activation

[tim]

Hopefully a qualified Microsoft person will read this.
Let's say you purchase Windows XP Pro, install it and
activate it, and later on your hard drive crashes beyond
repair. Do you have to purchase another retail version or
does the registration cover you to where you can
reinstall the same store bought version on the same
computer again.

 

[Norm]

No, you do not have to purchase another version. Just reinstall on the new
hard disk, activation is not a problem.

 

[purplehaz]

You can reinstall a retail version of xp an unlimited amount of times. You
just can't install it on more than one computer at a time.(if you want to
follow the ms eula)

 

[Colin Painter]

see:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/evaluation/overviews/activation.asp

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

No, of course not.

There's no limit to the number of times you can reinstall and
activate the same WinXP license on the same PC. 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.

Here are the facts pertaining to activation:

Piracy Basics - Microsoft Product Activation
http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/basics/activation/

Windows Product Activation (WPA)
http://www.aumha.org/a/wpa.htm


Bruce Chambers

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[Plato]

Let's say you purchase Windows XP Pro, install it and
activate it, and later on your hard drive crashes beyond
repair. Do you have to purchase another retail version or
does the registration cover you to where you can
reinstall the same store bought version on the same
computer again.

No further purchase is required. Yes you can install the same disk on
your PC again.

 

[Yves Leclerc]

Activation can be re-done over the Internet, if the new install is greater
that 120 days since last activation. If not, then the activation screen
will show you a phone number to call..

Y.

 

[Alex Nichol]

Hopefully a qualified Microsoft person will read this.
Let's say you purchase Windows XP Pro, install it and
activate it, and later on your hard drive crashes beyond
repair. Do you have to purchase another retail version or
does the registration cover you to where you can
reinstall the same store bought version on the same
computer again.

Losing just the hard drive is not enough to make it seem like a
different machine to the activation system, and you would be able to set
up on a new drive and activate the new instance in just the same way as
before. You have to make changes in several categories of hardware
before you have to activate by voice on the phone. See
www.aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm