I have the dubious pleasure of installing my wife's new PC today. We didn't want Vista yet and ordered it without XP to save a little money, so the first step is to run her old XP SP1 CD. Presumably that will ask me for her 20 digit activation code and reject it because this is a new PC? What do I do then please? Is there a UK phone number to ring? Am I right there's no desperate hurry to do that?

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Terry, West Sussex, UK

is the copy of XP on a machine at the moment?

you should be able to install XP on the machine but it's only SP1 and to get any updates you'll need at least SP2.

To add a bit here, if it's been over 90 (or 120?) days since you activated that "old" CD installation, you can install it on the new PC and it should activate with no problems. At the worst a phone number will be displayed (Toll-free) for activation. As brain_damage stated, the EULA states that only one machine can be run with that copy, so the original installation must be removed from the "old" machine. If you have to go the phone route, you will be asked if that copy is on ONLY the new machine, and if it's been removed from the "old" machine. Once you affirm this, they will give you a 50 digit code to enter.

I would leave it disconnected from the net (for activation/upgrades) until you have an Anti-Virus and Firewall program installed and both ready for updated definitions. THEN connect, update AV/Firewall, then activate. Make SP2 your very next download/install; http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

I recommend avast! Anti-Virus;
http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html

and Comodo Firewall;
http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.c...ica&country=US

Both FREE, and both excellent.

Thanks both, appreciate your help.

I ended up doing it pretty well as you outlined Dan, and activation was a no-brainer. I installed AVG as that's the free program I'm using myself. We took this opportunity to ditch NAV.

I had a quite different problem on which I'd welcome any thoughts anyone may have please, so I'll post in a new thread.

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Terry, West Sussex, UK

You're welcome, from both of us. ;>)

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