activating windows after update?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Carbito
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Carbito

If I update my computer by putting in a new mainboard and HDD will it still
allow me to install and activate Windows XP Home Edition (OEM) on my new
hard drive or will Windows see it as a new computer? Please help because I
don't want to have to buy a new copy of Windows.
 
Hi

See if the following article by MVP Alex Nichol helps:

"Windows Product Activation (WPA) on Windows XP"
http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm

--

Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups


| If I update my computer by putting in a new mainboard and HDD will it
still
| allow me to install and activate Windows XP Home Edition (OEM) on my new
| hard drive or will Windows see it as a new computer? Please help because I
| don't want to have to buy a new copy of Windows.
|
|
|
|
|
 
Hello Carbito!

If I update my computer by putting in a new mainboard and HDD will it
still allow me to install and activate Windows XP Home Edition (OEM)
on my new hard drive or will Windows see it as a new computer? Please
help because I don't want to have to buy a new copy of Windows.
Click to expand...

You don't have to buy a new copy. You only have to activate Windows XP
again, that's all. I can't say if you have to active Windows, it depends on
many factors. AFAIR you have to change at least 2 or 3 components to
activate Windows again.
 
If I update my computer by putting in a new mainboard and HDD will it still
allow me to install and activate Windows XP Home Edition (OEM) on my new
hard drive or will Windows see it as a new computer? Please help because I
don't want to have to buy a new copy of Windows.
Click to expand...

I think you mean "upgrade" not "update". ;-)

After a mobo/HD change you will certainly have to do a
repair installation of WinXP. You may have to reactivate
after that but not necessarily so. Depending on the results
of the repair installation, you may find yourself wanting to
do a clean installation. If you do that, a reactivation will
be necessary. If it's been more than 120 days since you last
activated, the reactivation should take place automatically
over the internet. If not, you will be directed to make a
phone call to activate.

In all of this process it's important that you have a "real"
OEM edition of WinXP and not one of the doctored "recovery
disks" that Compaq and their ilk supply as "OEM" disk.

Did you build the computer yourself or have someone build it
for you? If so, *you're* the OEM! (Original Equipment
Manufacturer)
 
Peter said:
Hello Carbito!



You don't have to buy a new copy. You only have to activate Windows XP
again, that's all. I can't say if you have to active Windows, it
depends on many factors. AFAIR you have to change at least 2 or 3
components to activate Windows again.
Click to expand...

Sorry, Peter, but you might not be correct. If the motherboard is different
from the one he's currently using, and the OEM is a manufacturer branded OEM
(rather than an off the shelf generic) then he may very well have to
purchase it again, as most (if not all) of the mainstream OEMs consider the
motherboard "the computer" and, if it's changed, their version of Windows
*WILL NOT* install and the OP will be required to purchase a new licence as
the BIOSs won't be the same.
 
Hello Miss Perspicacia!

Sorry, Peter, but you might not be correct. If the motherboard is
different from the one he's currently using, and the OEM is a
manufacturer branded OEM (rather than an off the shelf generic) then
he may very well have to purchase it again, as most (if not all) of
the mainstream OEMs consider the motherboard "the computer" and, if
it's changed, their version of Windows *WILL NOT* install and the OP
will be required to purchase a new licence as the BIOSs won't be the
same.
Click to expand...

Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot about OEM versions of Windows XP. Completle true
what you said!

Sorry for the Inconvinience.
 
Greetings --

For most OEM's, it's the motherboard that "defines" the computer,
and they therefore use some form of BIOS-locking to prevent the OEM
license from installing upon a non-OEM motherboard, or to cause it to
subsequently require activation.

Normally, and assuming a retail license (many OEM licenses are
not transferable to a new motherboard), unless the new motherboard is
virtually identical (same chipset, same IDE controllers, same BIOS
version, etc.) to the one on which the WinXP installation was
originally performed, you'll need to perform a repair (a.k.a. in-place
upgrade) installation, at the very least:

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/directory/article.asp?ID=KB;EN-US;Q315341

As always when undertaking such a significant change, back up any
important data before starting.

