re-activation

[BBUNNY]

Fugwump wrote:
|||| You need to purchase a "Retail Version" of Windows XP
|||| if you plan on making significant hardware changes in the
|||| future. An "OEM Version" is cheaper because its license
|||| is tied to the very first hardware configuration it is installed
|||| and activated on.
|||
||| As my PC is a non docked computer, and I won't be changing the NIC
||| (connected to mobo) would that will give me 5 changes before I have
||| to re-activate ? (i.e on the 6th one I would have to re-activate
||| which I can't do with an OEM copy)
|||
||| Upgrading my DVD-Writers firmware has already used one change!
|||
||| After 120 (or I read somewhere 180) days will those changes go back
||| to zero on an OEM copy.
|||
||| Also can I format my drive and re-install windows when ever I want.
||| I read on one website that if I have activated within the last 120
||| days on the same computer, then I have to ring up Microsoft to get
||| another activation code, even though I'm still using the same
||| hardware??
|||
||
|| I don't know what or where you're reading these things, but you're
|| getting yourself in a froth for no reason. You can upgrade your
|| computer as often as you want. If you hit a point where the computer
|| says you have to reactivate, you do it online or by phone. At the
|| worst, you talk to a rep, tell them that you upgraded, repaired,
|| formatted your hard drive, whatever it might be, and they let you
|| activate. No big deal.
|
| I think I'm mostly reading old stuff off google.
| I've confirmed they will with a Retail copy, but I have a OEM copy.
|
| Carey Frisch above says
| "You need to purchase a "Retail Version" of Windows XP if you plan on
| making significant hardware changes in the future. An "OEM Version"
| is cheaper because its license
| is tied to the very first hardware configuration it is installed and
| activated on."
|
| But Jupiter Jones (thats got to be the coolest name ever!) says I
| shouldn't have any problem.
|
| I just dont want to buy a load of upgrades then find out I can't
| re-activate. Then either have to buy another £60 OEM copy or £160
| Retail copy.

http://www.microscum.com/carey/

 

[Alex Nichol]

Then I read about how someone bought a new motherboard and CPU and needed to
reactivate, rang up Microsoft but because it was an OEM copy it was deemed
as being installed on a different computer. Yet it seems with the retail
version you could reactivate.

This has got to be the stupidest idea ever!! Whilst I can afford to upgrade
hardware, I can't or won't buy something I already have just because I've
upgraded, would more likely put the effort into learning Linux than forking
out more cash. Also means if too many of my parts go wrong I could have to
buy another copy too.

Windows is licensed for use on a single machine. There are two forms -
a 'retail' one that includes rights to transfer, and the OEM one. The
OEM saves money but is licensed solely to the machine where first
installed and may NOT be transferred