Hi all,
As I thought it best to ask the owner (Microsoft) and they got back to me as shown below...
This information is from :-
Windows > Windows XP Forums > System repair and recovery > Legal use of Windows XP installation disc.
I like the way you constantly refer to "replies" made by other people, yet never with any evidence to said replies. Note also that in this case, whereas Microsoft is the owner, and both Bill Gate or any other MS exec has legal right to any Windows or general MS product, all this s'posed "info" simply came from one of the official site's
moderators. Sounds impressive, but is hardly gospel; given that the Mod has
no legal standing and likely has no law degree to be fully educated in all the intricacies of the usual EUA that MS (along with many other software vendors by the way) is famous for attaching to their wares.... but thanks for sharing
What is most poignant is the contradiction btwn points 2 & 3... you can't do a repair install but you can perform a full install of Windows...
WTF??? So long as the "friend" has a
legally purchased serial/key for the appropriate version of Windows, BOTH options a perfectly legal!
Here's a REAL kicker for you. One can not only DL the
trial version of ANY currently supported Windows build from MS (although usually only the
latest OS version openly linked) and register it with a
legally purchased serial/key from MS; one can can actually DL/obtain a copy of Windows from any source (although technically the actual downloading is illegal), purchase a key, and quite legally install and register said copy of Windows.... all the while saving an absolute bundle. As you yourself highlighted, the rights are actually in the serial itself. When you buy a copy of Windows (either physically or digitally), you are not actually purchasing Windows itself. Microsoft reserves all ownership rights to Windows itself... you are simply purchasing the right to
use/install said copy of Windows, as well as paying for the actual software-package, in whatever form you have obtained it in. If by some chance you already
have the software, all you need purchase is the serial itself!
In other words, so long as you have a legally obtained serial/key for the version of Windows in your personage, you can
legally perform any install or repair you like.