When I activate, where does MS save the data?

[Go Tyler]

When I activate, does MS save something on my HDD or does it just keep a
record of my configuration to associate it with my serial? If it is storing
something on my comp regarding activation, where?

 

[Alias]

When I activate, does MS save something on my HDD or does it just keep a
record of my configuration to associate it with my serial? If it is storing
something on my comp regarding activation, where?

Read this:

http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm

Alias

 

[ANONYMOUS]

YES. when you activate Windows, MS is storing this info in your HD.
The file is stored here:

c:\Windows\System32

The files are: WPA.DBL and WPA.BAK

hth
PS the XMAS party had been fantastic. Some more to come next week!

 

[Go Tyler]

What happens when I reformat? Does that clean the drive of whatever MS has
stored on my HDD?

 

[ANONYMOUS]

Yes when you format your HD, you lose everything. So you need to backup
these files if you want to avoid reactivation. Follow this:

Double-click My Computer

Double-click on the "C" drive

Go to the C:\Windows\System32 folder

Find the files "wpa.dbl" and "wpa.bak" and copy them to a safe location.

After you have reinstalled Windows XP on your reformatted hard drive,
click "No" when asked if you want to go ahead and go through the
activation process

Reboot your computer into SafeMode

Double-click My Computer

Double-click on the "C" drive

Go to the C:\Windows\System32 folder

Find the file "wpa.dbl" and "wpa.bak" and rename them to
"wpadbl.new" and "wpabak.new"

Copy your original "wpa.dbl" and "wpa.bak" files from your floppy disk,
or whereever

Restart your system normally

This method only works when you reinstall the XP on the same system as
before. YOU CAN'T USE THIS METHOD TO INSTALL ON ANY OTHER SYSTEM. Also
OEM versions may not work either!

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

When the drive is formatted, all data including the activation data is gone.
Do not bother saving it though since it may have uses on a Repair
Installation but is totally useless on a Clean Installation.
See these links for more details on activation:
http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/activation_how.mspx
http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm

 

[Tom]

Saving and restoring the files in question per your method does not work in
a total reinstallation of XP. It will work on a repair install though.

 

[Go Tyler]

http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm

I have read the above on wpa. But what happens when I use another version of
XP after I format the drive on which activation originally took place? I now
have the full version of XP instead of the upgrade version. I will be using
a different serial. I guess my configuration will now be associated with new
serial instead of the old.

 

[ANONYMOUS]

If you have a new CD and new serial then do a clean install and activate
online. You should be ok.

hth

 

[ANONYMOUS]

I have done it and it works. You need to use the same driver CDs
though.

Have you tried it or are you just following what MVPs say on this NG?

You my like to know that MVPs wants everybody to buy Full Retail
Versions of XP as they haven't tried anything else. They get the retail
version free from MS so they don't need to buy any other versions or at
least what this appears to be the case.

I buy different versions for my University as we provide support to
students and so we need every versions for our test systems.

You might need to change the VOLUMEID of HD after formatting by Using
VolID software from:

http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/VolumeId.html

hth

 

[Go Tyler]

But if the System32 folder is going to be erased when I reformat and use a
different serial, to MS it should be just like getting someone new . . . I
would think. I don't mind the activation when it is automatic. It seemed to
go pretty quick the first two times around.

I wonder if there is something that still lets MS know who I was previously
that the reformat does not take care of?

Well, we will know tomorrow morning because that is when I am reformatting.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

"I have done it and it works"
Wrong.
Try it again, this time while conscious.
Also partition/format the drive instead of a Repair Installation.

"the same driver CDs"?
What driver CD?
You seem to be talking retail here and there is no driver CD with retail
Windows XP.
Some OEM manufacturers provide a driver CD, but then many of the large OEMs
do not require activation.

"MVPs wants everybody to buy Full Retail"
This is also wrong
You clearly do not read what all MVPs write.
Perhaps you are so biased you have clouded your facts.

"they haven't tried anything else"
Another false statement by you.
What facts do you have to support this statement? Or is it more of your own
bias?

"They get the retail version free"
Are you sure?
Does this statement apply to all MVPs as you seem to suggest?
Or is the statement intended to sow seeds of doubt?

Post a source for your facts would be in order?
Unless they are just your guesses with no basis on fact?

 

[Vanguard]

What happens when I reformat? Does that clean the drive of whatever MS has
stored on my HDD?

Okay, think about this first. If you format, you have NO operating system.
When you then follow with a fresh install of the OS, just what would be left
from before for the OS to check if it had been activated before on that
host? You FORMATTED the drive so NOTHING is left anymore on it. If you put
a drop of red dye in a cup of water, you can see that the water is colored
red no matter how many times you recheck. But if you pour out the water and
put in fresh clean water then it isn't red anymore.

 

[Plato]

When I activate, does MS save something on my HDD or does it just keep a

Yes.

 

[Plato]

What happens when I reformat? Does that clean the drive of whatever MS has
stored on my HDD?

Yes.

 

[Granny]

"I have done it and it works"
Wrong.
Try it again, this time while conscious.
Also partition/format the drive instead of a Repair Installation.

"the same driver CDs"?
What driver CD?
You seem to be talking retail here and there is no driver CD with retail
Windows XP.
Some OEM manufacturers provide a driver CD, but then many of the large
OEMs do not require activation.

"MVPs wants everybody to buy Full Retail"
This is also wrong
You clearly do not read what all MVPs write.
Perhaps you are so biased you have clouded your facts.

"they haven't tried anything else"
Another false statement by you.
What facts do you have to support this statement? Or is it more of your
own bias?

"They get the retail version free"
Are you sure?
Does this statement apply to all MVPs as you seem to suggest?
Or is the statement intended to sow seeds of doubt?

Post a source for your facts would be in order?
Unless they are just your guesses with no basis on fact?

Good heavens, ANONYMOUS is at it again. He knows everything about all
Americans and now he knows everything about all MVPs. Where on earth can
one person go to acquire such a huge amount of knowledge in one short
lifetime?