Is it legal to use a single copy of Windows XP and install on a desktop and a laptop that is for my exclusive use .. as it is with Microsoft Office ??
![]() |
Patch reliability is unclear, but widespread attacks make patching prudent. Go ahead and patch, but watch out for potential problems. |
SIGN IN | Not a member? | REGISTER | PLUS MEMBERSHIP |
-
License Question (XP Pro)
Home » Forums » AskWoody support » Windows » Windows Vista, XP and earlier » Questions: Vista, XP back to 3.1 » License Question (XP Pro)
- This topic has 32 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 21 years, 6 months ago.
AuthorTopicWSR. Hicks
AskWoody LoungerOctober 15, 2003 at 9:11 pm #395092Viewing 7 reply threadsAuthorReplies-
WSbigaldoc
AskWoody LoungerOctober 15, 2003 at 9:34 pm #729513Open up XP’s Help system and type “license” [indent]
The answer is generally, “no.” Copyright law and the terms of your End-User License Agreement (EULA) govern your rights to copy and run Microsoft software. In the case of Microsoft Windows operating system software, the EULA does not permit you to run more than one copy. If your Microsoft operating system software (such as Windows XP Professional or Windows XP Home Edition) was supplied to you preinstalled on a new computer system by an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), different license terms apply. In such cases, you may not make a second copy and the software itself is not transferable to a different computer system, even if you delete it from the original computer system. Please read the EULA contained in this software for complete information. Please note that under certain Microsoft volume licensing programs intended for businesses, you may have different rights. Please consult the agreements that govern such programs for complete information.
[/indent]
-
WSR. Hicks
AskWoody LoungerOctober 18, 2003 at 1:26 pm #731098Thanks for the information …
I always thought that it was one computer one license as you have posted .. but someone tried to tell me different.
I was just curious. I knew that it was legal to intall Office on your desktop machine and also on your laptop .. as long as the laptop is for your exclusive use.Again … Thanks.
RDH -
WSR. Hicks
AskWoody LoungerOctober 18, 2003 at 1:26 pm #731099Thanks for the information …
I always thought that it was one computer one license as you have posted .. but someone tried to tell me different.
I was just curious. I knew that it was legal to intall Office on your desktop machine and also on your laptop .. as long as the laptop is for your exclusive use.Again … Thanks.
RDH
-
-
WSbigaldoc
AskWoody LoungerOctober 15, 2003 at 9:34 pm #729514Open up XP’s Help system and type “license” [indent]
The answer is generally, “no.” Copyright law and the terms of your End-User License Agreement (EULA) govern your rights to copy and run Microsoft software. In the case of Microsoft Windows operating system software, the EULA does not permit you to run more than one copy. If your Microsoft operating system software (such as Windows XP Professional or Windows XP Home Edition) was supplied to you preinstalled on a new computer system by an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), different license terms apply. In such cases, you may not make a second copy and the software itself is not transferable to a different computer system, even if you delete it from the original computer system. Please read the EULA contained in this software for complete information. Please note that under certain Microsoft volume licensing programs intended for businesses, you may have different rights. Please consult the agreements that govern such programs for complete information.
[/indent]
-
WSJohnGray
AskWoody Lounger -
WSR. Hicks
AskWoody Lounger -
WSHoward Kaikow
AskWoody Lounger -
WSjscher2000
AskWoody Lounger -
WSHoward Kaikow
AskWoody LoungerOctober 18, 2003 at 8:12 pm #731224It absolutely is; I can prove it and I propose a large wager. Doubts are healthy, but I know I’m right here. No one is allowed to sell any pirated software at this place and faces penalties and this is monitored. These come with legitimate product keys and are activated legitimately and are sealed in the box.
The first heavily discounted Windows XP Pro I saw (and I haven’t see one discounted as much since) Microsoft was around; Microsoft had sanctioned the talks on XP that were there–it was near the launch and this software is totally legit.
There are resellers who get surplus items legitimately and sell them and this is not a new practice–they are from Roxio, Symantec, and Microsoft and they are absolutely legal Jefferson.
