Number of activations per system for XP Pro ?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Steve H.
  • Start date Start date
S

Steve H.

Hi,
A friend of mine told me that if you re-install Windows XP Pro
too many times, that Microsoft will force you to purchase another
license. Same exact equipment and of course, same exact computer. Any
truth to this ? Thanks for your time.
Steve
 
Sorry to inform you your friend is mistaken. As long
as you reinstall Windows XP on the same computer,
there is no limit to the number of times you can activate it.
The only issue you make encounter is you may have to
"activate by telephone" to obtain a new (and free) activation
code if you cannot activate via the internet.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| Hi,
| A friend of mine told me that if you re-install Windows XP Pro
| too many times, that Microsoft will force you to purchase another
| license. Same exact equipment and of course, same exact computer. Any
| truth to this ? Thanks for your time.
| Steve
 
So XP Professional is treated exactly the same as XP Home ? He told me MS is
much stricter with Pro.
 
Q. "So XP Professional is treated exactly the same as XP Home?"

A. Yes. Your friend appears to be not very knowledgeable of Windows XP.

Frequently asked questions about Microsoft Product Activation
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;302878&Product=winxp

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

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Alex Nichol]

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| So XP Professional is treated exactly the same as XP Home ? He told me MS is
| much stricter with Pro.
 
Greetings --

There's no limit to the number of times you can reinstall and
activate the same WinXP license on the same PC. Nor is there ever a
charge. 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
--
Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. - RAH
 
Actually, it would be nice if it only took 5 min.
I added additional RAM to my computer with WinXP pro. This was the only
change I made. No change in anything else.
In addition, here had been no hardware changes in well more than 120 days.
When I rebooted after adding the RAM, WinXP required me to re-activate. In
addition, the online activation gave me a message saying I had to activate
by phone.
Then, after reading in the long string of numbers, it transfers me to
"India" to a person who puts me on hold and then disconnects me.
Second call finally got the job done. All this trouble just because I
increased the RAM from 1gb to 2gb.
This is not helpful to Microsoft's image.
 
That's not the normal scenario. I've activated by phone dozens of times and
only one phone call was long, and that was because the computer started
choking up during the process. Otherwise its been relatively painless. Well,
okay, reading the number is a bit tedious, but it's not all that bad.
 
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