Activation Q

[Brian A.]

When you first install XP you have 30 days to evaluate and use it before it
must be activated. How does it use the 30 days? Does it use the actual date
it was installed and then every day after as the countdown, or does it use
only the days you start the machine?
The reason I ask is because right now I dual boot 98SE/XP Pro. I just
finished putting together a brand new machine, all new from the bottom on up
and nothing will match. I am not out of the 120 day range. What I want to do
is use the new machine for XP and the old one for 98SE (remove XP from it).
But I would like to transfer what's on the existing XP now to the new XP,
that would put XP illegally on 2 machines for the time it takes to transfer.
My problem is the 120 days will be up at the end of January. If I Install XP
now on the new one, do my transfers, don't use the new more than 29 times
until Jan, then activate, would there be a 30 day problem? I would use the
29 days to test and make sure everything functions before wiping out the old
and activating the new.

Brian A.

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

The 'countdown' is from when the program was first installed.

 

[kurttrail]

"By the act of scrolling this post on your computer, and/or printing or
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ever and ever! Amen!"

When you first install XP you have 30 days to evaluate and use it
before it must be activated. How does it use the 30 days? Does it use
the actual date it was installed and then every day after as the
countdown, or does it use only the days you start the machine?
The reason I ask is because right now I dual boot 98SE/XP Pro. I just
finished putting together a brand new machine, all new from the
bottom on up and nothing will match. I am not out of the 120 day
range. What I want to do is use the new machine for XP and the old
one for 98SE (remove XP from it). But I would like to transfer what's
on the existing XP now to the new XP, that would put XP illegally on
2 machines for the time it takes to transfer. My problem is the 120
days will be up at the end of January. If I Install XP now on the new
one, do my transfers, don't use the new more than 29 times until Jan,
then activate, would there be a 30 day problem? I would use the 29
days to test and make sure everything functions before wiping out the
old and activating the new.

Brian A.

Don't worry about it. Just take the Phone activation option. Just tell
them you did a major upgrade, and that XP is only on one computer, if
they ask you why you are upgrading. Product Activation only tells MS
that enough hardware has changed to require activation, MS can't
actually figure out what specific hardware XP is installed on.

"How does Microsoft identify the computer's hardware?"

"Microsoft Product Activation detects the hardware configuration on
which the product is being installed and creates hash values for that
configuration. A hash is a value mathematically derived from another
value - in this case hardware configuration values. Product Activation d
oes not scan the customer's hard drive, detect any personal information,
or determine the make, model or manufacturer of the PC or its
components. Microsoft uses hash values out of respect for users'
privacy. A hash value cannot be backwards calculated to determine the
original value. In addition, Microsoft only uses a portion of the
original hash values. Together, these hash values become the complete
hardware hash that is included in the installation ID." -
http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/basics/activation/mpafaq.asp

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei!"

 

[Brian A.]

Thanks Will. Guess I'll go the standard backup data route, install XP on the
new, call for activation and hope nothing goes haywire.
Now for the next question. If something does happen to go haywire and I
have to reinstall again, will another activation have to be done or not
because nothing has changed? That's what I want to avoid. I don't really
expect problems, but we all now how that goes.


Hi

The 'countdown' is from when the program was first installed.

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

You can activate XP as many times as you like - so long as the hardware hasn't changed 'significantly'. Have a look at the following article by MVP Alex Nichol:

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

 

[Brian A.]

Thanks again Will,
Guess I'll step into the waters and hope there isn't a steep dropoff.

Brian A.

Hi

You can activate XP as many times as you like - so long as the hardware
hasn't changed 'significantly'. Have a look at the following article by MVP
Alex Nichol:

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