Okay! Thanks. As an interesting aside then... do all machines come with an OS licence key? If not, then how do you get a licensed copy of Windows software? The key must be on the CD ?

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The key IS NOT ON the cd!!! It is on the outside of the CD container, or in the case of pre-installed generic OEM's, it is on the sticker on the case. All "new" store bought machines that I'm aware of come with a Winhozed license, unless you Buy some rare combination that came with Linux buy an assembled machine from a "generic" custom builder, who put together a hardware package and agreed not to sell you an OS If you are speaking of conventional branded machines, such as Dell hell, comcrap, Grateway, eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeMachines, and so on, to my knowledge, every single one of them comes from the factory with a Microshaft license sticker--with the product key--for whatever version is on there. In the case of these types of machines, Microshaft has determined that you CANNOT install that OS--using that key--on other machines. That license, that key--lives and dies with the motherboard it came with. Generic OEM is a little different. You can get by there. In NO CASE can you install the OS on more than one machine at the same time.

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"In NO CASE can you install the OS on more than one machine at the same time." More correctly, you can't use the same product key on more than one machine at the same time. Please let us know if you found someone's advice to be helpful.

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I believe the license on the bottom was part of the XP1 pro OS so will I have to download an xp pro SP1 CD or can I just download an SP2 enabled one ?

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"Is it possible to install xp pro on a 2nd home computer using the same license key ? I ask because I have lost the original and want to use one of my other copies..." What did you lose? The original CD for the second PC or the sticker containing the Product Key on the second PC? Try the CD you have along with Product Key found on the second PC's case. It will let you know if it will work or not. Bryan

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So I still cant work this out. My query is; I have XP Pro on my PC. Have been offered a laptop, refurbished with XP pre-loaded. So with a 20-gig drive, how would I reinstall the windows XP if no disk but want to up the harddrive size? I know how to do this on the PC with the XP disk, but the laptop wont have a disk? Surely I should not use the XP disk & load that on the laptop, as it has its own code. Even with a recovery disk its not the same as a bootable XP setup disk. Whats the right way to do it? I'm concerned really how to get back my pre-loaded XP once I swap drives.

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