Windows XP home activation issues

[dimtim]

Ok guys so I got the new PC put together and its awesome. I installed windows XP with an old disk, planning to activate it when I received my new Windows XP disk in the mail, and now it wont let me activate it. Every ten minutes or so a little bubble in the corner pops up and says I need to activate Windows XP, but when I click on it the window says "Windows XP has already been activated," and then it pops up 10 minutes later. I tried to deactive it by messing with the registry settings, but I just could not get it to deactive. Do you guys have any suggestions on what I should do? I really would like to activate it, and that bubble is getting annoying.

Thanks
Tim

[Conquest10]

Why don't you just do a reinstall with the new disk?

[waheed]

If you installed XP with the old disc, then you have used a serial number for that disc that has already been activated.

You will need to use the serial number provided with the new disc.

[waheed]

If you dont want to re-install Windows XP, you best bet will be to contact microsoft.

[bazooka]

Waheed is telling you the truth.

Microsoft will walk you through the steps of chaning the serial number.

[scottb721]

How long does the activation status for a CD key last before you can reactivate again on a new machine ?
I've "heard" that after a few months a CD key can be used again.

[waheed]

Activation is tied on one machine only, regardless of time.

CD Key cannot be used again. If you buy a new PC, then you will need to contact microsoft again to transfer XP from the old PC to the new PC.