XP Activation question

[Grrranny]

About a year ago I bought XP pro. Installed it on my computer. About 6
months later it died a slow misserable death. Built a new computer and
installed xp on it, of course I had to activate xp again. Well, the
motherboard was bad in the computer and it had to be replaced and NOT with
the same kind so had to Activate XP again. (3rd time) Then my hard drive
crased, right, had to reinstall XP and now I need to reactivate xp again!
Does anyone know how many times they will activate xp pro? I am very
frustrated with this whole recent computer experience and doubly so with
this activation stuff (although I understand why they are doing it). I'm
thinking maybe its time to switch to linux.

 

[Richard Urban]

You think that switching to Linux is a cure for your many "hardware"
problems? Why?

The amount of time necessary to activate is way less than the amount of time
you spent correcting the defective hardware problems and reinstalling the
O/S because of the defective hardware.

Just activate when you have to. At most, it may be a five minute phone call
if it can't be done over the internet.

If you go for 180 days without altering the hardware in your computer, the
activation "clock" rolls back to zero. It is as if you just purchased the
operating system anew, and are performing an initial install.

--
Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Grrranny]

No Richard, changing to Linux would not solve my hardware problems but I
could install and reinstall a million times and no one would bug me about
it. Computer problems are bad enough without having to deal with microsoft
too. Because I have had to reinstall 4 times in less than 180 days, I am
afraid microsoft will decide "I can't have what I paid for anymore".

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

You can reinstall Windows XP an unlimited number of times on the same
computer.
Microsoft won't decide otherwise.

I would try to determine if the hardware failures are related.
Start by checking the source power and the power supply.
Do you have a UPS?

Also it is 120 days and not 180 days.

Reat the EULA for details.
Also see:
http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm

 

[Richard Urban]

Aw! I never was any good at math. (-:

--
Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Close enough, sort of.
The big point is the it does clear after a period of time.

 

[Grrranny]

Whats a UPS? When I put the new mainboard in I replaced the power supply
with a larger one "just in case". Also replaced the memory.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

About a year ago I bought XP pro. Installed it on my computer. About 6
months later it died a slow misserable death. Built a new computer and
installed xp on it, of course I had to activate xp again. Well, the
motherboard was bad in the computer and it had to be replaced and NOT with
the same kind so had to Activate XP again. (3rd time) Then my hard drive
crased, right, had to reinstall XP and now I need to reactivate xp again!
Does anyone know how many times they will activate xp pro? I am very
frustrated with this whole recent computer experience and doubly so with
this activation stuff (although I understand why they are doing it). I'm
thinking maybe its time to switch to linux.

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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They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Uninterruptible Power Supply.
Some will not run their computers without one protecting the system.
More important if power in your area is unreliable or have high
fluctuations.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
http://www.dts-l.org