Which Windows XP CD to buy?

Probably a dumb question, but I'm confused about what to buy to get Windows XP running in Parallels on my iMac. Home Edition will probably do I guess (it needs to be able to run Oracle, which I currently have running nicely in CentOS, just thought I'd mention that) but when I look on Amazon and Ebay etc there are pages of different disks for sale ranging from £15 to £150. I guess the really cheap ones are upgrade disks which won't be any use (or dodgy pirate copies etc). What about these OEM disks? I'm not really sure what that is. Any hints? Thanks...

 

Late last year I bought the full version of Win XP Professional w/SP2 on Amazon.com.

It works really well. And is still available on Amazon for US$269.99 (I just checked)

Home edition full version w/SP2 is available for US$179.99

But again, make absolutely sure you buy a version with SP2.

 

I just got the cheapest OEM dvd at the local computer parts store

Hugh W

 

OEM is the exact same thing as the regular version. The only difference is that you will not be able to call Microsoft for technical support if you are having problems with Windows. If you're okay with that, OEM will work fine with BootCamp.

 

another question

I have a related question: Can I eventually upgrade the OEM version to vista after installing it in parallels?

 

The only responsible advice is to pay the usurious mark-up that Microsoft charges for "full product" versions of either XP Home or Pro.

As for the 15 buck CDs and upgrades: what do you think? Even if you have no qualms about using unlicensed software, for pity's sake don't pay money for it!

OEM CDs are more awkward - they're sort-of legitimate, intended for system builders/resellers and (officially) retailers won't sell you one unless you buy one or more major PC components at the same time (usually a motherboard, CPU or HD). The license states that (a) the system builder is responsible for providing support and (b) they should be installed permanently on the hardware they came with, after which the license is non-transferrable (you're supposed to stick the enclosed license key sticker on the machine). So, while it might be defensible to buy one with a HD, fit the HD in your mac and install it with bootcamp, getting one "loose" on eBay and installling it on Parallels is back in the category of "paying money for unlicensed software".

The practical upshot is that an OEM CD will work, but if windows product activation is set off by a major change in "hardware" (which could be an upgrade of Parallels or an attempt to use Parallel's bootcamp feature) and the person you phone at Microsoft twigs what you are doing they might refuse to re-activate it.

You can get the XP Home versus XP Pro info from the horse's mouth: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/howtobuy/choosing2.mspx

I think the two biggies in favor of Pro are (a) multi-(core)processor support and (b) finer control over file sharing permissions. Now, Parallels only emulates a single processor anyway, and if you've never had to "turn off simple networking" in XP then (b) won't bother you - so Home will probably be OK. However, Parallels might add multi-core VMs in the future (not that it makes much sense unless you have a quad core machine) or you might want to use Bootcamp (where using both cores would be an advantage).

You pay's your money and you takes your choice

 

OEM on the 'net has about a $5 difference between Home and Pro... So, I would say Pro.

 

Thanks for the advice guys.

 

Tech support specifically told me...

...that an OEM (full) version would DEFINITELY NOT work with Parallels Desktop!
and quoting page 16 from the user manual:

To install and successfully run parallels desktop, you should have:

*
*
*
*
* A full (not OEM) version of the operating system you wish to install

Reading all these posts with problems re: 3188, various key activations, sound, usb devices, etc... i'm not sure if it is worth the trouble and frustration to even install PD at the moment.
The concept sounds great, and if all these problems had been mentioned on the outside of the Parallels Desktop box, i probably would have left it in the store! (maybe not! )

Tech support did tell me that using an Upgrade version would work... so go figure?!

An OEM version will work with boot camp i've been informed...

you've had quite a few informative responses (quite helpful to me also...), and it seems contrary to Tech support, an OEM will work with PD... you just might not get MS support when and if a problem should pop up!

if all goes well, or vice versa... please contact me at [email protected] and let me know privately how things went! i will refrain from installing my copy of PD until i've heard more positive results... (as a punk... do i feel lucky?! most definitely not! )

blue skies and good luck!

 

It works. It's in the gray area of legality though. I've done a bunch of installs, and have heard of at least 50 more that have worked.

 

That is probably more to do with license issues. Buying/obtaining a loose OEM copy and installing it on a VM, without any hardware involved in the transaction, is likely against the license so, notwithstanding whether you think the license is reasonable or enforceable, Parallels are unlikely to endorse it.

Also, we're talking about the "white box" OEM versions sold with components or by small PC makers - other versions bundled with big-brand computers are sometimes "bios locked" to only run on (say) HP machines, and these may also be refered to as "OEM versions". All in all, safer to tell a white lie.

 

telling a white lie...

thanks for the informative respnses...
i do understand the possible "BIOS-locked" configuration of a possible Dell OEM version..., but as Eru mentioned, over 50 other copies have seemed to work...

...i WILL by the more expensive full (non OEM) version soon!

blue skies,

 

Yes, the BIOS locked ones are a pain... You can find generic OEM off of pricegrabber.com just fine. But as has been said, the legality is gray.

I have yet to hear of a BIOS locked one working 'out-of-the-box'.

 

Is it still possible to buy XP?

I heard it was impossible to get now. Everything is Vista.

 

Nope.
Just search PriceGrabber.com or Froogle I just picked up three more licenses.

 

You can buy XP on Amazon.com