Win XP Prof - wants to register ? what happens after 30 days ???

[Graham]

Ive changed my pc abd re-installed my copy of win xp-pro all works fine
but is saying that the maximum number of registrations has been taken
up for my 'key' ... wnats to buy a new key but ive already brough the
first one ?

so what happens next .. keeps telling me there are so many days left to
register .. what happens after the 30 days are up ? the prog seems to
keep getting updates but wont upgrade to ie7 ...

tnx - G .

 

[SandMan112]

Ive changed my pc abd re-installed my copy of win xp-pro all works fine
but is saying that the maximum number of registrations has been taken
up for my 'key' ... wnats to buy a new key but ive already brough the
first one ?

so what happens next .. keeps telling me there are so many days left to
register .. what happens after the 30 days are up ? the prog seems to
keep getting updates but wont upgrade to ie7 ...

tnx - G .

if its a retail copy of XP Pro then all you should need to do is call MS and
they will give you a new activation code, just tell them that you have
reinstalled windows

and if its an OEM copy then just do the same thing, just dont mention that
its a new PC, just tell them that its the same PC, maybe with a new hard
drive or some other minor part and they should give you a new code

thats how i done it the last time it hapened to me ... good luck

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Ive changed my pc abd re-installed my copy of win xp-pro all works
fine but is saying that the maximum number of registrations

*Activations*, not "registrations." See below.

has been
taken up for my 'key' ... wnats to buy a new key but ive already
brough the first one ?

That message is extremely misleading. There is no maximum number of
activations, and you can do it as often as you need to. Assuming that yours
is a retail copy of Windows XP (if it's an OEM copy, on the other hand,
there other restrictions), even if you have a completely new computer, you
don't need to buy anything.

so what happens next .. keeps telling me there are so many days left
to register .

No. It's telling you there are so many days left to *activate*. Do not
confuse registration with activation. Registration is completely optional,
is all for Microsoft's marketing purposes, and has no value to you.
Activation on the other hand is mandatory.

what happens after the 30 days are up

Windows will stop working, except in Safe mode. Just go ahead and activate
it now. When you get the message, you are given an 800 number to call to
activate. Just do it. It's quick and easy.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup



? the prog seems

 

[Graham]

*Activations*, not "registrations." See below.




That message is extremely misleading. There is no maximum number of
activations, and you can do it as often as you need to. Assuming that yours
is a retail copy of Windows XP (if it's an OEM copy, on the other hand,
there other restrictions), even if you have a completely new computer, you
don't need to buy anything.




No. It's telling you there are so many days left to *activate*. Do not
confuse registration with activation. Registration is completely optional,
is all for Microsoft's marketing purposes, and has no value to you.
Activation on the other hand is mandatory.




Windows will stop working, except in Safe mode. Just go ahead and activate
it now. When you get the message, you are given an 800 number to call to
activate. Just do it. It's quick and easy.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup



? the prog seems

Ok Thanks for thr info,

Ive just checked the disk - very flash holographic images !- and it
state's ' for distribution with a new pc only' . which this was .. so
what happens as its a .oem. version as I note you say there are some
other restriction's ?



Tnx - G .

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Ok Thanks for thr info,

Ive just checked the disk - very flash holographic images !- and it
state's ' for distribution with a new pc only' . which this was ..
so what happens as its a .oem. version as I note you say there are
some other restriction's ?

There are several restrictions on OEM version, the most severe of which (and
the one that's applicable in your case) is that you can not do what you want
to do. The OEM version EULA ties it permanently to the first computer it's
installed on, and it can never be moved to another.

This the main reason I always recommend against buying OEM copies. They are
not the good deal that they often seem to be.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Ive changed my pc abd re-installed my copy of win xp-pro all works fine
but is saying that the maximum number of registrations has been taken
up for my 'key' ... wnats to buy a new key but ive already brough the
first one ?

so what happens next .. keeps telling me there are so many days left to
register .. what happens after the 30 days are up ? the prog seems to
keep getting updates but wont upgrade to ie7 ...

tnx - G .

The error message you received is somewhat misleading. What it
really means is that you've activated "via the Internet too many times
within the last 120 days." Because there is usually no sound technical
reason for reinstalling and re-activating WinXP so frequently, the
automatic presumption is that the OS is being installed on multiple
machines. I really think Microsoft should fix this message, but it is,
in reality, a relatively minor "cosmetic" issue, so they're probably
giving more weight to some silly cost-benefit analysis more than they
are their customers' occasional confusion.

In actuality, there's no limit to the number of times you can
reinstall and activate the same WinXP license on the same PC. Nor is
there ever a charge. Nor does a Product Key (so long as it's not an
evaluation license) ever expire. If it's been more than 120 days since
you last activated that specific Product Key, you'll most likely be able
to activate via the Internet without problem. If it's been less, you
might have to make a 5 minute phone call.

Here are the facts pertaining to activation:

Piracy Basics - Microsoft Product Activation
http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/basics/activation/

Windows Product Activation (WPA)
http://www.aumha.org/a/wpa.htm


--

Bruce Chambers

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