DNAprint Genomics (DNAG)

[stakddek]

Altarboy: Microsoft has been screwed for years by people who run one copy of "Windows XXX" on multiple computers. Now they are realy cracking down. You may have to bite the bullet and buy another copy of Windows for your laptop. Either that or retire your desktop!

If you do have two copies of Windows, each will have a different key and the registration you refer to might be you pwesonally? You are a registered user. You are registering a 2nd Windows operating system to your name.

If I recall, Microsoft now collects some data for registration purposes that includes the processor ID string. If you have a duplicate "Windows XXX" that is, the same registry string of numbers and letters, with a different processor, they won't let you use Windows Update to keep your Operating System current. All the bug fixes and security patches will be unavailable to you without a great deal of hacking.

Best bet is just get a clean copy to install. When you got that lap top, it might have a system recover function. You could try using it's system recover to install the "windows" that should have come with the laptop.

If the purchase is a hassle, you could call Microsoft customer service and explain it to them that you lost the system recovery capability on the laptop and just have to get it working. They may take pity, or they may just stonewall you, but you can try. Manufacturer of the laptop might be able to supply new system recovery disks for the laptop. That system recovery usually includes the windows operating system.

Can't help more unless you detail the situation?

Stakddek