Question about XP and reformating my computer

[Josh]

Hi!
I'm thinking about XP, but I have just one more question.
When I have XP on my system, and if for some reason, my
computer goes completely AWOL and doesn't work, and I have
to reformat my drive, will I have to buy another copy of
XP, since I used my product key once already? In other
words, I would completely reformat my drive, so there
would be no residual information of Windows XP. It would
be like installing Windows XP on a fresh, brand new
computer (except it wouldn't be, it would be on that same
computer). I would be using the same product key, the
product key I used alreaydy. How would Microsoft know that
I'm just installing XP on the same computer I had before?
Thanks for any help on this matter!

 

[@drian]

I'm thinking about XP, but I have just one more question.
When I have XP on my system, and if for some reason, my
computer goes completely AWOL and doesn't work, and I have
to reformat my drive, will I have to buy another copy of
XP, since I used my product key once already?

Buy it again? Oh no. You'll certainly need to re-activate it again, by
contacting MS by phone or the Internet. The activation is based obviously
on your hardware, but also on the CD-key you used when you install XP.
That's how is recognises you.

...I would be using the same product key, the
product key I used alreaydy. How would Microsoft know that
I'm just installing XP on the same computer I had before?

Because of (a) the CD-key you use at installation, and (b) It generates a
unique code based on the hardware in your machine. Beware though, you only
get so many activations before you would need to end up calling them.

@drian.

 

[cimex]

But, the phone call is no big deal. Based on the number of times OEM Tech
Support people tell users to reformat and reinstall XP, I am sure the folks
at MS wouldn't blink if you wanted to reactivate daily for an entire week or
two.

 

[Alex Nichol]

I'm thinking about XP, but I have just one more question.
When I have XP on my system, and if for some reason, my
computer goes completely AWOL and doesn't work, and I have
to reformat my drive, will I have to buy another copy of
XP, since I used my product key once already?

Answered to your previous post

"No. You can reinstall over and over on the same (or substantially the
same) hardware. Read up at www.aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm"

PLEASE realise that these groups are not an instant response service.
People access then from all round the world, and may only read posts
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time - not as Microsoft staff. Give a question at *least* 24 hours
before asking it again.