Saving XP activation for reinstall

[randym431]

Is there a way to save a file or whatever, and apply to a reinstall of xp (on the same machine) to avoid the activation mess? I reinstall xp, maybe once every two-three months to rid my system of junk and unused software. Like right now i just reinstalled xp two weeks ago. Then after having video issues with ati's hdtv wonder card, I followed ati's instructions to de-install the ati software/drivers and reinstall. But now my volume control in the task bar is missing. Also, many sound features have stopped working. So a total format-reinstall of xp is the only thing i know that will fix things. But as to windows xp activation, isnt there a file that can be saved and applied to after the reinstall so it will not need activation over the net???

 

[stash]

Easy. Stop reinstalling every 2-3 months. Totally unnecessary.

 

[Nocturnal]

You really don't need to reinstall XP every few months. I haven't reinstalled XP for at least 8 months now. Maybe once a year or even then that's a lot. Unless it's completedly FUBAR then you don't really need to do a reinstall.

 

[ivwshane]

You need to learn to fix the problem correctly instead of reinstalling😉

 

[RebateMonger]

If you are going to re-install that often, you'd probably be best off with an image of an installed, working, and activated system. Do a fresh install. Get it working with your current "normal" hardware and software. Then image it to another hard drive with Acronis or Ghost. If/when the urge to reformat strikes you, just move the image to your working hard drive.

You can periodically update the image. Just start the process at bedtime and wake up to a new image in the morning.

 

[Raincity]

Nice thread, instead of discussing the posted topic you folks tell the forum your viewpoint on Windows reinstalls.

As for the or posted question, No way that I know of since XP SP 2 has been released.

 

[Evander]

I've never tried this, but cut and pasted it to my notes in case i ever needed to try. The procedure describes 2 systems but seems like it should be applicable to 1 pc as well:


"XP Retro Activation with 2 PCs"
1. Install on New Machine
2. Once Prompted, Call Microsoft
3. Say You uninstalled the software from the previous machine even if you haven't
4. Enter the new code they give you
5. Your new machine is up and running!

Since your other PC is running the same windows, it is still activated, to avoid calling Microsoft again and redoing the above trick, backup the WPA.DBL that is in your C:\Windows\System32 . If you ever reinstall on the old system, after install, DO NOT ACTIVATE! Re-Boot into Safe Mode and copy over the WPA.DBL to the new System32 folder and if the HardWare is the same, Windows will read as activated.

Let us know how it goes if you decide to try

 

[stash]

Nice thread, instead of discussing the posted topic you folks tell the forum your viewpoint on Windows reinstalls.

Well it goes to the entire point of the thread. If you don't reinstall, you don't need to reactivate.

 

[randym431]

Well I do a lot of video editing and testing of new software. And believe me, a fresh reinstall is the ONLY way to clean things up. Especially when your working with buggy software/drivers like the ones ATI puts out there. ATI's hdtv wonder is the buggiest weirdest item I have delt with. And after spending hours on the phone with there advanced tech support, they have no idea. Telling me everything from getting a new MB to "my card must be defective" (it isnt).
I usually can reinstall xp smoothly and activate it many many times. But comes the time it exceeds activations and you have to call.
Another example. If you have ati's CC center installed, then install the divx codes, the CC center will hang on xp shut down. Cli.exe either wont init or it will not stop with out manually ending it. So I find if I need dvix codes, I will need to do a clean reinstall after I'm done with divx. Unstalling it just doesnt do it. And as ati de-install guide says, you have to remove entries from the registery. That doesnt help freaky things from happening even though you only removed ati registery items.
Again, a clean reinstall is needed.
And I wont even go into spyware issues and trying to remove that for good without a clean re-install.
As to ghosting. I've tried that too. I find the system runs a lot slower after reloading a ghosted image. No idea why. So ghosting isnt an option, at least one that is reliable.

 

[spyordie007]

Nice thread, instead of discussing the posted topic you folks tell the forum your viewpoint on Windows reinstalls.

I dont think it was out of line, they were going for the root of the problem (uncommonly frequent, and arguably unneccisary reinstalls).

I think the imaging approach is probably best if you really need to be redoing your install this frequently (it's certainly faster and easier than a full reinstall, and it gets you around having to reactivate).

 

[Raincity]

The backing up of the WPA.DBL does not work anymore since SP 2.

 

[corkyg]

Get a second HDD identical to your current drive. Clone the current to the reserve drive. You can use it just like the drive 1. I do this every couple of weeks and never need to reactivate as long as it is in the same system.

Then you can play with testing betaware and video editing, and when you screw your system up, just change drives. Then re-clone the screwed up drive with the good one.

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: randym431
As to ghosting. I've tried that too. I find the system runs a lot slower after reloading a ghosted image. No idea why. So ghosting isnt an option, at least one that is reliable.

I've never heard of that problem before. It seems unlikely, since a ghosted image is a bit-for-bit copy of the original hard drive.

