OEM key on same PC help

  • Thread starter Thread starter paul3200
  • Start date Start date
P

paul3200

my Acer Aspire One completely screwed up and i had to do a clean install will
i be able to use the Windows XP Home key with the clean install or do i have
to buy a new key?
 
paul3200 said:
my Acer Aspire One completely screwed up and i had to do a clean
install will i be able to use the Windows XP Home key with the
clean install or do i have to buy a new key?
Click to expand...

Your original product key will work fine - as long as your haven't had
to re-validate your system during the past 120 days.
 
XP Guy said:
Your original product key will work fine - as long as your haven't
had
to re-validate your system during the past 120 days.
Click to expand...

As long as the hardware hasn't changed, it shouldn't matter how
recently the system was last re-validated. The hardware hash Windows
uses to decide if it is the same machine will be the same, so
shouldn't be a problem.

--
Zaphod

Arthur: All my life I've had this strange feeling that there's
something big and sinister going on in the world.
Slartibartfast: No, that's perfectly normal paranoia. Everyone in the
universe gets that.
 
Zaphod said:
As long as the hardware hasn't changed, it shouldn't matter how
recently the system was last re-validated. The hardware hash
Windows uses to decide if it is the same machine will be the
same, so shouldn't be a problem.
Click to expand...

Not true.

When XP is installed on a system for the first time, using a given
product key, it would have no memory or awareness if the user had to
re-validate a previous installation which used the same product key.

But Microsoft and their validation server will know when the last time
that any given product key was used to perform a validation (or
re-validation), and they set the rules such that a system validation
with the same product key can't happen any sooner than every 120 days.
 
Sure can but you have to let it fail and bring up the 1-800 number for
Microsoft
over the phone you can reactivate it as often as you like and this was told
to me by the phone rep when i was having a problem with my old system asking
to be reactivated daily
 
XP Guy said:
Not true.

When XP is installed on a system for the first time, using a given
product key, it would have no memory or awareness if the user had to
re-validate a previous installation which used the same product key.

But Microsoft and their validation server will know when the last
time
that any given product key was used to perform a validation (or
re-validation), and they set the rules such that a system validation
with the same product key can't happen any sooner than every 120
days.
Click to expand...

Since the hardware hash is transmitted to the validation server, it is
able to determine that it was the same machine and allow the
validation to happen. Think about it - if not, they'd be getting tons
of calls from people who reinstall and need to revalidate because they
botched the install in some way, and those who have managed to infect
their systems within days of setting them up, etc. After the 120 days
(if that's the correct window of time, I don't know for sure) it
doesn't matter what hardware it is installed on, the validation will
pass. Been there, done that.

--
Zaphod

Arthur Dent, speaking to Trillian about Zaphod:
"So, two heads is what does it for a girl?"
"...Anything else he's got two of?"
 
Zaphod said:
Since the hardware hash is transmitted to the validation server,
it is able to determine that it was the same machine and allow
the validation to happen.
Click to expand...

The OP is installing XP on a new (different) motherboard, but using the
same product key that is already associated with an existing
installation of XP on another machine. If he had to perform a
re-validation on the other machine at any point in the past 120 days,
then that will count against him when he tries to validate the
installation on the new machine using the same product key.
Think about it - if not, they'd be getting tons of calls from
people who reinstall and need to revalidate because they botched
the install in some way,
Click to expand...

You are speaking about people that are re-validating the same system.

The OP is trying to install (and validate) XP on a new system. The
hardware hash will be different.
 
A phone call to to microsoft activation line will fix that i have done it
when i changed my mother bord a few times.
the phone rep said no window for reactivation via the phone only on the
internet or over a dial up activation attempt.
 
XP Guy said:
The OP is installing XP on a new (different) motherboard, but using
the
same product key that is already associated with an existing
installation of XP on another machine. If he had to perform a
re-validation on the other machine at any point in the past 120
days,
then that will count against him when he tries to validate the
installation on the new machine using the same product key.
Click to expand...

No, see below.

You are speaking about people that are re-validating the same
system.
Click to expand...

Exactly, just like the OP. See below.

The OP is trying to install (and validate) XP on a new system. The
hardware hash will be different.
Click to expand...

Reread the OP's OP:

He is revalidating the same system, not a new system. The 120 day
window does not apply.
 
Back
Top