Windows XP activation thingy

[Tool Man]

Can someone explain this XP activation thing?
When I built my PC, I was able to buy an OEM copy of XP pro, because I bought all the components from the same supplier.

Anyway, I want to make some upgrades:
New Graphics card,
Disable onboard audio and replace with sound blaster audigy,
replace RAM with larger modules.

How far can I go before XP will think it's a different PC?
And if it does, can I simply re-activate it, or do I have to buy a new licence?

Thanks.

[Conquest10]

You should be able to just reactivate it. I have added RAM and put in a sound card and installed new drives and it has not given me anything about reactivating.

[Xylob the Destroyer]

I added a sound card, nothing.
I added a DVD-rom, nothing.
I added some RAM, nothing.
I added an additional hard drive, it made me re-register and re-activate. Then it told me my product key was no longer valid and gave me a 1-800 number to call...
I still have no idea what triggered this weirdness.

And, of course, when my mother board took a shit and I had to basically build a whole new PC, it told me the product key was no longer good and I had to call the 1-800 number then as well. The person on the other end was quite uncooperative, apparently they want you to buy a new install disc when you get rid of a computer??? Whatever!! It's not like I'm trying to run XP from the same disc on multiple machines at the same time. After talking to their supervisor and practically pulling teeth, they let me activate on the new machine.
It was a head-ache.

[ROF]

I've installed XP on new systems twice since purchasing. I've click the register online now button with each reinstall and have never had the OS ask for additional registration or tell me that my registration is invalid. I do not have an OEM version which could explain the issues you are having.

[Tool Man]

I added an additional hard drive, it made me re-register and re-activate. Then it told me my product key was no longer valid and gave me a 1-800 number to call...

Thats the sort of thing I'm worried about.

[Shard92]

It's a points thing. An id number is generated when it is installed each time you change things that number changes. Minor changes won't do it by themselves but several will as it is a cumulative thing. changing motherboards ( unless exactly identical ) pretty much always trigger it.

[adam]

And you get so many reactivations before you have to call in.

Xylob the Destroyer I've called in maybe 10 times. All they do is ask you if you why you need to reactivate and then read you off a new key. Apart from having to struggle with their broken english, its painless and takes no more than 5 mins. What did you say to them to arouse so many questions?

[vhelp]

This is the main reason why I am still hesitant about upgrading
to XP. When I first purchased it mid last year at Wal-Mart, I
did not know (or realize) that you had to actually activate it.

Then, I heard (here and there) that every time you change or do
several things (as in above user's experience) you run the risk
of triggering the re-activation button.

This is just nonsense to me. Because I do countless and countless
sys upgrading; tweaking; additing new I/O cards (graphics; firewire;
USB; and others) changing; re-installations of Windows itself,
though mainly for bringing "stability" back into play again.

This re-activation has my pants pulling down and my running into
a corner to cry like a baby. So, this wouln't be a good OS to me
to use in my constantly ever changing system setup, etc.

This is why I stick with Window 98 ..because I can do anything
to my setup and not have to worry about this re-activation or
even worrying about "will I risk re-activation".

I wish there was an easier way, because I woudn't mind installing
it. But, for now, it continiues to stay on my book shelf unopened.

-vhelp 3532

[smearbrick1]

"This is why I stick with Window 98"

Don't you just love the BSODs, the illegal operations, the filesize limitations... Man... what am I doing with XP? I'm going back to Windows 98.

[redwudz]

I also remember Win 98 and how I had to re-install it 2 to 3 times a year when it would get so corrupt as to be unusable. XP is bloatware, but for me it's a lot more stable.

I have went through the reactivation probably 5 times with different computers and it only took a few minutes each time. If you end up talking to somebody and you can't understand them, hang up, call again and you will usually get a different person. For me it's not a big deal.

[V20]

The problem is that your copy of XP is an OEM version. As far as Microshaft is concenrned, an OEM version of their OS is only to be used on one PC, the OEM one it was sold with. When you get a new PC, as far as M$ is concerned, you must throw away the OEM version and buy a new copy of the OS.

If you replace the motherboard, this is the same as buying a new PC, in M$ eyes. They will not reactivate your OEM copy of XP!

