Reactivation.....Why???

[Curt]

All I did was remove everything from the case for a general cleaning. The
PCI hardware was placed back in the same slots, all drives to there original
connections. No new internal hardware was added, the only thing different
was the monitor. Fired the box back with no error messages other than having
to reactivate. Will reactivation be necessary on subsequent cleanings???

 

[So]

Was the reactivation a problem?

 

[Curt]

Was the reactivation a problem?

====================================
Other than having to do it?.....no!!! But that doesn't answer my question!

 

[Ron Martell]

All I did was remove everything from the case for a general cleaning. The
PCI hardware was placed back in the same slots, all drives to there original
connections. No new internal hardware was added, the only thing different
was the monitor. Fired the box back with no error messages other than having
to reactivate. Will reactivation be necessary on subsequent cleanings???

It should not have happened that way.

Did you get any "found new hardware" advisories from Windows XP the
first time you started it up after the cleaning?

The monitor type is not one of the items monitored by activation, so
that does not account for it.

Had you previously made any hardware changes - during the interval
between the original activation and the cleaning?


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."

 

[Curt]

It should not have happened that way.

Did you get any "found new hardware" advisories from Windows XP the
first time you started it up after the cleaning?

The monitor type is not one of the items monitored by activation, so
that does not account for it.

Had you previously made any hardware changes - during the interval
between the original activation and the cleaning?


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."

===========================================================================
Yes, I installed a DVD burner. But there were no 'found new hardware
messages' after I fired the box back up after the cleaning. One other thing,
I did remove the cpu from the mobo. But I was under the impression that as
long as it, the cpu and chipset, did not change XP would be fine. Might that
be the reason???

 

[r sherriff]

you have to ask bill gates this one , he is the only one with the answer

 

[Ron Martell]

===========================================================================
Yes, I installed a DVD burner. But there were no 'found new hardware
messages' after I fired the box back up after the cleaning. One other thing,
I did remove the cpu from the mobo. But I was under the impression that as
long as it, the cpu and chipset, did not change XP would be fine. Might that
be the reason???

Hardware changes are cumulative, and the first CD drive found (and the
DVD Burner would be considered a CD drive by the XP Activation
routing) is one of the monitored items.

So the scenario could be that your previous hardware changes were such
that you were one "vote" (change in a monitored item) away from having
to do a reactivation prior to the cleaning.

So after the cleaning when the computer detected the new DVD Burner
that one item was sufficient to put the cumulative change count past
the critical value and therefore a reactivation was required.

XP recalculates the activation data each time the computer starts up,
using the hardware currently detected. It then compares the new
result with the stored value from when the computer was last
activated, and if the total changes are more than the allowable amount
a reactivation will be required.

MVP Alex Nichol has an excellent article on how activation works at
http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm

Hope this explains the situation.

Good luck



Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."

 

[Curt]

Hardware changes are cumulative, and the first CD drive found (and the
DVD Burner would be considered a CD drive by the XP Activation
routing) is one of the monitored items.

So the scenario could be that your previous hardware changes were such
that you were one "vote" (change in a monitored item) away from having
to do a reactivation prior to the cleaning.

So after the cleaning when the computer detected the new DVD Burner
that one item was sufficient to put the cumulative change count past
the critical value and therefore a reactivation was required.

XP recalculates the activation data each time the computer starts up,
using the hardware currently detected. It then compares the new
result with the stored value from when the computer was last
activated, and if the total changes are more than the allowable amount
a reactivation will be required.

MVP Alex Nichol has an excellent article on how activation works at
http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm

Hope this explains the situation.

Good luck



Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."

======================================================================
Thanks Ron. I understand a little better about WPA now. The activation
process itself is no hassle at all. I just wanted to know what would be
cause for reactivation. If WPA is needed after a general cleaning again, at
least I won't be surprised.