EMT_RR wrote:
> I need to "rebuild" my WinXP Pro system because a number of
> applications have either stopped working properly or have stopped
> altogether ... plus my system has gotten extremely slow. (I have
> tried addressing the various problems on at a time and feel I'm
> spending too much time with too little gain.)
>
> MY CONCERN: I am using WinXP Pro that I purchased many years ago
> (to replace XP Home). I have the activation key so that is not a
> problem. However, a friend recently had problems reinstalling his
> WinXP Pro system because the activation? registration? site was not
> up ... or that is what he told me. (I don't remember what his
> solution was and he is not available for me to contact.)
>
> Since I plan to reformat my hard drive and then reinstall WinXP
> Pro, will I have have a problem with activation and registration?
> And, if so, what do I need to do to avoid having a problem with the
> reinstall.
John Dearing wrote:
> As long as you have the original CD along with the same 25 digit
> product key that was used to do the original installation, you
> should be fine. Is the XP Pro CD a Full Install CD or an Upgrade
> CD? You seem to imply that there was originally XP Home on the
> machine and you then upgraded to XP Pro. Is that correct?
>
> If the machine originally came with XP Home, then the sticker
> affixed to the case will show XP Home. That's your *original*
> Certificate of Authenticity. You then possibly upgraded tp XP Pro
> with a different CD.
>
> If that CD is an upgrade CD then you now have *two* Certificates of
> Authenticity (the Original XP Home and the Upgrade to XP Pro).
>
> While "technically" you aren't supposed to use an "Upgrade" CD to
> do a full install, it can be done (a Google search will find you
> plenty of hits) but it is a "misuse" of the license. You would be
> "technically" in violation of the EULA by doing so, it will be up
> to you to decide if your are violating the "spirit" of the EULA by
> simply restoring your computer to it's previous state. Obviously,
> you aren't making an attempt to have multiple, simultaneous
> instances of XP running on different machines, just getting your
> machine back to normal.
EMT_RR wrote:
> My system came with XP Home ... I "upgraded" by buying a new (full)
> copy of XP Pro ... back then I didn't understand about the
> difference between upgrade and new install. So, when I upgraded, I
> used the new CD with a new activation key. So, I have two
> certificates for the same machine ... don't believe I am in
> violation of the EULA.
>
> But now I come back to my original concern. I remember that part
> of the install is that WinXP Pro tries to dial out to register the
> new installation. My friend told me that he was unable to make a
> connection and that the toll-free voice number provided was no
> longer in service.
>
> Will I run into a registration problem? If my machine cannot dial
> out, is there a valid toll-free number at Microsoft that I should
> call to register my copy?
Registration is optional. Activation is mandatory.
As long as you have the correct product key, you should be fine. *Worst*
case is that you would have to call a 1-800 number to activate. *Best* case
is that you will install, get your Internet working (installing whatever
hardware drivers you need to do so) and it will activate over the Internet.
Your friend was/is likely misinformed or mistaken.
My suggestion to you is that you prepare properly before undertaking this.
- Have your original Windows XP Professional and Windows XP Home
installation CDs handy.
- Have the Windows XP Professional product key handy.
- Have a copy of Windows XP SP3 handy (either download the full installer or
download and burn the ISO image of it to CD.)
- Disconnect (physically) from the Internet.
- Install Windows XP Professional cleanly - using the following step-by-step
guide...
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html
(If you have an Upgrade version of Windows XP Professional, you'll need
the Windows XP Home installation media to prove your upgrade rights.)
- After the install finishes and you logon the first time - install SP3
before ever connecting the machine to a method for connecting to the
Internet.
- Connect the machine to the Internet.
- Get the Internet working, install any hardware device drivers you need to
do so.
- Install any other hardware device drivers you need to (motherboard
chipset, network device, dial-up modem, sound device, video device, wifi
device, etc.)
- Visit
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and install all
Critical/High-Priority updates (Do *none* of the optional updates right
now.)
At any point in there (after the install and first connection to the
Internet) - you can activate Windows XP - likely over the Internet - with no
problems.
Come back - let everyone know how things go!
--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
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