Situation:

Non branded computer purchased on Ebay loaded with lots of neat software but unfortunately XP Pro does not seem to be legal.

Can a person purchase a genuine version of Windows XP Pro that the key has never been registered or activated and change the existing key on the computer to the legal key without losing the other software installed?

Does it matter if the XP software is a retail version or OEM version?

Thanks for the help.

You can save money by buying a copy of XP Pro OEM on Newegg. However I don't know if you can change the existing key and if so if it must be retail or OEM. Technically you are suppose to be a system builder to purchase XP OEM but Newegg doesn't care.

An illegal copy of windows makes me wonder if the rest of the software is legal. How do you know that XP isn't legal?

The seller has not been able to "find the COA and Key". This makes me think that something is not quite right.

My thoughts are to purchase a license that has never been activated and do a telephone activation with microsoft . Hopefully all this would do is change the key and not disturb any of the other software.

Right click on the start menu --> all programs --> accessories --> activate windows for the activation wizard.

I believe that if windows isn't activated then it gives you the option of changing the serial number before activating but mine is activated and hence it won't let me do anything so I don't know for sure. If it is activated then what are you concerned with? One thing that I don't know is if an install of a retail copy will except or activate an OEM serial but as I said you can buy an OEM copy through newegg. You can also buy a copy of xp media center for cheaper than pro but you would probably have to do a reinstall of that. BTW Xp media center is only available OEM.