Windows Pro Upgrade - Serial Needed?

[John Smith]

Hi,

If I installed windows 98 on a computer than purchased a copy of Windows
XP Pro upgrade and installed that, does it ask for a serial and does it
also require you to activate online after install? As I format my
computer alot and XP home requires you to register online or something
which is annoying becuase it says it is already registered.....

Thanks

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

John

Maybe you shouldn't format your computer 'a lot'.. why do you?.. stick with
Win 98 if you do it for relaxation and fun.. use XP if you are willing to
learn how to keep an installation running well without the need to format 'a
lot'..

 

[ANONYMOUS]

John,

Yes you will need the serial number and you will need to activate it
online or by telephone.

If you keep formatting your HD for hobby then you can follow these steps
to avoid activation:

Double-click My Computer
Double-click on the "C" drive
Go to the C:\Windows\System32 folder (you may have to click on the link
that says "Show The contents of this folder")
Find the files "wpa.dbl" and "wpa.bak" and copy them to a safe location.
You can copy them on a floppy drive or burn it onto a CD or DVD.
After you have reinstalled Windows XP on your reformatted hard drive,
click "No" when asked if you want to go ahead and go through the
activation process
Reboot your computer into SafeMode (you can either press F8 as Windows
is booting up to see the Windows Advanced Options menu and select
SAFEBOOT_OPTION=Minimal or follow the instructions in Starting Windows
XP in SafeMode
Double-click My Computer
Double-click on the "C" drive
Go to the C:\Windows\System32 folder (you may have to click on the link
that says "Show The contents of this folder")
Find the file "wpa.dbl" and "wpa.bak" (if it exists) and rename them to
"wpadbl.new" and "wpabak.new"
Copy your original "wpa.dbl" and "wpa.bak" files from your floppy disk,
CD or DVD into the C:\Windows\System32 folder
Restart your system (if you followed the directions in Starting Windows
XP in SafeMode you may need to go back into MSCONFIG to turn off booting
into SafeMode)

This method only works when you reinstall the XP on the same system as
before. YOU CAN'T USE THIS METHOD TO INSTALL ON ANY OTHER SYSTEM.

HTH

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

Isn't it just easier to learn how to use XP such that it doesn't require
re-installation?..

 

[ANONYMOUS]

Of course it is but John wants to keep himself amused by Windows
technology. There are people like that on this planet and so we have to
embrace them. It is called a learning process where people like to
install and reinstall software packages because they are facinated by
their new found knowledge.

I remember my colleagues doing the same things during the bad old DOS
days! Installing DOS was a nightmare before DOS 6.22 came because you
had to format the HD and so you lost everything. Backing up of personal
data was very difficult because people didn't have enough disks to put
everyhing. Disks were very expensive in those days! Then came DOS 6.22
which required no format as upgrade was possible. The rest is history.

Regards,