MSDN question.

[Westside]

I used to have a Windows XP key from my old scholl for free, they do this for every student at my old school. Now that I transfered schools, I am no longer a student back in my old school, will the windows XP key I used to have still work?

 

[jumpman17]

Yes

 

[furakon]

Not necessarily legal, but yeah...

 

[Helmut]

Keys & software received from the MSDNAA program can be used even if you are not any more in the same school and even if you'r not any more a student, as long as you are not using those software in a professional and/or profitable way. It's restricted to personnal and educational use. Juste watch out if you'r using software that has limited number of activation, like Vista (which will also be bound to your motherboard).
As long as you stick to those rules, it's legal.

 

[Psyfira]

Wait a minute, you mean the keys don't expire with time? I just assumed, never actually checked, so you mean the copy of XP Pro I got from them 3 years ago and never actually got around to installing is still good? Nice to know

 

[MystikEkoez]

As long as you don't reactivate it too many times, you're good.

 

[Helmut]

Wait a minute, you mean the keys don't expire with time? I just assumed, never actually checked, so you mean the copy of XP Pro I got from them 3 years ago and never actually got around to installing is still good? Nice to know

That's it, no expiration at all, just a limited number of activation for the OS's. If you need more activation, you can call Microsoft and argue something to one or more additionnal activation.

Even better, you can build a customized installation CD which already contains your activated copy key and updates (SP2,...). So that you don't need to re-activate when re-installing. There's a lot of software and tutorials on the web to do that. Search for "unattended installation".

 

[Westside]

Well, you see the thing is that it didn't work. My MSDN keys used to work on Windows XP PRO SP2. I downloded windows XP PRO SP2 and tried to use the keys, but it didn't work...

 

[Helmut]

Well, you see the thing is that it didn't work. My MSDN keys used to work on Windows XP PRO SP2. I downloded windows XP PRO SP2 and tried to use the keys, but it didn't work...

Keys are bound to a "core version". Two XP PRO SP2 can have different build number (the number is written on original CD), and then, different key compatibility. Language is also a factor, two windows with the same build number but with different language will not be compatible with the same key. And there's also different key with OEM, retail and other version like multi-user version etc...

So to be sure to get the good version, if it's a key that comes from MSDNAA, you must download the MSDNAA version of the good windows version. If you have not access anymore to your MSDNAA account, it's likely you'll try 20 versions of XP before finding the good one.