I've installed Parallels on my MacBook solely to use one Windows application. Now I need to install Windows XP but can't figure out which version to buy. Online vendors offer OEM as well as retail versions, with at least vendor claiming that the (cheaper) OEM version won't work with Parallels. I need a knowledgeable suggestion about which version of XP to buy. N. B.: my wife uses XP on her laptop but I'm reluctant to install the same serial number copy on my MacBook because in my experience Microsoft aggressively poles online machines looking for pirated software. I'm assuming that Microsoft would freak out if it discovered two machines using XP with the same serial number. Then I'd have to learn how to uninstall XP.
As a general rule, OEM will work, the key is that it is a real OEM disk and NOT a disk that is tied to a particular type of computer. I use OEM, but I make sure that it is not a vendor-tied disk. You can be on the safe side and just get a straight-out retail, though.
