D
Dave
Hi
I am running XP Home Retail and after successfully integrating SP2 with my copy of XP, I formatted my hard drive and re-installed XP. Once back on the desktop, I connected to the internet and tried to 'Activate Windows' using my CD Key but I got a message saying something like my key was 'unauthorised'.
How is this possible?
I last activated my copy of XP around 8 months ago and, according to Microsoft, if I have not had to contact the activation centre over 120 days days, then the sheet is wiped clean and I can start again using the current hardware as the current baseline to make more changes.
So, what is going on? Have the activation rules changed recently?
I contacted the Activation Centre and spoke to a "Rep" in India who told me that once she had activated XP for me, I would then have to call Microsoft everytime I needed to activate windows after this. Surely this can't be correct because when I first installed XP, I was able to activate many, many times online and only had to call Microsoft after a determined number of activations.
Here is an extract from articles issued by M$:
(http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm)
The license for a retail version of Windows XP is in perpetuity. You get to use Windows XP forever, if you choose.
But Microsoft recognises that machines do get upgraded. If, following the activation after setup, you do not need to contact the activation center for 120 days (any changes you make during this time being seen as acceptable when the system boots), then the sheet is swept clean and you can start again using the current hardware as the new baseline to make more changes.
If you get a new computer, you are entitled to remove Windows XP from the one that is being junked, and install the same Windows XP on the new machine - but you will have to do the reactivation by a voice call and explain (unless, as was just mentioned, 120 days have passed since the activation was last performed).
I would appreciate some input from any Microsoft experts please.
Regards
I am running XP Home Retail and after successfully integrating SP2 with my copy of XP, I formatted my hard drive and re-installed XP. Once back on the desktop, I connected to the internet and tried to 'Activate Windows' using my CD Key but I got a message saying something like my key was 'unauthorised'.
How is this possible?
I last activated my copy of XP around 8 months ago and, according to Microsoft, if I have not had to contact the activation centre over 120 days days, then the sheet is wiped clean and I can start again using the current hardware as the current baseline to make more changes.
So, what is going on? Have the activation rules changed recently?
I contacted the Activation Centre and spoke to a "Rep" in India who told me that once she had activated XP for me, I would then have to call Microsoft everytime I needed to activate windows after this. Surely this can't be correct because when I first installed XP, I was able to activate many, many times online and only had to call Microsoft after a determined number of activations.
Here is an extract from articles issued by M$:
(http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm)
The license for a retail version of Windows XP is in perpetuity. You get to use Windows XP forever, if you choose.
But Microsoft recognises that machines do get upgraded. If, following the activation after setup, you do not need to contact the activation center for 120 days (any changes you make during this time being seen as acceptable when the system boots), then the sheet is swept clean and you can start again using the current hardware as the new baseline to make more changes.
If you get a new computer, you are entitled to remove Windows XP from the one that is being junked, and install the same Windows XP on the new machine - but you will have to do the reactivation by a voice call and explain (unless, as was just mentioned, 120 days have passed since the activation was last performed).
I would appreciate some input from any Microsoft experts please.
Regards