Activating XP

[Guest]

I had XP installed and properly activated on drive C: but had an almighty crash which I could not repair using the repair facility on the CD.
Luckily, I had recently installed a second hard drive so i was able o re-install XP on this second drive.
I was under the impression that once you had installed and activated XP for any given computer you could re-install it without further activation. This does not seem to be the case as i am now being asked to activate the XP again. Is this normal?
I have not yet reformatted my original drive C: as there is data on it that I need to transfer but when I do I would like to put a second copy of XP on the C: drive or on my mobile disk G: so that if I have any more problems I have a back-up operating system. Is this allowed - 2 copies on one computer? Is it a ood idea? Will it work?
Any help/advice will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Colin Nash [MVP]]

I had XP installed and properly activated on drive C: but had an almighty
crash which I could not repair using the repair facility on the CD.
Luckily, I had recently installed a second hard drive so i was able o
re-install XP on this second drive.
I was under the impression that once you had installed and activated XP
for any given computer you could re-install it without further activation.
This does not seem to be the case as i am now being asked to activate the
XP again. Is this normal?

Yes-- you need to activate it again. But if it detects that its the same
hardware, you shouldn't have a problem. It will just say "thanks for
activating." If the system thinks you are using different hardware, it will
refuse to let you activate. You can then call Microsoft and explain the
situation and they can give you a code that will override it and allow you
to activate (if they believe that what you are doing is legit.)

I have not yet reformatted my original drive C: as there is data on it
that I need to transfer but when I do I would like to put a second copy of
XP on the C: drive or on my mobile disk G: so that if I have any more
problems I have a back-up operating system. Is this allowed - 2 copies on
one computer? Is it a ood idea? Will it work?
Any help/advice will be greatly appreciated.

It might work... or XP might consider this to be a different PC and refuse
to let you activate the second copy on the mobile drive. In any event,
whether it works or not, it is technically a violation of the license
agreement. You might actually be interested in a product like Norton
Ghost... it takes an image of your entire drive which can be used as a
backup. Very easy to restore... puts the whole drive back to the way it was
when you took the "snapshot." And the Windows (and other software) that
resides in this "image file" would probably not be considered to be
"installed" in terms of the license agreement (my non-lawyer opinion.)

"1. GRANT OF LICENSE. Microsoft grants you the following rights
provided that you comply with all terms and conditions of

this EULA:



* Installation and use. You may install, use, access,

display and run one copy of the Product on a single

computer, such as a workstation, terminal or other device

("Workstation Computer"). "

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

The installation of Windows XP on the new drive has no information
relating to the first activation.
The activation data of the first drive is not relevant to the new
drive.
See this link for more about activation:
http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm

Many use software such as Norton Ghost to keep a back-up of their
entire drive.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/

I had XP installed and properly activated on drive C: but had an

almighty crash which I could not repair using the repair facility on
the CD.

Luckily, I had recently installed a second hard drive so i was able

o re-install XP on this second drive.

I was under the impression that once you had installed and activated

XP for any given computer you could re-install it without further
activation. This does not seem to be the case as i am now being asked
to activate the XP again. Is this normal?

I have not yet reformatted my original drive C: as there is data on

it that I need to transfer but when I do I would like to put a second
copy of XP on the C: drive or on my mobile disk G: so that if I have
any more problems I have a back-up operating system. Is this allowed -
2 copies on one computer? Is it a ood idea? Will it work?

 

[Harry Ohrn]

Each time you install XP you are required to activate within a certain time
period. That is normal. You are allowed to reinstall as often as you like to
the same hardware configuration. Numerous changes in hardware might require
an activation call to the Microsoft Activation Centre. This takes about 5
minutes or less. As per installing 2 copies on a single computer that is a
violation of the EULA which clearly states one copy on one system as you can
see from this excerpt:

.. GRANT OF LICENSE. Microsoft grants you the following rights
provided that you comply with all terms and conditions of
this EULA:

* Installation and use. You may install, use, access,
display and run one copy of the Product on a single
computer, such as a workstation, terminal or other device
("Workstation Computer"). .....

--

Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell/User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp

I had XP installed and properly activated on drive C: but had an almighty

crash which I could not repair using the repair facility on the CD.

Luckily, I had recently installed a second hard drive so i was able o

re-install XP on this second drive.

I was under the impression that once you had installed and activated XP

for any given computer you could re-install it without further activation.
This does not seem to be the case as i am now being asked to activate the XP
again. Is this normal?

I have not yet reformatted my original drive C: as there is data on it

that I need to transfer but when I do I would like to put a second copy of
XP on the C: drive or on my mobile disk G: so that if I have any more
problems I have a back-up operating system. Is this allowed - 2 copies on
one computer? Is it a ood idea? Will it work?

 

[Guest]

Thanks Harry,
I should have read the EULA.

Each time you install XP you are required to activate within a certain time
period. That is normal. You are allowed to reinstall as often as you like to
the same hardware configuration. Numerous changes in hardware might require
an activation call to the Microsoft Activation Centre. This takes about 5
minutes or less. As per installing 2 copies on a single computer that is a
violation of the EULA which clearly states one copy on one system as you can
see from this excerpt:

.. GRANT OF LICENSE. Microsoft grants you the following rights
provided that you comply with all terms and conditions of
this EULA:

* Installation and use. You may install, use, access,
display and run one copy of the Product on a single
computer, such as a workstation, terminal or other device
("Workstation Computer"). .....

--

Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell/User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp

I had XP installed and properly activated on drive C: but had an almighty

crash which I could not repair using the repair facility on the CD.

Luckily, I had recently installed a second hard drive so i was able o

re-install XP on this second drive.

I was under the impression that once you had installed and activated XP

for any given computer you could re-install it without further activation.
This does not seem to be the case as i am now being asked to activate the XP
again. Is this normal?

I have not yet reformatted my original drive C: as there is data on it

that I need to transfer but when I do I would like to put a second copy of
XP on the C: drive or on my mobile disk G: so that if I have any more
problems I have a back-up operating system. Is this allowed - 2 copies on
one computer? Is it a ood idea? Will it work?

Any help/advice will be greatly appreciated.