As per the subject. Is it legal for me to download, from bit-torrent, a Windows XP Tablet PC Edition CD, and then use the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition CD-Key on the bottom of my laptop?

Most likely illegal. We're not meant to talk about downloading illegal copies of software from the internet here, even if you have a legit CD key.

As per the subject. Is it legal for me to download, from bit-torrent, a Windows XP Tablet PC Edition CD, and then use the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition CD-Key on the bottom of my laptop?

Probaply not, but if you have an OEM Pro SP2 CD and the files TABLETPC.CAB and NETFX.CAB you can make your own CD. (And if your TabletPC was made by a Royalty OEM you can keep the preactivation.)

But for ppl who have illegal copies of windows microsoft and WGA lets them make it legal buy just purchasing a legit serial num.

I dont see any difrence.

If u install it, and Genuine Advantage Validation tells you its a legal copy, then it is legal.

Its not the CD that microsoft cares about its the Serial. N#

well ive tried to use my license on the bottom of my laptop before for an xp pro installation and it didnt accept the key... so im not even sure if it will let you.

Yes uou have to test and see if the key will work wit that version of XP.

Test by trying an upgrade install while loged on to windows, just try serial and cancel install after u see if serial will work or not with CD.

yeah i just tried it, the key on the bottom of the laptop wasnt valid. but it says its for tablet pc, and so is the image i downloaded. I wont be using the illegal keys that come with it, so i guess thats that.

question though - why didnt it work? would i need an OEM copy of tablet? or a gateway specific copy? i assume the one i downloaded was a corp version or something which is why it rejected my key. Maybe I'll call gateway tomorrow and see if they can do anything for me.

well i think it will only work with ur gateway cd of xp. not sure why tho.

Plain simple answer - downloading any CD of XP from anywhere but a Microsoft distributor (MSDN for example) is illegal. It just is.

As for your licence - 99% of the time, the licences that come with purchased computers are OEM licences. This means that the licence is tied to that hardware (you can't install it on another computer). The CD that you downloaded was labeled as a corporate version, and was designed to handle Volume Licence Keys (or VLKs) - not OEM keys.

The only way for you to legally get a CD for your comptuer is to get it from your computer manufacturer.

Also - if you're going to ask if it's legal to do something or not, and then several members tell you it's illegal - don't do it! It's a little silly to ask a question and either not wait for the answer or to go against it anyways.

Since there shouldn't be any discussion about this in the first place - Topic Closed