Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.
To 'legalize' your Windows XP Installation, simply install a legal copy over your old copy.
I bought a laptop with an illegal copy of Windows XP Professional. I want to remove this and get a new copy, as SP2 won't install. Can I reinstall over the current version? Or how do I remove the illegal copy? It doesn't appear in add remove programs.
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Let me start by saying "good on you" for doing the right thing!
And doing the right thing is fairly easy.
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I do want to point out that I don't think that Microsoft is restricting installations of SP2 to only legal installations just yet, though they have indicated that they plan to in the future. So, the illegal nature of your install may not be the issue there.
The short answer is to just install a legal copy of Windows XP on top of your old one. (Be sure to backup your data though, just in case.) The key will be to run Windows Activation once you're done so you register your legal copy with Microsoft. This will ensure that you're able to download and install future patches and updates. In addition, be sure to install SP2 right away.
If you were able to resolve the SP2 installation problem some other way, I'd also be tempted not to install the legal copy at all until I had to. Once you've actually purchased a copy you're technically legal, so unless you have other reasons to reinstall, you could just run with what you have. Eventually you will want to go ahead and reinstall; perhaps because Microsoft will begin enforcing legal updates only or many other reasons. In the interim, you'd be fine.
Oh, and as for Windows not showing up in it's own add/remove list... it can't! I suppose there could be an entry to "remove Windows" after which you'd be left with a machine with no operating system - which wouldn't make a lot of sense. I sure wouldn't put it there. Too many people would hit it by accident and be left with an unusable machine!
Article C2228 - November 20, 2004
Leo A. Notenboom has been playing with computers since he
was required to take a programming class in 1976. An 18 year career as a programmer at Microsoft soon followed.
After "retiring" in 2001, Leo started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place for answers
to common computer and technical questions. More about Leo.
i have 7 HP system recovery cd's win xp home edition. how do I find my serial # it did not come with it. is it on my cd's. Thank you Lee
10-Dec-2008
I have just bought a new computer and it came with an illegal copy of Windows XP Professional, thanks to this site I now know i can install my legal copy of Windows XP SP 2 Home Edition ( I just have to find out how to back up. My question though is that since i still have the illegal copy of Windows XP in my computer, is it the reason why I am unable to use Windows Live Messenger? It keeps saying something like ..' service is temporarily unavailable'...Thanks in advance if you could help me with this...
Posted by: Cecilia at February 15, 2009 7:51 AMHi to All:)
Posted by: Observer at June 12, 2009 9:55 AMI've searched solution for similar problem a while ago. Hope this helps to someone:
http://en.kioskea.net/faq/sujet-1634-legalize-a-copy-version-of-windows
No need of new instalation!
Posted by: Moshe at February 14, 2010 2:14 AMhttp://www.microsoft.com/genuine/selfhelp/PKUInstructions.aspx
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html
I think you can register the copy of XP already installed on the PC. No need to reload the new copy. Just register with the new legal product key. Just so long as the two versions are the same (home, pro, etc...).
Posted by: John Nawrocki at March 3, 2010 10:26 AM