Windows XP queery.

[Stivino]

This question is to settle a disagreement that arose during a discussion at work today.
Willie says he has XP on his laptop and is going to put it on his desktop PC too. Dick says that he can't because his version of XP will only be for laptops and won't be the proper version for a desktop. Willie says it's XP home and he has the three disc and that's the same thing. Who's right?
*edit* Why did it do **** when I wrote q u ee ry?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Because you spell it query.

 

[dave.m]

Windows XP comes in only two versions.
XP Home and XP Pro.
Each works on either desktop PC or Laptop.

But he won't be able to install, legally the XP that is on his laptop onto his desktop using the same disks because he will only have the key for one copy which is already on his laptop.

dave

 

[Diyisfun]

If he contact m$ & tells them his laptop has broke, they may allow him to use the discs on the new pc, but he wont be able to do any updates on the laptop.

 

[kjacko]

Its also likely, depending on the laptop brand that the os is tailored and possibly even bios-locked to that specific machine anyway, thus disallowing him from installing it elsewhere.
I bought a few laptops like this for work.
Most laptops nowadays, don't even give you disks anymore, they expect you to create your own set of recovery disks from the pre-installed software.

 

[Stivino]

So he can do it but not legally seems to be the answer. His laptop is a Sony by the way.

 

[kjacko]

Yes you prbably can do it (barring my previous post). However you'll have to track down the drivers for yourself (which shouldn't be too hard).
You'll also have to activate windows which may well fail and then you'll have to ring Microsoft and lie to them!

 

[Stivino]

It's not my PC, it was just to settle a dispute. I was working with the guy today and forgot to tell him, I'll try to remember tomorrow.