License Question

[linuxgirlie]

A couple of questions:

 

If you get given computers with a XP license sticker on the side does that mean you can keep XP on it or is the license with the person who purchased the computer?

 

Second question. If said computers were from another school which used CC3 and the computers still had XP on them but the RM version, and you didn't have RM at your school could you wipe them and put vanilla XP on them (using the XP code on the side) or would you have to buy a license for them all because the original one was an agreement with RM and the School who purchased them?

 

If you also had within this group of donated equipment RM pc's running CC2.4(Win 98) could you then use an upgrade license to run XP or would you again have to buy a OEM XP license.

 

We have just put Linux on them at the moment just in case, but it would be nice to know if this is needed or not.

 

Thanks,

 

Jo

Edited June 25, 2008 by linuxgirlie

[Quackers]

The XP Licence when with a sticker on the computer lives and dies with the computer, its not per user.

 

There is no RM Version of XP, if its XP its XP and you have a licence for it on that peice of hardware

 

You can get an XP Upgrade Licence with volume licencing for about 30 quid.

[plexer]

If a 98 machine has a 98 licence to go with it you can buy an xp upgrade licence for it.

 

Ben

[linuxgirlie]

Thanks I know its XP, but it has the RM login screen and everything, so I didn't know if it was a full version or some kind of deal they had done, so it is nice to know that we can just install without worrying about spending out loads of cash.

 

Jo

[OutToLunch]

It's all a bit of a grey area on the stickers front... In theory, the sticker is the Certificate of Authenticity (COA), not the license. MS have some great doublespeak on it.

 

A COA is not a software license – it is a visual identifier that assists in determining whether or not the Microsoft software you are running is genuine. However, without it, you will not have a legal license to run Microsoft software.

 

By that, it sounds like they'd like us to think that every time a primary student picks the COA off a case you no longer have a valid license and should buy another copy of windows, but at the same time, having only the COA is not proof of a license... Oooook...

 

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell/content.aspx?pg=coa

 

If you ignore that, and take the fact that you have a valid OEM COA as having a valid license for OEM XP, then yes, you can put OEM XP back on donated CC workstations if they have vanilla XP COAs on. OEM license is only valid with the machine, so they couldn't 'keep' the XP licenses that initially came with those machines. However, if there's no COA and they have a volume licensed copy of XP on, you need a new license.

 

For the older (Win98) machines, what spec are they? Do they have any COA for 98? Microsoft have a 'fresh start' program for donated machines in education, the machines have to be PIII or older (sounds about right for 98?) and you can get a free license. For newer machines, the following applies (regarding not entering them into the program)

 

* Donated personal computers with Intel Pentium IV (or equivalent)

* Newer processors bearing a Windows Certificate of Authenticity (COA) sticker and accompanied by some form of proof that they were donated.

 

which sounds like they're saying a COA *is* valid proof of the license if you have proof they were donated - which reanswers question 1 differently!

 

https://www.microsoft.com/Education/Freshstart/FSHomeNew.aspx?iso=tJfNpblQH9g=&cltr=hYH62o4lKz5ZwA949AVhYA==&dbcltr=8sxNP6eQeEH/yw+FzfxRSA==#Qualify

 

It's all clear as mud, but thats MS for you.

[linuxgirlie]

Ah, and there was me thinking that it was simple

 

Just checked an XP one we have here the COA is for vanilla XP.

[docboggle]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but wondering if this has changed, or what people have experienced?

 

I have a number of RM PCs with Windows XP Pro Licence stickers on them. Does this entitle me to install Win XP Pro on to them using the key, or are the licences locked to the CC3 network and/or organisation they were originally a part of?

[Michael]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but wondering if this has changed, or what people have experienced?

 

I have a number of RM PCs with Windows XP Pro Licence stickers on them. Does this entitle me to install Win XP Pro on to them using the key, or are the licences locked to the CC3 network and/or organisation they were originally a part of?

 

Windows XP in an RM network is still Microsoft. It's just Windows XP + RM Tools = RM Network

 

You have two choices - either wipe the machine and install a vanilla copy of XP Professional OEM using the attached OEM key or you can install XP Professional from your Volume License Agreement, using your VLK. Microsoft let you do this, as XP Professional OEM and XP Professional VLK are the same version of software.

[docboggle]

Right, so the stickers are the licence? I can just install them as vanilla Win XP without risking the wrath of Microsoft?

[Michael]

Right, so the stickers are the licence? I can just install them as vanilla Win XP without risking the wrath of Microsoft?

 

Yes, the sticker has your license key. If you're migrating from RM CC3 to a vanilla setup, it is perfectly legal to wipe the machine and install a vanilla copy of XP Pro SP3. It is recommended to have a Volume License of some kind (for schools and businesses), otherwise you'll be forever activating machines.

[docboggle]

Cool, that is just what I wanted to hear.

Thanks for the info