helpful...


Tim K.
 

Rob Lutter

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Nov 3, 2000
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I have Windows 2000 installed with FAT32 (so I can use multiple non-MS operating systems [aka Linux])... works great! Windows 2000 is a nice, secure, and STABLE operating system.
Windows XP? Bah! We don't need no stinkin' vanilla XP!
Get Windows 2000 Professional and BE HAPPY :D
(runs GTA3 and Jedi Knight 2 great too! ;) )
 

Thom B

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Jan 11, 1999
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What is the minimum hardware that can 'Realistically' run XP.
I run it on a 336 celeron without any issues. I do have 512Mb of ram. Wouldn't be a bad idea to upgrade this on that box if you choose XP.


The only real issue looks like the ability to install on multiple machies. From a strictly legal standpoint, you're only supposed to install 2k on one machine per copy as well. It just doesn't have the registration process in place to check up on you.

Other considerations. Reasearch all of your HW, esp on the laptops for compatability and driver availability for both OS's. 2k was notoriously picky about laptops when it first came out. Hopefully things have improved.
 

Larry Seno Jr.

Supporting Actor
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Feb 28, 2002
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If you're going to pirate the OS anyway, why not just buy XP and then download the version that doesnt need registration, you're screwing microsoft the same way either choice.
 

Brad_V

Second Unit
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Mar 8, 2002
Messages
356
My brother is a network administrator for several hospitals, and he refuses to let me even consider installing XP. :)
I've always liked 98, and 2000 is for the most part the ultimate windows 98. It's like a 98 that never crashes. Tim, if you use 2000 at work, since the choice is pretty much a toss-up, and you can avoid the extra potential registration hassle, I'd say going 2000 is the obvious choice. XP is a little prettier, but that's about it.
 

Mark Paquette

Supporting Actor
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My brother is a network administrator for several hospitals, and he refuses to let me even consider installing XP.
Why?

I'm in charge of an IT department for a community bank and I have no problems recommending XP to anyone. I've had nothing but good luck with it.

2000 and XP are basically the same O.S. Think of XP as 2000 with a new outfit on. Underneath it's pretty much the same. As others have mentioned you cannont install XP on multiple machines. Microsoft has made that much harder to do with the new activation process. Also, you cannont leagally install 2000 on multiple machines either. Swapping out things like sound cards, video cards, etc. will not require you to call Microsoft or reactivate XP. At least that's been my experience. The only time I've had to call Microsoft is when I took XP off of a laptop and installed that license on a desktop. Even that was painless and took a whole 3 minutes. I read them a code from my PC, they read one back to me and that was it.

Anyway, you can't go wrong with 2000 or XP. They are both excellent operating systems and are both very stable. 2000 has been around a bit longer. However, the first service pack for XP should be out shortly. If I could get either 2000 or XP for the same price I'd go with XP.
 

Dave E H

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If I'm gonna spend $300 on an OS, I'm installing it on all my computers.
Ummm - I thought talk of piracy was verbotten here. Doensn't matter what OS you are buying from MS (or apple for that matter) - you buy one copy, you can put it on one machine at a time. FWIW, I think OEM copies are different - I think they are actually tied to the machine (Ok, I admit, that's bizarre.)

you _can_ volume license MS OS's, such as XP and then get a copy that doesn't require activation - but you still can't install one copy on multiple machines without a licnese for that machine. With MS bulk licensing, there is a discount for larger purchases. Perhaps this would be a good candidate for a Group buy?

That said, I'm buying my licenses for XP Pro on all my machines - XP Pro is better for laptops, IMHO - but 2k's a fine choice (I run it on all my desktop machines and have been since 2/18/2k - launch day) and very stable.
 

MikeAlletto

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I would love to see microsoft go after some individual for installing one of their products multiple times on the individuals own computers in their home. Talk about a PR nightmare for microsoft. I understand companies with their 100s and 1000s of copies, but I never understood personal copies. Its greed plain and simple...there is no business reason.
 

Joel Mack

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Of course when you add up all the hundreds/thousands of individuals running say, 2 or 3 copies and compare it with a business or two with a 100 or 1000 copies, you can see where the real money is being lost...

I doubt Microsoft has any worries about getting into a "PR nightmare". More likely it's less cost-effective to go after lots of little guys as opposed to a few big guys.

Its greed plain and simple...there is no business reason.
I'm sure the software developers on the Forum would disagree with you.
 

AjayM

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I would love to see microsoft go after some individual for installing one of their products multiple times on the individuals own computers in their home. Talk about a PR nightmare for microsoft. I understand companies with their 100s and 1000s of copies, but I never understood personal copies. Its greed plain and simple...there is no business reason.
Home piracy numbers are getting very close to "big business" piracy numbers (as another poster point out how the numbers grow VERY fast). In another thread you said you were a software developer, and then in this thread you are advocating the piracy of software. Out of all the people around, software developers should know better than anybody the ramifications of piracy.

