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Windows XP Pro - OEM Restore RRS feed

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    I attemped to restore my PC with a fresh copy of Windows XP Pro which is on the recovery partition of the hard-disk.  I have had problems because recently I upgraded the CPU and the graphics card and now the system restore fails stating that I no have different hardware.  Is there an easy work-a-round for this issue?
    Tuesday, November 3, 2009 7:35 PM

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      Hello heier,

      OEM software is only licened to run on the first computer it is installed on.  Since a computer is just a bunch of interchangable parts, one of those parts had to be designated as the part that defines that unique computer.

      The motherboard is the designated part that defines a unique computer. When a motherboard is replaced in a computer, a new Computer is created.

      Your OEM copy of XP Pro is not licensed to run (and will not activate) on the new computer you created when you replaced the Motherboard. 


    Thank you,
    Darin MS

    • Marked as answer by Darin Smith MS Wednesday, November 4, 2009 9:08 PM
    Wednesday, November 4, 2009 8:59 PM