If your copy of XP is a retail version however, you can reinstall it on a replacement PC (or replace the motherboard) with no problems. You'll still have to reacctivate it, of course. You still cannot have it on multiple PC's.

All this was academic up until the introduction of XP. With previous versions of Windows (2000, 98, 95, etc.), you did not have to activate, so you could upgrade as much as you wanted, even the entire computer, and your OEM copy would still work fine.

Product activation has now made OEM copies of XP limited to one computer, period!

[kidmegabit]

If you do a repair install after adding specific hardware, you need not reactivate XP, OEM or otherwise. Also, after your first install and it's been 120 days, you can reactivate without any glitch from M$. I have an OEM copy of XP and I've used this method of repair when I installed a high end graphics card and two new drives.

[Shard92]

If you do a repair install after adding specific hardware, you need not reactivate XP, OEM or otherwise. Also, after your first install and it's been 120 days, you can reactivate without any glitch from M$. I have an OEM copy of XP and I've used this method of repair when I installed a high end graphics card and two new drives.

Actually I've done this as well. And you do need to reactivate. At least on all recent ones I've done. You have to not only put in the productkey again you have to reactivate the system....

[handyguy]

I use a Dell, it uses Bios activation. You can change anything you want & never need to reactivate.

[kidmegabit]

Shard, you're right of course, I don't know what I was thinking when I said it would fix the need to activate. What I do now is, use Ghost and then I don't have to reactivate.

[BJ_M]

I use a Dell, it uses Bios activation. You can change anything you want & never need to reactivate.

IBM and HP workstation are the same way -- you can replace everything including the cpus, and card and the hard drives - even the boot drive as long as you clone the hidden partition ----- and it never asks for reaactivation ..

of course you have to keep the mother board ...

[Guy_Fawkes]

I had to reactivate my oem windows xp pro aftering flashing a dvd burner. i built the machine and used a oem installation cd. I had to call microsoft and give them a long 25 digit key then answer a couple of question. I was then issued a new activation key which worked fine. just for curiosities sake i ran a belarc report and compared it to may original belarc and the Registration key was the same as one on the jewel case.

[kidmegabit]

That's strange Guy-Fawkes, but it sounds like something M$ would do.

btw, on my previous statement I was meaning to say.......if your computer won't start after a major install of some piece of hardware, then a repair will fix that problem. That's what I was thinking, not the activation thing. LOL Excuse me but I have a TMB problem.....simply translated; Too Many Birthdays.

[b1tchm4gn3t]

You'll still have to reacctivate it, of course. You still cannot have it on multiple PC's.

Thats what they WANT you to think!

One a side note-
I bought a retail version of XP Home and I bet in the 3-4 years I have had it, its been put on probably 30 machines. Not at the same time of course, but all I do is call in and it only takes about 5 minutes, and never had a problem yet.

[kidmegabit]

I do know that M$ resets all activation numbers after 120 days. Then you can reinstall and never have a problem activating over the internet.

bitchm4gn3t, I hope M$ isn't watching this post.

[Guy_Fawkes]

That's strange Guy-Fawkes, but it sounds like something M$ would do.

btw, on my previous statement I was meaning to say.......if your computer won't start after a major install of some piece of hardware, then a repair will fix that problem. That's what I was thinking, not the activation thing. LOL Excuse me but I have a TMB problem.....simply translated; Too Many Birthdays.

You'r exactly right good ole M$. And it not the first time its, happened. I change componants in my machines all the time. Every time they ask the same stuoid questions. Example: How many machines is it insalled on. DUH. And it spoke in very broken english. Belarc report is very good peice of information and a lot easier to read than a aida report

[kidmegabit]

Since Aida32 is no longer being produced, Everest took over there, even the person who wrote Aida works for them now. Everest gives more info than Belarc and it will also give system temps. It also has a system summary that can be generated as a report of what all is in the system. I use this one constantly over Belarc. The only advantage Belarc has is, it fits on a floppy. But....some systems being built by branded computers don't come with floppy's.

http://www.lavalys.com/products/download.php?pid=1&lang=en&pageid=3