If you wanted to find warez material, you have only to click a mouse once–it’s all over the place– thousands of sites–I run into it all the time when I’m searching to answer a question.
SMBP
-
WSkaplinb
AskWoody Lounger -
WSHoward Kaikow
AskWoody Lounger -
WSHoward Kaikow
AskWoody Lounger -
WSkaplinb
AskWoody Lounger -
WSjscher2000
AskWoody Lounger -
WSHoward Kaikow
AskWoody LoungerOctober 21, 2003 at 3:56 am #732147Maybe I’m using the term “swap meet” in the wrong way. It’s a bimonthly computer show where vendors, resellers converge. The big “finds” and most of what’s sold are hardware–used and new.
I’ll try to find out exactly where and how they get their software from someone I know who has part of a company.
SMBP
-
WSHoward Kaikow
AskWoody LoungerOctober 21, 2003 at 3:56 am #732148Maybe I’m using the term “swap meet” in the wrong way. It’s a bimonthly computer show where vendors, resellers converge. The big “finds” and most of what’s sold are hardware–used and new.
I’ll try to find out exactly where and how they get their software from someone I know who has part of a company.
SMBP
-
WSjscher2000
AskWoody Lounger -
WSHoward Kaikow
AskWoody LoungerOctober 18, 2003 at 8:12 pm #731225It absolutely is; I can prove it and I propose a large wager. Doubts are healthy, but I know I’m right here. No one is allowed to sell any pirated software at this place and faces penalties and this is monitored. These come with legitimate product keys and are activated legitimately and are sealed in the box.
The first heavily discounted Windows XP Pro I saw (and I haven’t see one discounted as much since) Microsoft was around; Microsoft had sanctioned the talks on XP that were there–it was near the launch and this software is totally legit.
There are resellers who get surplus items legitimately and sell them and this is not a new practice–they are from Roxio, Symantec, and Microsoft and they are absolutely legal Jefferson.
If you wanted to find warez material, you have only to click a mouse once–it’s all over the place– thousands of sites–I run into it all the time when I’m searching to answer a question.
SMBP
-
-
WSjscher2000
AskWoody Lounger
-
-
WSHoward Kaikow
AskWoody Lounger
-
-
WSR. Hicks
AskWoody Lounger
-
-
WSJohnGray
AskWoody Lounger -
WSjscher2000
AskWoody Lounger -
WSHoward Kaikow
AskWoody Lounger -
WSjscher2000
AskWoody Lounger -
WSHoward Kaikow
AskWoody LoungerOctober 21, 2003 at 11:40 pm #732800It’s not about enforcement efforts–local law enforcement has a big presence at these and I see people from the U.S. attorney’s office and some federal judges buying the stuff–as well as local state superior court and appelatte judges–I was trying to establish where this software comes from.
Most of this is like CBD describes though–it’s heavy hardware city and there are some very good deals. There also is backup–by that I mean–gurarantees–not buy it “adios,” because these people come back month after month year after year and they want repeat business.
SMBP
-
WSHoward Kaikow
AskWoody LoungerOctober 21, 2003 at 11:40 pm #732801It’s not about enforcement efforts–local law enforcement has a big presence at these and I see people from the U.S. attorney’s office and some federal judges buying the stuff–as well as local state superior court and appelatte judges–I was trying to establish where this software comes from.
Most of this is like CBD describes though–it’s heavy hardware city and there are some very good deals. There also is backup–by that I mean–gurarantees–not buy it “adios,” because these people come back month after month year after year and they want repeat business.
SMBP
-
-
WSjscher2000
AskWoody Lounger
-
-
WSHoward Kaikow
AskWoody Lounger
-
-
WSjscher2000
AskWoody Lounger -
WSJohnGray
AskWoody Lounger -
WSJohnGray
AskWoody Lounger
Viewing 7 reply threads -

Plus Membership
Donations from Plus members keep this site going. You can identify the people who support AskWoody by the Plus badge on their avatars.
AskWoody Plus members not only get access to all of the contents of this site -- including Susan Bradley's frequently updated Patch Watch listing -- they also receive weekly AskWoody Plus Newsletters (formerly Windows Secrets Newsletter) and AskWoody Plus Alerts, emails when there are important breaking developments.
