Windows Win XP ?

I haven't kept up much on the latest OS's since ME so I'm kinda at a loss. I'm still using 98se on most of my computers. Well, here's my question. Am I correct that with Win XP the key code has been changed to an internet authentication and you can only install it on one PC per key code?

 

this sounds like its getting dangerously near installing multiple copies so be careful, but... Xp needs to be activated. this is done by phoning or going to the MS website. the computer then uses an algorithm to create a code based on the hardware you have. usually when you change lots of hardware you need to reactivate.

 

you get a cd-key and install as normal, but once installed you have 30 days to activate it, the first 1 or 2 times you do this you just go through the wizard whilst online and it does it, after that you'll get an error about it being activated already and you have to ring MS and they'll give you a code to type in
this isnt the case with the corporate version tho

 

this is also not the case for the pro version

 

So in other words, I would have to purchase either XP pro or a corporate version to use it on all my PC's? And around how much do these versions cost?

 

you would need corporat with mult user lisence for multi computers

 

yes, installing one license on multiple computers is illegal, and you should avoid talking about that to avoid being banned... no offense or anything.

as far as how much it costs... xp home is around 150 can$, and pro is something like 250 to 300, I think.

 

are you sure?
i've only actually had experience installing Home and Pro Corporate never Pro Vanilla but i thought it was only corp that didnt do the activation

btw if you buy a mobo or hard drive and certain other bits of hardware you're entitled to buy an OEM copy of windows which is considerably cheaper but can only be used in a system with the hardware you bought it with installed

 

i have only used pro corp but i thought that was the idea of pro

 

no i think normal pro is just the same license as home, only you have more networking/adminy type stuff
its single user tho, and thats basically why the activation is there, so you dont install same copy on more than one machine and why corporate (multi-user) doesnt do it

 

There isn't really a corporate version of XP Pro. Just that you can get corporate licenses which are single Product Keys for multiple PC's. The OS is exactly the same for both.

You will need individual licenses for all the PC's you install XP onto.

 

How would you go about buying more than one license? Correct me if I'm wrong but can you not buy one copy of say, XP home or pro, and then contact Microsoft to purchase more licenses, or do you have to buy the license from the same place you buy the software?

 

I'm not trying to install single license OS copies on more than one PC. I'm trying to learn how I can upgrade all of my PC's legally and with the least expenditure of my limited cash resources. Each machine I have running win98se is doing so legit. I have a full blown disk and key for each one, but instead of always making sure that I use a different disk and key each time I just use the same disk and key when I have had to do an install. Is this considered illegal? Even when I own a seperate key for each?

 

Alrighty.. just wan't to make sure and all.

I think that is fine (having say 3 keys and 3 computers, but only using one key.)