product activation

[John]

i am considering buying a copy of XP Home from someone, he
states it has never been activated. Is there any way to
check that without actually installing it? He gave me the
product key to check it with.

john

 

[Chris Lanier]

No, you can't check. i would buy a retial copy. if you do buy it and it
does not activate for whatever reason, you are out that money and you must
buy another copy or format your hard drive.

 

[Mike Brannigan [MSFT]]

i am considering buying a copy of XP Home from someone, he
states it has never been activated. Is there any way to
check that without actually installing it? He gave me the
product key to check it with.

No,

You will have to take his word for it.
If it has been activated recently you will find out when you attempt to
activate it.
You need him to sign and have witnessed a sworn statement that if you
encounter a previously activated message he will refund you or whatever you
see fit to write into this.

--
Regards,

Mike
--
Mike Brannigan [Microsoft]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights

Please note I cannot respond to e-mailed questions, please use these
newsgroups

 

[J&J]

I don't know if there's any way to check & see, but I do
know that if he's ever used the CD - you're given 30days
to activate it before it dies. So if he's had it
installed on a computer for more than 30 days - it has
been activated on that computer.
As for registering it, registration is optional -
activation is mandatory. You don't need to register the
software with Microsoft, but it needs to be activated to
be used after the 30 day mark. Activation is a copy
protection, meaning you can't install WinXP on more than 1
PC using the same CD. If you do so anyway, the 2nd PC
refuses to operate after 30 days. (So those who want it
on both their laptop & home computer will have to buy 2 &
get a 10% discount on the 2nd one from microsoft.)
The activation info is sent to microsoft's database via
internet. If you have no internet, you'll be forced to
call microsoft & type in a bunch of numbers onto your
computer. It detects your hardware components & settings
so there's no way to truly fool it.


J&J