Formatting XP Hard Drive already activated

[Guest]

Hi all,

In January 2007, I had my old Windows 2000 PC upgraded with a new hard drive
to an OEM copy of Windows XP. The people who did it activated it and I have
had no problems with Microsoft.

The system isn't like how it used to - really slow, keep getting told by my
Anti-Virus (Prodigy Anti-Virus) that I have a virus, etc.

I think it is because I have too many programs, and 4 user accounts.

I am thinking of starting again, by formatting my hard drive, re-installing
XP, and only using one username (I think I've found a way to keep all our
documents secure)

I use Virtual PC 2007, and I installed XP Pro on it, activated it, and it
worked fine. But when I re-installed it (On a different PC, same specs except
for a different processor) it said something like "You have reached the
maximum times you can activate".

So I am worried that if I do re-install, I won't be able to activate.

Does anyone know if I can or can't re-install.

Thank you in advance for your time and help
Harry

 

[Guest]

Basically you shouldn't have tried to install it on a second computer, that
is a licence volation. You will either have to phone Microsoft and hope they
will be sympathetic, or else wait a few months until your activation-count
resets.

I would in any case see if I can find the reason for the slowness.
Useraccounts and installed programs don't slow a machine. Memory-resident
junk does, as does badly-written antivirus or firewall software. Press
Ctrl-Alt-Del and select Task Manager to see what is actualy running that you
don't see onscreen. A typical 'clean' XP install will about-fill the
taskmanager processes-window. If it's several windows' worth... then there's
your answer, and you need to find and disable or remove the unneeded junk.

 

[DL]

A retail or OEM copy of win can only be installed on a single PC, nor can it
be installed on the same PC in a virtual PC environment
The OEM copy is only licensed to the first PC it is installed on. When that
PC dies so does your licence for winxp

Having too many programs or user accounts wont make your PC slow.
Too little ram or a sys infected with virus's or malaware will make your sys
slow

 

[Harry]

Hi,

Don't really think you understand:

I have 2 licenses:

1. Virtual PC
2. PC, which I want to format & re-install everything on.

Thanks
Harry

 

[Bob I]

If you have a Retail XP license for the "Virtual PC", you can install on
any one location at a time. Start moving it around a lot and you will
have to call to activate.

The OEM XP license on the original base PC can be reinstalled there over
and over, BUT if you do it too often you may have to call to re-activate.

 

[DL]

OK, so you have WinXp OEM and a seperate copy of winxp pro - correct?
If we refer to the OEM PC you can reinstall it as many times as you like on
the same PC, but you may have to use phone activation.
But to reiterate the number of users or programs is very unlikely to affect
performance.
You've scanned for malaware with at least two apps?
IF your AV reports a virus what is it?