xp home upgrade activation

[Guest]

I did look thru the forum and cannot find the answer to this question. How
does
the
microsoft activation system know one xp disk from another? I do know a code
is
generated
when you activate during instalation, which makes a snapshot of the computer.
But
if i go to a different computer, how will microsoft know that it is a
different
or
same disk? I ask this because I do not remember ever entering the product
code
or
anything during instalation. This question applies only to the home edition
upgrade.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

If you upgraded, you input the Product Key.
It has nothing to do with the CD since all CDs of that type are identical,
the Product Key is what makes the installation unique.
These links can help explain it:
http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm
http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/activation.mspx