Changing xp home to pro licensing question

[asbasb]

I have a potential client that is interested in their first server. Unfortunately quite a few of their computers have XP Home on them. I've been told in the past the best way to go is to purchase XP Pro OEM and install that on these computers. Is that the way to go? Obviously I want to do the proper thing from a licensing standpoint.

[charlie]

Sorry, OEM is just that: Original Equipment Manufacturer license. According to my understanding, installing in your scenario would be a violation of the EULA.

I would say your best bet is to get XP Pro Upgrades, or if the machines are over 3 years old, maybe consider new hardware especially if it was cheaper/home equipment to begin with.

[charlie]

Here are supporting facts from Eric Ligman’s blog:
http://blogs.msdn.com/mssmallbiz/archiv ... 61950.aspx

Excerpts:
“We grant you a nonexclusive right to distribute an individual software license only with a fully assembled computer system. A "fully assembled computer system" means a computer system consisting of at least a central processing unit, a motherboard, a hard drive, a power supply, and a case."

"When you distribute an individual software license for a desktop operating system or application software, you must preinstall it on the fully assembled computer system’s hard drive using the OEM Preinstallation Kit ("OPK") provided in this package or otherwise made available by us. This preinstallation requirement does not apply to server software."