How does product activation work when installing it?
Do you need to call them up every time you format and want to reinstall? Is the number 24/7?
Do you need to call them up every time you format and want to reinstall? Is the number 24/7?
Anyone own a legal copy of XP pro or home?
- Thread starter LordJezo
- Start date
I have the home edition upgrade that I got free with my dell laptop (came installed with NT4). I don't remember having to call them when I first installed it. I haven't done a format and reinstall though. This is also an upgrade CD, I'm not sure if it installs by itself.
Linflas
Lifer
- Jan 30, 2001
- 15,395
- 78
- 91
Only if you make hardware changes. You can reinstall on the same configuration numerous times and just hit the activate button when prompted and that is it. If you make enough changes in the hardware then you will need to call them. I had to do this when I moved to a new motherboard. I used most of the same hardware but new hard drives and a new NIC and failed activation. I called the number and it only took a couple minutes to read the guy the numbers and enter the ones he provided for activation. I just explained exactly what I had done to my machine and that was it.
It depends. Normally it will let you install once or twice then make you call in. And the number is 24/7.
I've done it, but it doesn't make me happy when I have to.
I've done it, but it doesn't make me happy when I have to.
Freejack2
Diamond Member
- Dec 31, 2000
- 7,751
- 8
- 91
Both but I bypassed the product activation. Since XP has came out I've had to reinstall it 6 times in this pc due to motherboard or hard drive upgrades, and some problems. You can imagine the fun I would have had if I needed to call microsoft 6 times to activate the same copy of windows.
I believe the magic number is four hardware changes. I installed XP home multiple times without calling, but three hard drive changes and a new video card later, I had to call. You're asked why you're calling, but they don't hassle you at all about it.
Yeah, there seems to be no rhyme nor reason to what prompts activation to fail................I update all my systems......A LOT.........all run XP Pro, all legal copies, on one system, I had to reactivate after changing ram modules................on another syste, I changed the Motherboard and went to a Northwood 1.8 instead of Willy.............it went through without needing to reactivate.............go figure............
You guys seem to "live" with it (the activation). I mean, you bought the product and you still have to ask MS for permission. This is simply unacceptable for me. Even if it's just a stupid phone call...
No, not that lazy. It's just when I pay for a product, I want to 'own' it. Yeah, you're right, for the majority of windows users it's not a big deal, but I'm not the 'majority'. I'm part of the 3%
SCNRSince I bought Windows XP the day it came out, I would say I have reformatted my machine > 20 times (this was before I got DriveImage, and I moved to a new machine). With my old machine I had to call them up about 10 times for Windows and Office XP (both legal). When I switched machines (I threw out my old one) I didn't even have to call them, and since then I have not needed to call them. I just think they got sick of me calling every week or two.
I live in the UK and had to ring Microsoft at 1:30AM in the morning after a motherboard swap took a bit longer than I thought. Had no trouble getting though and no hassle with the activation. The only hassle is reading back the long list of numbers that the computer brings up. As a side note the guy at Microsoft knew that I had servce pack 1 installed because of these numbers, seeing as it's beta I thought I might get a quizing but no probs.
You don't have the product activation scheme with XP Pro that comes with XP Home.
Open Licenses are great...
Open Licenses are great...
I've called microsoft twice so far... first time, I swapped mobo's and sound cards, second time I felt like reformatting.
I must also have a corperate version??? All ive ever had to do is type in the serial key on each install. I know i've reinstalled over 20 times between my laptop and different desktops ive built.
Ive never seen the "activation" thing. How does it work, i mean the install cd can't be written to, so how does it know how many times you've installed? Do you have to be online to activate?
Ive never seen the "activation" thing. How does it work, i mean the install cd can't be written to, so how does it know how many times you've installed? Do you have to be online to activate?
It doesn't write to the CD or anything like that, when you install it and enter your CD Key, it will generate another serial number based on your key and hardware configuration. Then in order to activate, you call MS, give them the new serial number, and they give you an activation key, which activates Windows, basicially tying it to your system hardware. So if you change hardware, it'll say that you need to activate again. But from what I've heard it can be leaniant at times, and stricter at others, there's really no magical number or so before you have to reactivate.
That's generally what WPA (Windows Product Activation) is.
--Mark
Wait a minute, if it doesnt make you call every time, then how does it know when to do it and when not to. I mean if you wipe your drive and install, it should be like the first time every time. I just cant see any reasoning to letting you install 2 or 3 times and then making you call in to MS. On a fresh install it has nothing to compare itself to. Does it not make you call the first time you install it on a new machine? If it doesnt then, since it cant write anything to the cd to know its already been installed, then you should be able to install it as many times as you can and it not make you call.
You can activate over the internet. Thats what you do untill it makes you call microsoft.
Oh, and an OEM version that came from a computer vendor such as dell won't have product activation. Its just locked to the dell BIOS so you can't install it on a non-dell machine
Oh, and an OEM version that came from a computer vendor such as dell won't have product activation. Its just locked to the dell BIOS so you can't install it on a non-dell machine
OK, so if you arent connected to the internet, and install it on a computer, then you will have to call MS every time then?
I know its not a big deal, but im just trying to understand what dictates whether you have to call or not. The only thing i can understand is that if you are connected to the internet when you install, it can verify you that way. If you arent connected, then i cant see how it can make a distinction on whether you are authorized or not.
Ok, lets say you put together a machine, sit it in the middle of the floor, plug it in and install (no network connections or phone line). Will it let you type in the serial number and be done? If so, lets say you do it a hunder times on a hundred different computers. It would have to work the same since nothing would be different as far as a blank hard drive and a cd that cant be changed or written to. Its not like it can tell youve installed before , or if youve changed something.
Ok, lets say you put together a machine, sit it in the middle of the floor, plug it in and install (no network connections or phone line). Will it let you type in the serial number and be done? If so, lets say you do it a hunder times on a hundred different computers. It would have to work the same since nothing would be different as far as a blank hard drive and a cd that cant be changed or written to. Its not like it can tell youve installed before , or if youve changed something.
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