Deactivate?

[Guest]

I am just about to format my hard drive and was just wondering if i have to
deactivate windows xp before installing it again? Please could someone help?

 

[Patti MacLeod]

Hi john,

No, you don't have to deactivate XP before
formatting/reinstalling.........but you *will* have to re-activate it after
installation. If it's been more than 120 days since XP was last activated,
you can select the option to activate over the internet. If it's been less
than 120 days since XP was last activated, you would have to select the
option to activate by phone (the phone number to call will then be presented
to you).



Regards,

--
Patti MacLeod
Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell/User

I am just about to format my hard drive and was just wondering if i have to
deactivate windows xp before installing it again? Please could someone

help?

 

[Guest]

Are you planning on reinstalling Xp to the same drive? If you are, then you
would need to re-activate XP. However, if there are going to be no physical
changes to your system, you can avoid reactivating by following steps

Double-click My Computer
Double-click on the "C" drive
Go to the C:\Windows\System32 folder (you may have to click on the link that
says "Show The contents of this folder")
Find the files "wpa.dbl" and "wpa.bak" and copy them to a safe location. You
can copy them on a floppy drive or burn it onto a CD or DVD.
After you have reinstalled Windows XP on your reformatted hard drive, click
"No" when asked if you want to go ahead and go through the activation process
Reboot your computer into SafeMode (you can either press F8 as Windows is
booting up to see the Windows Advanced Options menu and select
SAFEBOOT_OPTION=Minimal or follow the instructions in Starting Windows XP in
SafeMode
Double-click My Computer
Double-click on the "C" drive
Go to the C:\Windows\System32 folder (you may have to click on the link that
says "Show The contents of this folder")
Find the file "wpa.dbl" and "wpa.bak" (if it exists) and rename them
"wpadbl.new" and "wpabak.new"
Copy your original "wpa.dbl" and "wpa.bak" files from your floppy disk, CD
or DVD into the C:\Windows\System32 folder
Restart your system (if you followed the directions in Starting Windows XP
in SafeMode you may need to go back into MSCONFIG to turn off booting into
SafeMode)

 

[Malke]

I am just about to format my hard drive and was just wondering if i
have to deactivate windows xp before installing it again? Please could
someone help?

No, there is no deactivation process.

Malke

 

[Gordon]

If it's been less than 120 days since XP was last activated, you would have to select the
option to activate by phone

Not neccesarily - I've re-installed and re-activated over the internet
several times WELL within the 120 days......

 

[Patti MacLeod]

Perhaps the 120 days only applies for reinstallation after a major hardware
change, I thought it was "universal".



Regards,

 

[Gordon]

Perhaps the 120 days only applies for reinstallation after a major hardware
change,

You could be right, I've never made a *major* hardware change.....

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your help everyone!+

 

[Patti MacLeod]

You're welcome!



Regards,

 

[Paul Knudsen]

Hi john,

No, you don't have to deactivate XP before
formatting/reinstalling.........but you *will* have to re-activate it after
installation. If it's been more than 120 days since XP was last activated,
you can select the option to activate over the internet. If it's been less
than 120 days since XP was last activated, you would have to select the
option to activate by phone (the phone number to call will then be presented
to you).

What's internet activation look like anyway? I reinstalled XP
recently and saw nothing about it.

 

[Kelly]

And you won't. Re-activation is based on a point scale and repair/reinstall
doesn't apply. However, you will be asked for the key for both in most
instances.

--
In memory of our dear friend, MVP Alex Nichol: http://www.dts-l.org/

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com