Transfering Standalone licence?

[DannyITR]

I bought a windows standalone (Full not oem) version off ebay for a new system build. My hard drive was defective so I had to return this (also off ebay). I just realized I left my windows installation on the returned HD. Am I going to have problems re-installing it with the same key? Do I need to ask the guy to de-activate it on the old HD? If I'm able to install it and activate it on my new HD, what is to prevent people from doing the same on all their computers?

 

[Jonmor68]

I would install and activate this quickly, before someone else tries it. You would have some explaining to do with Microsoft. They would have a problem using that drive on different hardware, hopefully enough to discourege them.
If you have the original disk and serial key and preferably the receipt for it, you should be ok. Also if you registered it with Microsoft as well as activating you are pretty safe.

 

[DannyITR]

Can you tell me what the official rule is for standalone licences? Can I transfer it if I remove it form the old HD? How do they know if I removed it or not?

 

[Jonmor68]

You are required to remove it from one computer before you use it on another.
While they have no means of knowing if you have removed it from the old drive, they will if you try to use it on 2 computers, because it will neeed to be activated when used on the second computer.
When you try to activate the second system activation will fail and a call to Microsoft will be required in order to activate it, when you tell them you have installed it on another computer you will be asked how many computers it's installed on, as you only have licence for 1 you will say 1 and the new activation code will be issued.
Once that is done the activation on the old one becomes invalid and you will no longer be able to use it, as the OS will become unusable the moment it's connected to the internet.
It's not so much a question of removing it from the old drive, you could leave it on an old drive for a backup in the event your drive died, at which time you could plug it back in. So while it's used on the same hardware it's ok.
You just can't use it on more then one system at a time, Microsoft is pretty good at detecting abuse of licence, a second install will result in one or both being deactivated.

 

[DannyITR]

You are required to remove it from one computer before you use it on another.
While they have no means of knowing if you have removed it from the old drive, they will if you try to use it on 2 computers, because it will neeed to be activated when used on the second computer.
When you try to activate the second system activation will fail and a call to Microsoft will be required in order to activate it, when you tell them you have installed it on another computer you will be asked how many computers it's installed on, as you only have licence for 1 you will say 1 and the new activation code will be issued.
Once that is done the activation on the old one becomes invalid and you will no longer be able to use it, as the OS will become unusable the moment it's connected to the internet.
It's not so much a question of removing it from the old drive, you could leave it on an old drive for a backup in the event your drive died, at which time you could plug it back in. So while it's used on the same hardware it's ok.
You just can't use it on more then one system at a time, Microsoft is pretty good at detecting abuse of licence, a second install will result in one or both being deactivated.

Thx man. That's exactly what I needed to know. I was worried the hard drive vendor would be able to steal my license or something.