Re-using XP Home Product Key

[Guest]

My hard drive recently shut down and failed to boot up again. I have
recently replaced the hard drive and I am intending to install XP Home using
the same disk and product key I used on my original hard drive. Will
microsoft recognise this same product key when I go to register XP once it is
fully installed?

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

You should have no problems especially since it is the same hardware minus
the hard drive.

When finished installing Windows XP, attempt internet activation.
If that fails, choose the option to activate by phone, usually finished in
about 5 minutes.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

My hard drive recently shut down and failed to boot up again. I
have recently replaced the hard drive and I am intending to install
XP Home using the same disk and product key I used on my original
hard drive. Will microsoft recognise this same product key when I
go to register XP once it is fully installed?

You "activate" - not register (although you can do both - registration is
optional and doesn't seem to provide anything.)

Since all you changed out was a dead hard drive - you should have no
problems.

If it has been less than 120 days since you last activated your copy of
Windows XP - you *may* have to activate by phone - but if it has been more
than 120 days or you happen to have some preactivated OEM image - then you
should be "good to go".