How to recover license from stolen PC

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Alejandro - 30 Sep 2007 07:24 GMT

Well, I had my laptop stolen yesterday and now I'm planning on using come old
parts to build a backup PC meanwhile. Since the sticker for Windows XP Home
originally installed in that laptop went away attached to it, is there a way
I can recover that license since it's already registered in my name so I can
use it in the PC I'm building? I have to say there's no chance I can remember
the serial for Win nor I have a scan or pic of its sticker.

Thanks in advance for your help

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DevilsPGD - 30 Sep 2007 07:31 GMT

>Well, I had my laptop stolen yesterday and now I'm planning on using come old
>parts to build a backup PC meanwhile. Since the sticker for Windows XP Home
>originally installed in that laptop went away attached to it, is there a way
>I can recover that license since it's already registered in my name so I can
>use it in the PC I'm building? I have to say there's no chance I can remember
>the serial for Win nor I have a scan or pic of its sticker.

Is this Vista related?

At any rate, if you're using an OEM key (if it came with the laptop)
then the license is not transferable -- There is no exception for stolen
hardware, unfortunately.

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Rick Rogers - 30 Sep 2007 13:01 GMT

Hi,

No, when you activate a computer, the product key used to install it is not
recorded, a hardware hash is. When you register it, you are just recording a
purchase so as to validate any warranty work. Besides, as was pointed out
your license for use on the laptop is not transferable to other hardware
anyways. You'll need to purchase a new one.

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Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

> Well, I had my laptop stolen yesterday and now I'm planning on using come
> old
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> Thanks in advance for your help

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Bruce Chambers - 30 Sep 2007 16:03 GMT

> Well, I had my laptop stolen yesterday and now I'm planning on using come old
> parts to build a backup PC meanwhile. Since the sticker for Windows XP Home
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> Thanks in advance for your help

I'm afraid that you couldn't reuse that license, even if you did have
the Product Key written down somewhere. Two reasons:

1) OEM versions must be sold with a piece of non-peripheral
hardware (normally a motherboard or hard drive, if not an entire PC) and
are _permanently_ bound to the first PC on which they are installed. An
OEM license, once installed, is not legally transferable to another
computer under *any* circumstances. This is the main reason some people
avoid OEM versions; if the PC dies or is otherwise disposed of (even
stolen), you cannot re-use your OEM license on a new PC. The only
legitimate way to transfer the ownership of an OEM license is to
transfer ownership of the entire PC.

2) If the OEM DVD was designed by a specific manufacturer, such as
eMachines, Sony, Dell, Gateway, etc., it will most likely only install
on the same brand of PC, as an additional anti-piracy feature. Further,
such DVDs are severely customized to contain only the minimum of device
drivers, and a lot of extra nonsense, that the manufacturer feels
necessary for the specific model of PC for which the DVD was designed.

Just make sure you include the cost of a new operating system license
in your insurance claim.

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Bruce Chambers

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Richard Urban - 30 Sep 2007 16:41 GMT

The operating system is gone with the computer. You will have to buy a new
copy to install on another computer.

BTW: Many software companies are now tying their programs to the first
computer it is installed on. I have seen this with some ant malware programs
such as SpySweeper. Install it on one computer. Then try to install it on
another computer and it will not be activated.

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Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

> Well, I had my laptop stolen yesterday and now I'm planning on using come
> old
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> Thanks in advance for your help

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