seeking cheap way to get legit Win XP

One of my stepkids got a cheap desktop from a government office. The gov't wiped it clean so there's no OS on it. I was wondering, what's the cheapest way to get XP legally? My granddaughter won't know how to use Linux or anything (neither would I <G>), so we're looking for XP even tho Vista's on the horizon.

I googled "Widows XP" and "sale" and found some, I looked at ebay, but I wondered ... would it be okay to take an old, barely-working computer someone was gonna trash, and get son-in-law to pull XP off of it? (He might end up asking similar question here as I told him it was his kind of site.)

GrammawNewbie

 

>> I googled "Widows XP" and "sale" and found some, I looked at ebay, but I wondered ... would it be okay to take an old, barely-working computer someone was gonna trash, and get son-in-law to pull XP off of it? GrammawNewbie <<

If by saying "would it be okay" you actually mean: "would it be legal?" the answer is no; this would not be a legitimate way to obtain Windows XP.

Important Note: Since you posted that your 'stepchild' has no operating system at all on the computer - if you decide to go the eBay route - be careful not to purchase so-called Windows XP "upgrade" editions. Also make sure that you pick a seller who has a very high feedback rating with the majority (or preferably all) sales being related to the Windows XP operating systems previously sold by that seller.

Good Luck

 

XP licenses fall into various categories, each with its own restrictions. For example:

1. You purchase XP Full or Upgrade at retail and install it on a machine. You cannot legally install it concurrently on another machine. However, if the original machine becomes inoperative, you could use the CD to install XP on a new machine. Activation with MS on the new machine would technically be required. See below.

2. You purchase a name brand computer with XP pre-installed. You cannot legally use the CD that came with the machine to install XP on any other machine. Even if the original machine becomes inoperative, you may not legally install this version license of XP on any other machine-- its license is valid only on the machine it was purchased with. For this reason, it would also not be legal to purchase an XP disc that came with a name brand computer that a seller might offer on eBay or elsewhere.

3. Lastly, you may be able to purchase what's known as an OEM version. These are made to be sold with or pre-installed on machines built by Value Added Resellers, and a coincidental hardware purchase is technically required. OEM versions only do full installs, and not upgrades. In your case, this may be the most attractive option, costwise, but many of the sellers offering them may not be nationally recognized outlets.

If the version your friend has is a retail version, I don't see any reason why he couldn't transfer it to you, as long as he was no longer using it on his or any other machine. To wit:

(from http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/eula.mspx)

 

One word: ACADEMIC SOFTWARE.

Oops. That's two words...

Anyhow, got any relatives attending college?

 

$79.89 shipped, XP home OEM
http://shopping.comcast.net/user_sales_getprod.php?masterid=11717990&lot_id=3235125

 

Yeah, that's the scheme I was thinking of. I actually have one puter that hubby and I messed up so badly that we can't get it working, and people are always Freecycling computers, so I thought if someone gave his/hers away (and one would assume their new puter had its own OS), SIL could get the Windows from it or our oldie and put it on the nice one for my grandkid.


I appreciate all the explanations and advice given by everyone. Thumbs up, I mean, saaaaaaa-lute!