Windows XP Product Keys.

[Calder]

Hello all. I have a quick and brief question that many people might know. It
regards Windows XP Home Product keys.

I currently have bought myself a new computer without purchasing a new XP
Home License. I am currently using the trial component of my previous XP
Product key from my old computer.

I plan to buy a new product key soon so I can activate windows for my new
PC. I don't want to settle down just yet on my new PC as I am not sure of the
methods that you must take to activate windows and register a product key.

So my question is this; what happens when I purchase my new product key for
XP Home, and then proceed on to activate windows?

Do I need to reinstall XP Home on my new PC because because I used my old
PC's product key to load Windows XP Home on this one? Do I need to load
Windows XP Home on my newly purchased product key and then register it?

Or can I just begin the registration process and type in my new product key
without the need to reinstall XP Home?

I hope you guys understand, thanks for any help in advance.

 

[DL]

There isnt a winxp trial

If you mean you installed the version of winxp that is on your other pc,
using that key, and have not activated it.
Then go and buy a new version of winxp (The actuall cd), if you can locate
one

 

[Jim]

Hello all. I have a quick and brief question that many people might know. It
regards Windows XP Home Product keys.

I currently have bought myself a new computer without purchasing a new XP
Home License. I am currently using the trial component of my previous XP
Product key from my old computer.

I plan to buy a new product key soon so I can activate windows for my new
PC. I don't want to settle down just yet on my new PC as I am not sure of the
methods that you must take to activate windows and register a product key.

So my question is this; what happens when I purchase my new product key for
XP Home, and then proceed on to activate windows?

Do I need to reinstall XP Home on my new PC because because I used my old
PC's product key to load Windows XP Home on this one? Do I need to load
Windows XP Home on my newly purchased product key and then register it?

Or can I just begin the registration process and type in my new product key
without the need to reinstall XP Home?

I hope you guys understand, thanks for any help in advance.

Any information on the packaging ?

 

[Calder]

Yeah, I'm using the XP Home Product key from my old computer, on my new
computer which isn't activated yet. What I need to know is, when I buy the
new XP Home product do I have to reinstall Windows or can I activate my newly
bought XP Home product through the activation procedure without having to
reinstall Windows?

 

[db]

unless you have taken
some steps,

I would refrain from
purchasing a product
key.

instead "buy" a physical
product so you can have
a "physical" and genuine
disk on hand.

--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces
- @hotmail.com
"share the nirvana" - dbZen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Daave]

Yeah, I'm using the XP Home Product key from my old computer, on my
new computer which isn't activated yet. What I need to know is, when
I buy the new XP Home product do I have to reinstall Windows or can I
activate my newly bought XP Home product through the activation
procedure without having to reinstall Windows?

It's possible. The XP Home "flavors" have to match. That is, if your old
XP Home CD is Retail, you need a Retail key; if it's OEM, you need an
OEM key. The method(s) can be found here:

http://www.technize.com/2008/03/13/how-to-change-windows-xp-product-key/

 

[Calder]

That looks very interesting. Is it legit? Doesn't backdoor your system or
steal your XP Key?

 

[Patrick Keenan]

That looks very interesting. Is it legit? Doesn't backdoor your system or
steal your XP Key?

These are legitimate methods of changing the key. Some are described in MS
documentation, some are simply visual front ends for those MS-described
methods.

Stealing a retail or OEM CD key isn't really an activity of value, since
those keys can only be activated on one PC at a time. If you try to
resell the key, you'll wind up with some very unhappy customers very
quickly.

There can, however, be risks if you change the product key at specific
points, such as *during* a repair install required by significant hardware
changes. It is possible - I think I've had this happen twice - to get into
a loop where the system will not boot because it requires activation, but
will not present the dialogs necessary to enter the activation codes. The
shortest way around this I could find was to wipe the drive and start over
with a clean install.

HTH
-pk

 

[Calder]

Well thanks for your assistance I'll be using those programs when I get the
chance. Thanks again.