And I doubt you would see any PR nightmares for MS on prosecuting individuals, we don't see any PR nightmares when people steal from other companies, why is this different? They don't prosecute individuals because pretty much none of us would make it worth their while to prosecute (damages paid to MS would be way less than the lawyer fees to prosecute the case).

Andrew
 

MikeAlletto

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you are advocating the piracy of software
I never advocated piracy. I bought my copy, they've already got my money. Their developers are getting paid by my share. I'm not burning copies and giving them away or selling them. Where's the piracy? I've got my shareware registered, I've got my official copies of software sitting at home.

I also don't buy into what the SPA (is that what they are called now-a-days) says about piracy numbers. They say a certain dollar amount is being lost. I say if someone couldn't have gotten a certain product without paying, they would just forget about it and get something else. So where is the lost money if they never intended to buy it in the first place? Its all one big smoke and mirrors act to make the small guy, with a wife and 3 kids making not much money feel guilty and bully him to give them even more money that he can't really afford but he wants to have a computer for his kids to learn on.

Just my opinions on what I see going on, obviously your mileage may vary.
 

Dustin B

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I very much aggree Mike (although I'm not quite as clean as him :p)). I'd like to see the full stand alone versions at a little more than upgrade prices. Upgrade prices can be a little lower than present. Then extra keys for personal computers in the same home should be available for like $20 a pop (only allow up to somewhere between 3 and 5 extra keys though).

With how cheap some basic computers are becoming, pretty soon you'll be spending more on the OS and Office suite for your kids computer than you did on the computer.
 

AjayM

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They say a certain dollar amount is being lost. I say if someone couldn't have gotten a certain product without paying, they would just forget about it and get something else.
The two things that are pirated very often are OS's and Office applications. Are you saying that Joe 6-pack isn't going to use Windows or Office? He's just going to go out and download Linux and StarOffice and be happy? What else would he have gotten?

Seems to me the people that complain the most about MS's XP registration process are the people that never bought software and obtaining it illegaly in the first place.

Andrew
 

MikeAlletto

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Seems to me the people that complain the most about MS's XP registration process are the people that never bought software and obtaining it illegaly in the first place.
No, the people that complain the most are tired of companies making it more and more difficult to just use their software. I shouldn't have to call them or send info about MY computer across the internet to someone I don't know just to get the OK to use a piece of software that I already bought. Its like paying for something I already paid for. Its not about how it really is easy to register, its about trust. They don't trust their customers, so why should their customers trust them? I don't trust them, but there is no other choice (monopoly). When you buy up or run out your competition, then force your customers to jump through hoops to use your apps all because you can because noone will stand up to you, people who have their eyes open will have a problem with that.

You've had your say...I've had my say. Time to move on.
 

AjayM

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When you buy up or run out your competition, then force your customers to jump through hoops to use your apps all because you can because noone will stand up to you, people who have their eyes open will have a problem with that.
Then don't buy the software. Pretty easy. Vote with your dollars. Trying to explain why you think it's ok to commit a crime and steal it though is a little weak.

Andrew
 

MikeAlletto

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"Help! Help! I'm being repressed!"
hehehe...I'm not dead yet!

This entire thread has gone from the dumb to the stupid. I doubt there is a single person on this entire forum that hasn't installed or shared a piece of software with someone else or installed it multiple times on their own computers and yet some of them will turn right around and chastise someone the moment they say there is nothing wrong with it. Hell there was another thread where an admin openly admitted to installing norton utilities that he got from another member on his machine to fix a problem. Thats right there is a violation of the license agreement. Guess we should hang him also huh?

But I guess its ok to break license agreements when it serves your own means or someone needs a quick fix, but oh no...don't let anyone else do it...for shame.
 

Tim Kilbride

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Oct 6, 2001
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I do see both sides of the argument here guys...

When I buy software, I pay for the full versions. I also download a good amount of shareware, and if I like it, I will pay the $20 or so to register it.

But my question is this...

When you buy a music CD...why don't you have to pay additional liscensing for each CD player you own and play it in? You are not buying the music, you are buying the right to play the music...why doesn't that apply to software. As long as I am not burning copies and giving them away or selling them. Same thing for VHS and timeshifting of TV programs. As long as I am making copies for my personal use it is legal. Does the 'Home Recording Act' not apply to software?

And what if two people each put up half the cost of an OS...are each not entitled to its use on their own respective machines?

Most software manufacturers in the recent past (when I was in college) used to promote the idea of making a 'working' copy for your own personal use and keeping the original in case something happened to your 'copy'...I guess that all went out the window.

These questions are not meant to disrespect anyone...just things I've been curious about.


Thanks
Tim K.
 

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