This will also require re-activation, unless you have a Volume
Licensed version of WinXP Pro installed. If it's been more than 120
days since you last activated that specific Product Key, you'll most
likely be able to activate via the internet without problem. If it's
been less, you might have to make a 5 minute phone call. You
shouldn't have to buy a new license.


Bruce Chambers
--
Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. - RAH
 
Carbito said:
If I update my computer by putting in a new mainboard and HDD will it still
allow me to install and activate Windows XP Home Edition (OEM) on my new
hard drive or will Windows see it as a new computer?
Click to expand...

That is one of the problems of buying an OEM copy. They are licensed
solely to one machine - that where first installed, and it is something
of a grey area where this turns into another machine. Best guess would
be if after the reinstall things fall outside the limits for number of
items changed when they are changed one after another without the total
new setup you will need. See www.aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm. The Hint in
'Format Hard drive' will enable you to save one 'vote'. The drive
itself, motherboard and CPU will lose you three. You might get away,
especially if the machine has an independent Network card (NIC) that you
retain

Best course would be to keep your present Hard drive, booting from that
and retaining the system installed on it, and add a second data one.
Then do a repair reinstall to take in the new motherboard.
 
Carbito said:
If I update my computer by putting in a new mainboard and HDD will it still
allow me to install and activate Windows XP Home Edition (OEM) on my new
hard drive or will Windows see it as a new computer? Please help because I
don't want to have to buy a new copy of Windows.
Click to expand...

I am getting so many mixed answers to this question. Is there any way around
this activation issue? my hard drive is starting to die on me and needs
replacing soon but I don't have the money to buy another copy of Windows.

What about Office XP (academic edition, retail)? Will it allow me to
activate that when I get my new hard drive and mobo in?
 
Copy the i386 folder to cd a cd rom.
(You migt want to make two cd roms)
Backup all your drivers on to cd rom
Backup any data you want save.
Get the product key of the back of your computer.
Get a win98se boot floppy with fdisk on it.

There are still some older systems for sale at computer shops. There
is no law says you have to use xp.

Wal-mart has a computer for about $500 in some stores. (May be
cheaper to buy it this way, then buying a new motherboard and hard
drive) One big disadvantages is a noisy power supply fan

The other program you mentioned. Should be able to be transferred as
well if it a retail. You may have to activate them both again.
 
I am getting so many mixed answers to this question. Is there any way around
this activation issue? my hard drive is starting to die on me and needs
replacing soon but I don't have the money to buy another copy of Windows.

What about Office XP (academic edition, retail)? Will it allow me to
activate that when I get my new hard drive and mobo in?
Click to expand...

Download and run the small executable file "WXP_Kill.exe". It will
solve your product activation nightmares.
 
I am getting so many mixed answers to this question. Is there any way around
Download and run the small executable file "WXP_Kill.exe". It will solve your product activation nightmares.
Click to expand...

Oops. Correction, there. Freudian slip on my part. The file is
"WPA_Kill.exe". You can see how anyone could make this mistake. :-0
 
Carbito said:
I am getting so many mixed answers to this question. Is there any way around
this activation issue? my hard drive is starting to die on me and needs
replacing soon but I don't have the money to buy another copy of Windows.
Click to expand...

Provided you do not have one of the 'OEM' copies marked as 'for supply
only with a new computer', you can transfer without problems. When it
comes to activation, if it is more than 120 days since you last did it,
you will find it will go through on the net just like first time. If
not, you will have to phone a toll-free number that will be given, to
explain and swap one long number for another to check back as you type
it in
What about Office XP (academic edition, retail)? Will it allow me to
activate that when I get my new hard drive and mobo in?
Click to expand...

It should do, but Office may be a little less tolerant about doing it on
the net - I don't think the 120 day point was added to the Office
approach
 
Carbito said:
If I update my computer by putting in a new mainboard and HDD will it still
allow me to install and activate Windows XP Home Edition (OEM) on my new
hard drive or will Windows see it as a new computer? Please help because I
don't want to have to buy a new copy of Windows.
Click to expand...

What if I got Windows XP Professional Upgrade? Would I be able to install
that over my OEM version and then activate Windows from that?
 
In
Carbito said:
What if I got Windows XP Professional Upgrade? Would I be able to
install that over my OEM version and then activate Windows from
Click to expand...
that?


Yes.
 
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