Yet another XP activation scenario...

[jake w]

There are two computers, both of which came with XP Home CDs. I
needed to reformat/reload one of them, so I grabbed the first CD I
found. (nb: I still haven't found the other one.) Turns out I used
computer A's CD in computer B, because I had to activate it. It must
have been "bios-locked."

So now I have two computers running XP Home, one still with its
original installation of XP, the other running that computer's copy of
XP *and* using its serial number. And now MS has the activation info
from the wrong computer.

Question: If the other computer (the one with which the CD actually
came) needs to be reloaded, will the OS work? i.e., Will it try to
activate the OEM copy of XP (and deny it?), even if it's on the
machine wiht the correct BIOS?

I doubt this will be an issue for me, but I don't want to sell that
computer, etc. and know that the buyer will get screwed out of his/her
OS.

Thanks,
Jake

 

[Rock]

There are two computers, both of which came with XP Home CDs. I
needed to reformat/reload one of them, so I grabbed the first CD I
found. (nb: I still haven't found the other one.) Turns out I used
computer A's CD in computer B, because I had to activate it. It must
have been "bios-locked."

So now I have two computers running XP Home, one still with its
original installation of XP, the other running that computer's copy of
XP *and* using its serial number. And now MS has the activation info
from the wrong computer.

Question: If the other computer (the one with which the CD actually
came) needs to be reloaded, will the OS work? i.e., Will it try to
activate the OEM copy of XP (and deny it?), even if it's on the
machine wiht the correct BIOS?

I doubt this will be an issue for me, but I don't want to sell that
computer, etc. and know that the buyer will get screwed out of his/her
OS.

Thanks,
Jake

Your message isn't exactly clear. Did you use two different CD keys?
If so that's fine. Doesn't matter what XP CD you used. It's the keys
that must be different, as long as the XP CD type correspondes to the CD
key type. In your case it seems both versions are the same type so as
long as you used different keys your fine.

 

[Jake]

Okay I'll restate the problem.

One is a Dell, one is a Gateway. Because they both have the PID numbers
written on little stickers on the back, I copied those numbers onto post-it
notes and stuck them to the cd sleeves.

I installed the Dell's CD (and used the Dell's PID number) on the Gateway.
I didn't even realize I had done it until I booted XP and it asked me to
activate the product. No problem -- I just typed the PID number from the
post-it. Problem is, that was the Dell's PID. Now it's registered to the
Gateway with MS.

My question: when/if I reinstall this Dell CD on the Dell, will it also ask
me to activate (and deny the PID)? Or did the Gateway make me register
simply because the Dell CD knew it wasn't being installed on a Dell?

Hope that makes more sense.

Jake

 

[Rock]

Okay I'll restate the problem.

One is a Dell, one is a Gateway. Because they both have the PID numbers
written on little stickers on the back, I copied those numbers onto post-it
notes and stuck them to the cd sleeves.

I installed the Dell's CD (and used the Dell's PID number) on the Gateway.
I didn't even realize I had done it until I booted XP and it asked me to
activate the product. No problem -- I just typed the PID number from the
post-it. Problem is, that was the Dell's PID. Now it's registered to the
Gateway with MS.

My question: when/if I reinstall this Dell CD on the Dell, will it also ask
me to activate (and deny the PID)? Or did the Gateway make me register
simply because the Dell CD knew it wasn't being installed on a Dell?

Hope that makes more sense.

Jake

That's clearer, and I don't know the answer to your question but I'm
sure one of the other folks here knowledgable on WPA issues will answer.

 

[Ian \jwoulf\ Johnson]

I doubt this will be an issue for me, but I don't want to sell that
computer, etc. and know that the buyer will get screwed out of his/her
OS.

Yup, A user could easily get skrewed out of their copy of XP by this
(And by many other scenarios) Which is why I am so opposed to WPA. I
have one legal copy of XP, I use it only on one computer. Yet I
absolutly refuse to activate it, on principal. WPA is a violation of
privacy and consumer rights, I would rather spend a few hours cracking
my legal copy of XP than to send one single packet of data to MS'
activation scheme.

Howls,
Ian "jwoulf" Johnson
http://www.jwoulf.net