COA lincense number connected to S/N or UUID?

[LPC]

Hi all,

I have a T23 (8MU) with a bad mother board. I have the COA sticker on the back with the XPpro product key and the original HD with restore partition. Instead of replacing the system board can I use the product key to install a clean Xppro install on my other T23 (8PU) (it does not have the COA on back). I would use my retail copy of Xppro to do the install or make RRDs from the partitioned HD.

I have read conflicting information about using the COA on other thinkpads....The COA dies with the machine.....The COA can be used within the same thinkpad models.

The HMM states that when replacing the system board the S/N needs to be reset to the original S/N from the replaced system board. Also that the UUID of the new system board will be retained, or if not already set a new UUID must be given.

According to above, I am thinking that the COA is connected with the S/N, and it will die with the machine IF the S/N from dead system board is not replaced on the new system board. I don’t think the UUID is connected with the COA since it will always be different from the dead system board.

Can anyone confirm this? I just want to make sure it will work before I wipe my HD.

Thanks

[carbon_unit]

The COA's are not tied in any way to the serial number or a particular motherboard but according to Microsoft policy the COA is only supposed to be used on the machine it originally came on. So in actuality the COA is just a COA but according to policy it dies with the machine.
The COA in question will only work with certain versions of XP install CD's. It is an OEM number and will only work with OEM cd's. The restore partition on the HDD has a Volume License Key number in it that will not match the COA on the bottom. This VLK number will be used on a whole series of Thinkpads so it would work on either one of your T23's but it would only be legal on the one with the COA sticker.
Confused??..... I am

[LPC]

Thanks Carbon_unit.

I understand....