Will removing a graphics card affect XP activation?

  • Thread starter Thread starter eppintab
  • Start date Start date
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eppintab

My motherboard has two PCI-E slots and I've been utilizing both with
two graphics card (same spec), but now I want to remove one of the
cards and not use only one and not replace it with anything (just
removal), will it affect XP OEM activation? Will I be required to
activate again by phoning MS?
 
My motherboard has two PCI-E slots and I've been utilizing both with
two graphics card (same spec), but now I want to remove one of the
cards and not use only one and not replace it with anything (just
removal), will it affect XP OEM activation? Will I be required to
activate again by phoning MS?
Click to expand...

Maybe...
Probably not, however.
 
My motherboard has two PCI-E slots and I've been utilizing both with
two graphics card (same spec), but now I want to remove one of the
cards and not use only one and not replace it with anything (just
removal), will it affect XP OEM activation? Will I be required to
activate again by phoning MS?
Click to expand...

According to this FAQ, No
http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/activation_faq.mspx
scroll 2/3 down the page and look for "Can hardware components be changed
and upgraded?"
Removal of a piece of hardware is considered as a "change" by the way.
One hardware change = 1 vote
3 votes and you're out
 
It will affect activation if:

1) A lot of old video card drives updates were done previously.

2) "Other" internal hardware additions/removals are done before.

There is a "counter" for hardware changes and if any hardware change (driver
or physically adding/removing hardware) pushes it "pass the limit" then you
loose the activation. It happened to me this past Sunday.
 
My motherboard has two PCI-E slots and I've been utilizing both with
two graphics card (same spec), but now I want to remove one of the
cards and not use only one and not replace it with anything (just
removal), will it affect XP OEM activation? Will I be required to
activate again by phoning MS?
Click to expand...

See this article on activation by the late Alex Nichol, MVP
http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm
 
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