Backing up WPA on Windows 64 bit Edition

[WobbleWobble]

I've read up on methods on how to back up your WPA so when you reinstall, you don't have to activate again. I backed up the C:\Windows\System32\wpa.dbl and wpa.bak files, reinstalled, booted into Safe Mode and copied them over. Reboot and Windows still asks me to activate and I notice the timestamps on the wpa files are the current date/time instead of the backed up file timestamp.

Anyone have any experiences on this or has anyone succesfully backed up their WPA files on 64 bit Windows?

This is an OEM copy of Windows XP 64 bit Edition. The hardware was exactly the same, before and after.

 

[rmrf]

# Start XP to Minimal Safe mode
# Change directory to the \%systemroot%\system32 folder
# Rename the newly created wpa.dbl to wpa.nonactivated and wpa.bak, if it exists, to wpabak.nonactivated.
# Copy your backed up wpa.dbl and wpb.bak files to the system32 folder
# Reboot

Did you follow those steps?

 

[WobbleWobble]

Yes I did

 

[rmrf]

Sorry, that was a guide for regular old winxp 32bit. I noticed that you are using 64bit just a few seconds ago. I have not tried this, as I don't have a license for winxp 64bit, but here is an article from Microsoft that might help, if you haven't already looked over it

It may or may not help, but it's something I guess.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/deploy/wpadepl.mspx

 

[WobbleWobble]

Windows Product Activation is not needed in 64-bit versions of Windows XP. (Considering this, none of the automation functionality described in this article is relevant to 64-bit systems.)

I guess the document is a bit old, thanks though

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: WobbleWobble

Windows Product Activation is not needed in 64-bit versions of Windows XP. (Considering this, none of the automation functionality described in this article is relevant to 64-bit systems.)

I guess the document is a bit old, thanks though

Wait, there's no activation for XP64? Interesting, this is the first I've heard of that.

 

[timswim78]

These methods stopped working after Sp1.

 

[WobbleWobble]

Originally posted by: ViRGE

Originally posted by: WobbleWobble

Windows Product Activation is not needed in 64-bit versions of Windows XP. (Considering this, none of the automation functionality described in this article is relevant to 64-bit systems.)

I guess the document is a bit old, thanks though

Wait, there's no activation for XP64? Interesting, this is the first I've heard of that.

There is activation. I quoted that line from the document to point out that the document itself was old.

 

[WobbleWobble]

Originally posted by: timswim78
These methods stopped working after Sp1.

Bummer. Are there any methods that do work now?

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: WobbleWobble

Originally posted by: ViRGE

Originally posted by: WobbleWobble

Windows Product Activation is not needed in 64-bit versions of Windows XP. (Considering this, none of the automation functionality described in this article is relevant to 64-bit systems.)

I guess the document is a bit old, thanks though

Wait, there's no activation for XP64? Interesting, this is the first I've heard of that.

There is activation. I quoted that line from the document to point out that the document itself was old.

Ahh, the document must be referencing the Itanium version of WinXP then, which is "Windows XP 64-Bit Edition Version 2003".

Anyhow, for the WPA files, try looking up instructions on how to do it with Win2K3. XP64 is built against a 64bit version of the 2K3 kernel, so it's likely that you need a 2K3 trick here.

 

[WobbleWobble]

I haven't found any instructions on how to do it with Win2K3, I wonder if it's even possible to backup WPA files anymore?

 

[spyordie007]

Originally posted by: WobbleWobble
I haven't found any instructions on how to do it with Win2K3, I wonder if it's even possible to backup WPA files anymore?

There's not any current method that I'm aware of.

 

[nweaver]

why? Activating isn't a huge deal. If you fubar your box and install often, don't activate till the end of the 30 days!

I work in a lab, and we do crazy stuff, and we don't have any problems with our non Volume Licenced XP activation stuff.

 

[spyordie007]

Agreed.

I do quite a bit of beta testing and beta builds require activation. The typically approach is to not activate until you're at the end of your time and only if you really want to keep the install.

Also if I think I'm going to do something to the install that might screw it up (i.e. install untested software) I'll do an image of it first so it's easy to go back.

If all else fails you can re-activate; they'll let you do it a number of times before requiring a call in.

BTW since they started activation back in 2001 I can only think of two times that I've ever had to call in on a re-activation. It just isnt an issue worth worrying about.

 

[WobbleWobble]

I am testing different system setups and I want clean installs on my box, so I was hoping I didn't have to reactivate a few times in a few days. But I guess I just won't activate till I finalized my setup. Last time I actually had to phone them, I found their system to be a pain in the ass. Online activation is easy, if it doesn't force you to call in.

I was just wondering, it's really not a big deal. Of course this has nothing to do with piracy since WPA files from another computer won't work. But if it can't be done, it can't be done. Thanks guys!

 

[spyordie007]

I am testing different system setups and I want clean installs on my box, so I was hoping I didn't have to reactivate a few times in a few days. But I guess I just won't activate till I finalized my setup.

Absolutly; if you're testing your install there is no need to bother with activation until you're sure you're ready to go. That's the reason that they dont force you to do it right away/during the install.

 

[nweaver]

You have 30 days from a fresh install toi activate. That is made so you can test your setup/make changes/tweak to your liking BEFORE activating...

I have called in 2 times as well, and I do alot of stuff, our lab is ~1200+ PC's, all changing all the time.