I believe you are right:


OEM vs Retail Licenses
With OEM licenses of Windows XP (when Windows is preinstalled on a system you purchase) the license stays with the computer. If you get rid of the computer, you lose the Win XP License. However, with the Retail version of the license, it can be transferred to another computer AFTER it is fully uninstalled from the original computer. Any hangup with activation or registration only takes a phone call to Microsoft to explain what you are doing with your retail copy of the software. How can you tell the difference? OEM product keys have OEM in the key number. Volume Licenses are 1 license per machine, if a license (software) is FULLY removed from one machine, it may be installed on another. Microsoft licensing information can be found at microsoft.com/licensing.

http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/partners/yourpc_do.mspx

>Sort of. With most OEM versions, your license is for that one box and legally can't be installed on another. That doesn't stop you from trying, but OEM versions usually only include their specific drivers for their motherboard, or some other piece of proprietary hardware that makes life difficult to use it elsewheres. This seems to be especially true with laptops.
>
>>Yes, I read Fred's post on that too. But I believe his intended meaning was that the oem version as opposed to the small business version still requires activation but that it was locked to the specific computer by hardware profile and thus could not be installed on a different computer w/o comtacting MS to "reset" the activation.
>>
>>>I just read a post on this thread that an oem version doesn't require activation as it is locked into the computer and cannot be used on another so that is probably why i have never hit this problem.
>>>Slán
>>>~M
>>>
>>>>That's also interesting. Both my Home version and the Pro I have required activation.
>>>>
>>>>>I do remember hearing at the time that activation may or may not be included on some shipments of xp so maybe the version i have was one of those that didn't need to be activated.
>>>>>Slán
>>>>>~M
>>>>>
>>>>>>That's interesting. My understanding is that an unactivated machine will "self-destruct" in some manner at the end of the grace period ( ~30 days? ).
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>I have an xp machine in here but have never activated it, its running about 18 months with numerous restarts and never a problem. probably jinxed myslef now:)
>>>>>>>Slán
>>>>>>>~M
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>I recently upgraded my main home machine from WinXP Home to Pro. This leaves my XP Home version eligible to install on my secondary machine which currently has Win98SE on it. Question is, how do I "deactivate" the activation for the computer XP Home was on so I can apply the activcation to the second machine since MS will reject the attempt to activate XP on the second machine due to different hardware, etc. Is there a procedure for this? Does MS have to be contacted, etc.?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Thanks,
>>>>>>>>Bill