windows xp home edition product key

[steven]

hello,

i recently purchased a new tower and built my computer
up, and i have a version of windows xp which i purchased,
and i can not register it now. I am very upset because i
have spent money on this product and now i can not
register it and it will close in 24 days.
I really need some help, i have alot of important
material on this computer, and it would destroy me if any
of it was lost. I think that if i bought windows, or even
if windows came with the computer that i purchased, i
should be allowed to reinstall windows and register it,
if i had to reformat, or recover. One more thing, i
noticed on the site, that i need a product id to contact
for help, but my product id is invalid now, so how can
that help me?

if anyone can help me, please write me an email @
(e-mail address removed)

and i know it said i shouldnt post my email address in
here, but i need to, i need help so bad!

 

[Kelly]

Steven,

Registration isn't important at all. Are you confusing this with
Activation? If so and you have reached the points allowed, activate by
phone. The number will be given to you via the screen.

Good luck!

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Registration is entirely optional, and failure to register will
not affect the operation of the computer in the slightest. Are you
perhaps thinking of activation?

Assuming a retail license (OEM licenses are _not_ transferable),
simply remove WinXP from the computer it is currently on, and install
it onto the new one. 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


From your description, however, it sounds as if you may be
attempting to transfer an OEM license to a new computer. This is not
allowed. OEM versions must be sold with a piece of hardware and are
_permanently_ bound to the first PC on which they are installed. An
OEM license, once installed, is not legally transferable to another
computer under any circumstances


Bruce Chambers
--
Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH