Summary: To 'legalize' your Windows XP Installation, simply install a legal copy over your old copy.
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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. |
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!
Related:
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Ask Leo! - Will SP2 crash my machine?
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Ask Leo! - Will installing SP2 report an illegal Windows installation?
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Ask Leo! - Can I install Windows XP using one manufacturer's CD on a different pc?
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Ask Leo! - Do I need to have Windows XP SP1 installed before I install SP2?
Article C2228 - November 20, 2004
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If your hardware changes "too much" you may need to re-authorize your copy of
Windows because it looks like you've installed it on a different machine. If
the on-line auth doesn't work, then all you need to is call Microsoft. I've
actually heard good reports of that process working well. An occasional
annoyance, but working well.
Oh, and sure: anyone can sue anyone for any thing at any time.
Leo
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I have, at present an illegal copy of Windows XP Pro which was put on my PC by a computer shop over the top of Windows XP Home edition which was a legal copy bought by me. Having read the above article, is it possible to install my Home Edition over the Pro edition. Will this work and make me legal again?
Posted by: Duncan Higgins at August 16, 2007 8:45 AMhi.i ve3 bought a new pc a month ago. unfortunatelly vista its more than crap. i want to get xp on it but dont want to lose vista cos obvio. i ve payed for it . how can i install an xp on it without loosing vista??
Posted by: alan at January 31, 2008 5:48 AMI bought a second hand PC with illegal windows XP Pro with SP2 installed. Can i buy XP Home and install that onto it with minimum effort? Backing up data is not a problem, im just worried about whether the PC will turn on again because i dont know how to install an OS.Any help appreciated!
Posted by: Mark at February 13, 2008 1:41 PMI have the same problem like mark.I bought second hand pc with not genuine copy of windows XP pro.I want to install OS window XP Home but the software is already use in my other laptop is it still ok if I use again,install it to my second hand PC? can i install it by myself? how? can u tell me step by step......tnx
Posted by: mavel ramos at March 18, 2008 7:01 PMI have, at present an illegal copy of Windows XP Pro which was put on my PC by my son over the top of Windows XP Home edition which was a legal copy bought by me. He was go to fit winlogon.exe unable to locate componet this application failed to stant shell 32.dll was not found, How can I remove the illegal copy of Windows XP Pro ?
Posted by: Larry at April 29, 2008 6:12 AMI have HP Compaq nx6120 Laptop with OS Win XP . the problem is that the recovery partition is formatted. No XP CD is provided by HP. I installed the pirated copy of Win XP on it. Can i make this as a leagal copy. I have the product Key of Win XP.
Posted by: Tejas at May 22, 2008 12:40 AMi 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