Removable drive activation issues

[Nathan]

Hello,

I am using a removeable hard drive with WinXP loaded on it. At this
particular college we have two computer labs with different hardware setups
in each lab. I have successfully configured hardware profiles on this
installation for each lab and have no problems in that regard. The problem I
*am* having is that whenever I move to the other machine windows detects the
"significant hardware change" and forces me to re-activate. How can I fix
this? We (the lab staff) are wanting to upgrade our removeable drives from
Win2k to XP but are having problems with the activation issues. The
operating system is fully licensed for this configuration on all machines.

The question: How do I keep windows from nagging me every time I change
labs? Is there some way to have the hardware profile switch the wpa.dbl and
wpa.bak files while booting? (I ask this because I've discovered that the
..dbl file is the activation for the current machine and the .bak file is the
activation for the other one, and if switched prior to switching machines,
activation issues do not occur). What I want is a hard drive that I can use
in either lab.

Thanks!

-Nathan

 

[Kerry Brown]

Hello,

I am using a removeable hard drive with WinXP loaded on it. At this
particular college we have two computer labs with different hardware
setups in each lab. I have successfully configured hardware profiles on
this installation for each lab and have no problems in that regard. The
problem I *am* having is that whenever I move to the other machine windows
detects the "significant hardware change" and forces me to re-activate.
How can I fix this? We (the lab staff) are wanting to upgrade our
removeable drives from Win2k to XP but are having problems with the
activation issues. The operating system is fully licensed for this
configuration on all machines.

The question: How do I keep windows from nagging me every time I change
labs? Is there some way to have the hardware profile switch the wpa.dbl
and wpa.bak files while booting? (I ask this because I've discovered that
the .dbl file is the activation for the current machine and the .bak file
is the activation for the other one, and if switched prior to switching
machines, activation issues do not occur). What I want is a hard drive
that I can use in either lab.

Thanks!

-Nathan

How many copies of XP do you have? A volume license doesn't have to be
activated. You could look into a volume license.

http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/programs/sa/saolsleacompare.mspx

Kerry

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

You'll have to purchase Volume Licensing versions of
Windows XP to avoid the Product Activation request.

How to Acquire Microsoft Product Licenses Through Microsoft's Volume Licensing Programs
http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/howtoacquire.mspx

Deploying Windows XP Professional
http://labmice.techtarget.com/windowsxp/Install/deploy.htm

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/windowsxp/choose.mspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| Hello,
|
| I am using a removeable hard drive with WinXP loaded on it. At this
| particular college we have two computer labs with different hardware setups
| in each lab. I have successfully configured hardware profiles on this
| installation for each lab and have no problems in that regard. The problem I
| *am* having is that whenever I move to the other machine windows detects the
| "significant hardware change" and forces me to re-activate. How can I fix
| this? We (the lab staff) are wanting to upgrade our removeable drives from
| Win2k to XP but are having problems with the activation issues. The
| operating system is fully licensed for this configuration on all machines.
|
| The question: How do I keep windows from nagging me every time I change
| labs? Is there some way to have the hardware profile switch the wpa.dbl and
| wpa.bak files while booting? (I ask this because I've discovered that the
| .dbl file is the activation for the current machine and the .bak file is the
| activation for the other one, and if switched prior to switching machines,
| activation issues do not occur). What I want is a hard drive that I can use
| in either lab.
|
| Thanks!
|
| -Nathan