Activation dual boot XP Pro

  • Thread starter Thread starter Joe
  • Start date Start date
J

Joe

I am planning a new multiboot PC with Windows XP Pro (retail) on two
partitions. My understanding is that I will only need two licences.
1: How do I activate? Do I need to activate from both partitions or only
from one- if one, which one.
2: Although I expect that there will seldom be significant hardware
changes, I do expect that I may have to on occasion reformat one of the
partitions and do a new clean install of WIN XP Pro (as I will be testing
some potentially poorly behaved software). Will I have to reactivate after
any reinstalltion and if so how?
thank
 
I am planning a new multiboot PC with Windows XP Pro (retail) on two
partitions. My understanding is that I will only need two licences.
1: How do I activate? Do I need to activate from both partitions or only
from one- if one, which one.
Click to expand...

You would need to activate both
2: Although I expect that there will seldom be significant hardware
changes, I do expect that I may have to on occasion reformat one of the
partitions and do a new clean install of WIN XP Pro (as I will be testing
some potentially poorly behaved software). Will I have to reactivate after
any reinstalltion and if so how?
Click to expand...

You will need to reactivate again, although it will be automatic since it
will be on the same hardware.
--
Tom Porterfield
MS-MVP Windows
http://support.telop.org

Please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup only.
 
Tom:
Thanks for your reply. Will I need two licences or one to activate on both
partitions? The EULA seems to imply that one licence is good for one
computer.
 
Thanks for your reply. Will I need two licences or one to activate on both
partitions? The EULA seems to imply that one licence is good for one
computer.
Click to expand...

A strict interpretation of the EULA would be that you need two licenses in
order to install two times, even if on the same machine.
--
Tom Porterfield
MS-MVP Windows
http://support.telop.org

Please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup only.
 
Tom Porterfield said:
A strict interpretation of the EULA would be that you need two licenses in
order to install two times, even if on the same machine.
--
Tom Porterfield
MS-MVP Windows
http://support.telop.org

Please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup only.
Click to expand...


Which is silly because you can only use one at a time. But you're right.

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
Please respond in Newsgroup only. Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com./athome/security/protect/default.aspx
 
Frank said:
Which is silly because you can only use one at a time. But you're right.
Click to expand...

This has been discussed quite a bit here. I agree the strictest
interpretation of the EULA is that you can't have to instances installed
even on the same machine, however, Microsoft itself has KB directions on
how to do exactly just that, which is why many, including MVPs, consider
it to be ok to do.

Steve
 
Joe said:
I am planning a new multiboot PC with Windows XP Pro (retail) on two
partitions. My understanding is that I will only need two licences.
1: How do I activate? Do I need to activate from both partitions or only
from one- if one, which one.
Click to expand...

Each is independent of the other and will require activation in its own
right. Once the installations settle, but within 30 days, get on the
net in each, go to
Start - All Programs - Accessories - System Tools - Activate Windows
and do it on the net - takes 20 seconds or so
 
Tom: Thanks for your reply.
I just called the Microsoft activation line, (888) 571-2048, and was told:
1: Only one license is needed for a dual boot system with Win XP Pro on both
partitions.
2: Only one partition needs to be activated- the other will activate
automatically.
3: They want to do it with me over the phone when I am ready.
I called back again and got the same answers.
Technically I don't see how one can avoid activating on both partitions.
We'll see!
 
Tom: Thanks for your reply.
I just called the Microsoft activation line, (888) 571-2048, and was told:
1: Only one license is needed for a dual boot system with Win XP Pro on both
partitions.
Click to expand...

That's good to know.
2: Only one partition needs to be activated- the other will activate
automatically.
Click to expand...

They will both activate automatically, but they will both need to be
activated.
3: They want to do it with me over the phone when I am ready.
Click to expand...

You can do it that way, or automatically over the internet, your
preference.
I called back again and got the same answers.
Click to expand...

At least they're consistent.
Technically I don't see how one can avoid activating on both partitions.
Click to expand...

You can't, they are wrong on that. Well, you can, but not without using
hacks that may render your system useless, and I don't think that's what
we're talking about here.
We'll see!
Click to expand...

Indeed, thanks for the follow-up.
--
Tom Porterfield
MS-MVP Windows
http://support.telop.org

Please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup only.
 
The code generated is based on your hardware so the code should be the same
regardless of the partition.
 
Joe said:
Tom: Thanks for your reply.
I just called the Microsoft activation line, (888) 571-2048, and was told:
1: Only one license is needed for a dual boot system with Win XP Pro on
both
partitions.
2: Only one partition needs to be activated- the other will activate
automatically.
3: They want to do it with me over the phone when I am ready.
I called back again and got the same answers.
Technically I don't see how one can avoid activating on both partitions.
We'll see!
Click to expand...


Thanks for the information!

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
Please respond in Newsgroup only. Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com./athome/security/protect/default.aspx
 
"Technically I don't see how one can avoid activating on both partitions."

technically if the second installation is bootstrapped to the first
installation....the second installation is activated at the time the first
install is activated.... the second partition/installation is actually using
boot files from the first partition/installation that are not installed on
the second partition. seems like ms-mvp's should know this
 

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