xp activation

[snugglepuffle]

i have just done a complete re-install of windows xp home edition on my parents pc and i'm having a issue that i'm not sure if i can... so here goes

if i activate my copy of windows xp home after i have done teh re-install, is it possible [if i reinstall again on the same pc] to use it again and re-activate it or can i only activate it once?

cheers in advance for any advice on this

[theantidote]

You legally are able to reinstall it on the same PC as many times as you want. But if you change the motherboard you legally have to buy a new copy of XP.

[Jojo81]

You legally are able to reinstall it on the same PC as many times as you want. But if you change the motherboard you legally have to buy a new copy of XP.

If you buy a new mobo and talk to the activation support person over the phone about it I 9/10 times gaurantee they'll let you do it.

[Salgoth]

If you buy a new mobo and talk to the activation support person over the phone about it I 9/10 times gaurantee they'll let you do it.

More like 10/10. The software is purchased by you with no connection to the mobo. The ONLY exception might be an OEM copy sold with a specific vendor system. For a home built rig you can always call and reactivate. I changed out mobo, proc, and RAM twice in the lifetime of my copy of XP Pro and have had no issues getting reactivated.

[Mando]

More like 10/10. The software is purchased by you with no connection to the mobo. The ONLY exception might be an OEM copy sold with a specific vendor system. For a home built rig you can always call and reactivate. I changed out mobo, proc, and RAM twice in the lifetime of my copy of XP Pro and have had no issues getting reactivated.

If its a self built pc it is perfectly fine to buy an OEM version of XP or office with the hardware. OEM bought with new hardware can be activated onlien but after i think 8 activations in a year it will NOT activate online.

I have had this issue with my own self bought and self built machine with OEM XP pro, when on the phone to MS i bullpooped them each time saying my motherboard and hard drive packed in and they would give me a re-activation cde.

:rofl:

[yanowhiz]

Actually it's not linked to the motherboard.

The genuine validation process will collect information about your system to determine if your Microsoft software is genuine. The validation tools do not collect your name, address, e-mail address, or any other information that Microsoft will use to identify you or contact you. The tools collect such information as:

* Computer make and model

* Version information for the operating system and software using Genuine Advantage

* Region and language setting

* A unique number assigned to your computer by the tools (Globally Unique Identifier or GUID)

* Product ID and product key

* BIOS name, revision number, and revision date

* Volume serial number

* Office product key (if validating Office)

In addition to the configuration information above, status information such as the following is also transferred:

* Whether the installation was successful

* The result of the validation check

As standard procedure, your Internet Protocol (IP) address is temporarily logged when your computer connects to a genuine validation website or server. These logs are routinely deleted.

http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/downloads...?displaylang=en

However that is the WGA, not activation, though. However, my best guess is they send the same information.

About 2 weeks ago they use to have all of this collected:

A: The genuine validation process will collect information about your system to determine if your Microsoft software is genuine. This process does not collect or send any information that can be used to identify you or contact you. The information collected in the validation process includes:

* Windows product key

* PC manufacturer

* Operating System version

* Windows XP product ID

* PC BIOS information (make, version, date)

* BIOS MD5 Checksum

* User locale setting

* Language version of the operating system

* Office product key (if validating Office)

* Hard drive serial number

* Validation and installation results

* IP address