Windows XP Home Full Install Version... Install / License questions

[cobrajet431]

Hi Geeks.

I have a Win 2K Pro desktop and I'm considering upgrading it to XP.

I understand that I can't "upgrade" it to XP Home, I would have to choose between upgrading to XP Pro OR do a full install with XP Home. If I do choose to do it, I've already decided to go with the full install of XP Home... that is not the question.

That said, here's the questions:

1) It's a Compaq desktop that I bought used. It did not have a recovery partition or recovery disks when I bought it so I had to order the "Compaq Restore Plus Recovery Solution" restore disks.
I've formatted / restored to factory conditions a few times already with no problems at all.
I need to know if anyone foresees any difficulty in doing this using my new XP SP2 disk as the second restore disk instead of the second Compaq restore disk?

2) What would be the preferred way to do this?

3) Although this rig runs great, I know it won't last forever. When it dies, will I be able to "retire" it and use my XP SP2 Home full install disk to install it on another computer... a future "downgrade" from Vista perhaps?

As always, thanks in advance.

[augiedoggie]

When it dies, will I be able to "retire" it and use my XP SP2 Home full install disk to install it on another computer... a future "downgrade" from Vista perhaps?

Full retail is perfectly transferable so no issue there at all. Downgrading from Vista is more problematic due to availability of proper XP drivers, you may luck out and you may not. It's a roll of the dice. If you're not going to build your own then I wouldn't waste my money on an 8 year old machine getting XP.

[cobrajet431]

Hey Augiedoggie.

I suppose I should have said a little about by current box.
It's a Pentium 4 2.4 GHz processor, 40 GB HD, 1 GB RAM, and a newer, better HP DVD writer.
So it's a decent box, and I've seen people run XP on a lot less.

And I just found out today that I can get an XP SP2 Home OEM disk for about $120 US at my local computer shop. That's about $80 less than the retail full-install.

Do this change your opinion any?
Also, what can you tell me about an OEM install?
And does using an OEM definitely rule out re-using it in the future?

(Anyone else is welcome to join in)

Thanks.