Get Plus!
Welcome to our unique respite from the madness.
It's easy to post questions about Windows 11, Windows 10, Win8.1, Win7, Surface, Office, or browse through our Forums. Post anonymously or register for greater privileges. Keep it civil, please: Decorous Lounge rules strictly enforced. Questions? Contact Customer Support.
Search Newsletters
Search Forums
View the Forum
Search for Topics
Recent Topics
-
Excel Macro — ask for filename to be saved (Awaiting moderation)
by
nhsj
4 minutes ago -
Trying to backup Win 10 computer to iCloud
by
SheltieMom
5 hours, 26 minutes ago -
Windows 11 Insider Preview build 26200.5570 released to DEV
by
joep517
19 hours, 12 minutes ago -
Windows 11 Insider Preview build 26120.3941 (24H2) released to BETA
by
joep517
20 hours, 59 minutes ago -
Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.5305 (23H2) released to BETA
by
joep517
21 hours, 1 minute ago -
No April cumulative update for Win 11 23H2?
by
Peobody
23 hours, 19 minutes ago -
AugLoop.All (TEST Augmentation Loop MSIT)
by
LarryK
21 hours, 32 minutes ago -
Boot Sequence for Dell Optiplex 7070 Tower
by
Serge Carniol
1 day, 12 hours ago -
OTT Upgrade Windows 11 to 24H2 on Unsupported Hardware
by
bbearren
1 day, 16 hours ago -
Inetpub can be tricked
by
Susan Bradley
1 day, 17 hours ago -
How merge Outlook 2016 .pst file w/into newly created Outlook 2024 install .pst?
by
Tex265
10 hours, 4 minutes ago -
FBI 2024 Internet Crime Report
by
Alex5723
1 day, 19 hours ago -
Perplexity CEO says its browser will track everything users do online
by
Alex5723
1 day, 7 hours ago -
Login issues with Windows Hello
by
CWBillow
2 days, 7 hours ago -
How to get into a manual setup screen in 2024 Outlook classic?
by
Tex265
1 day, 18 hours ago -
Linux : ARMO rootkit “Curing”
by
Alex5723
2 days, 18 hours ago -
Employee monitoring app leaks 21 million screenshots in real time
by
Alex5723
2 days, 18 hours ago -
Google AI is now hallucinating idioms
by
Alex5723
2 days, 19 hours ago -
april update
by
69800
23 hours, 32 minutes ago -
Windows 11 Insider Preview build 27842 released to Canary
by
joep517
2 days, 20 hours ago -
Quick Fix for Slowing File Explorer
by
Drcard:))
2 days, 20 hours ago -
WuMgr not loading?
by
LHiggins
1 day, 16 hours ago -
Word crashes when accessing Help
by
CWBillow
3 hours, 1 minute ago -
New Microsoft Nag — Danger! Danger! sign-in to your Microsoft Account
by
EricB
2 days, 19 hours ago -
Blank Inetpub folder
by
Susan Bradley
2 days, 17 hours ago -
Google : Extended Repair Program for Pixel 7a
by
Alex5723
3 days, 6 hours ago -
Updates seem to have broken Microsoft Edge
by
rebop2020
2 days, 16 hours ago -
Wait command?
by
CWBillow
2 days, 23 hours ago -
Malwarebytes 5 Free version manual platform updates
by
Bob99
3 days, 13 hours ago -
inetpub : Microsoft’s patch for CVE-2025–21204 introduces vulnerability
by
Alex5723
3 days, 19 hours ago
Recent blog posts
Key Links
Want to Advertise in the free newsletter? How about a gift subscription in honor of a birthday? Send an email to sb@askwoody.com to ask how.
Mastodon profile for DefConPatch
Mastodon profile for AskWoody
Home • About • FAQ • Posts & Privacy • Forums • My Account
Register • Free Newsletter • Plus Membership • Gift Certificates • MS-DEFCON Alerts
Copyright ©2004-2025 by AskWoody Tech LLC. All Rights Reserved.