Windows XP

I'm thinking of building a new PC for gaming (currently have a Mac) and I need a copy of Windows XP. What is the cheapest I can get it legally for? I'm only after one of those single licence efforts.

Starting point?

http://tinyurl.com/ra5xp

I take it that if I buy OEM it means that I can only install it on that machine, and if I upgrade that machine with two or more components I have to buy a new licence?

Effectively, yes, though you may be able to re-activate by phone, explaing there had been a component failure.

Strictly speaking, if you were to replace a non-faulty motherboard in order to change to a different CPU, then yes. If you were just upgrading the DVD drive, video card, RAM, sound card etc, then no.

As long as you don't upgrade the motherboard you can upgrade just about anything else, especially if the various upgrades are done over a period of time as it resets every 120 days afer a reactivation. If trying to upgrade the motherboard you would have to persuade them by phone that you were replacing a faulty one and technically you should be replacing like with like unless you can convince them that you had no option but go for s dfferent model as your original model was no longer available. Generally, I have always fount them pretty reasonable the few times I have had to phone them to activate, though you can get the odd awkward jobsworthy.

http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/114048 -

As jcym says, technically you arent allowed to use it if you upgrading something like your motherboard, though if you explain to them that it was a faulty one over the phone (if you are lucky enough to get a decent person on the phone in india), then they let you activate it. I had to replace my mobo and ive added a hard disk and mine has worked fine.

I just had to reactivate my os due to an actual motherboard failure, just make sure you know something which can accurately fail, then there should not be any issue. Mine was the memory slot

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