 

[randym431]

Also, re installing xp is educational. I learn little new tweaks and how to solve some issues each time I've reinstalled. For example, I can load the xp CD, do a format and then reinstall, but doing that picks up some quirks you may have been having with the previous install. You wont need an earlier windows version CD to "qualify" if you do an install, even a format, during the reinstall. It sees the windows folder and knows you qualify. Even if you then tell it to format. But this is not a clean install and it WILL pick up some possible xp problems you were having before. The best (clean) install is to format the drive before starting the xp reinstall. Then xp will prompt for a "qualifying" previous windows CD to continue (if using an upgrade version). But the reinstall will be truly clean.

ps. cloning might be worth a try. What would you recommend for a cloning program? (ghost?)

Anyway, I feel if you own it you should be able to reinstall it as often, on the same machine, as you like. You wouldnt want to get a new car and told you can only drive it 100 miles a week, or have to call Ford each time you do exceed 100 miles. With all the security, surely xp activation can tell that your installing on the same machine each time. Or, are all those numbers just something to scare us ?

 

[RebateMonger]

If you are re-installing on the same PC, Windows XP Online Activation shouldn't complain at all. Regardless, Activation is probably the LEAST time-consuming part of re-installing and patching an OS and applications.

 

[corkyg]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger

I've never heard of that problem before. It seems unlikely, since a ghosted image is a bit-for-bit copy of the original hard drive.[/quote]

Not necessarily so. A Ghosted Image is an image file made by Symantec Ghost that can be placed anywhere on the HDD. Cloning is a bit by bit copy of the drive with all elements exactly where they are supposed to be. An Image file normally requires restoration of some sort.

 

[nweaver]

vmware is now free...easiest way to "try" new software and such without hosing your current box. If you don't like free, you could pay for VirtualPC, it works fine as well.

 

[Madwand1]

Lots of options here..

Another one is to never activate if you're going to be constantly re-installing. Microsoft advises their MSDN customers (who might be reinstalling / changing the OS many times for testing) to do so -- don't activate if you're just going to re-install in a short time (within the activation time limit).

This could limit you in some of the things you can do, because it won't pass the "genuine" test until activated, but could be a liveable tradeoff for some cases.

 

[Ausm]

Originally posted by: Nocturnal
You really don't need to reinstall XP every few months. I haven't reinstalled XP for at least 8 months now. Maybe once a year or even then that's a lot. Unless it's completedly FUBAR then you don't really need to do a reinstall.

The only OS I can run longer then 6 months without a reinstall is Win2K.


Ausm

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: Ausm

Originally posted by: Nocturnal
You really don't need to reinstall XP every few months. I haven't reinstalled XP for at least 8 months now. Maybe once a year or even then that's a lot. Unless it's completedly FUBAR then you don't really need to do a reinstall.

The only OS I can run longer then 6 months without a reinstall is Win2K.

Unless you're running lots of beta drivers/software, or keep getting viruses/spyware and not fixing them, you suck at running teh Windows. 😛

Not necessarily so. A Ghosted Image is an image file made by Symantec Ghost that can be placed anywhere on the HDD. Cloning is a bit by bit copy of the drive with all elements exactly where they are supposed to be. An Image file normally requires restoration of some sort.

I believe Ghost works at a block level; you should not be able to tell the difference between the original drive/filesystem and another drive with the Ghost image written over it.

The image it produces is not actually a full bit-for-bit representation of the drive (they use compression, etc. to save space, and blocks that are not part of the filesystem are not saved). But it should restore to exactly the same filesystem you had before. If it doesn't... then it's not working correctly.

Anyway, I feel if you own it you should be able to reinstall it as often, on the same machine, as you like.

You can; you just have to verify it with Microsoft if you exceed a (pretty generous, for 'normal' use) reinstallation limit. Only once have I actually had to call back in, and that involved changing out essentially every piece of hardware in a system (including the motherboard).

You wouldnt want to get a new car and told you can only drive it 100 miles a week, or have to call Ford each time you do exceed 100 miles.

Except it's more like them only letting you drive 10,000 miles a week, or making you call when you replace the engine. The vast majority of WinXP users have no problems with this, or don't even realize Activation exists.

With all the security, surely xp activation can tell that your installing on the same machine each time. Or, are all those numbers just something to scare us ?

It produces a code that is basically a hash of the hardware in your machine and the product key. If you installed it on another machine with EXACTLY the same hardware setup, and used the same product key, they can't tell whether it's the same machine or a different one. Hence the limit on reactivations, so you can't install it on a dozen identical machines (or, at least, you have to call them up and actually lie about it personally).

 

[Boonesmi]

personally i would suggest you just do a basic windows setup, activate it, and install the drivers etc... but before installing all your software you could make a image copy of your harddrive (clone it) then in the future you could just restore from teh clone

and yes doing it this way you wont need to keep reactivating windows

 

[randym431]

Just another thought. What about the system restore feature in xp? Never used that and usually turn it off. But if you force a restore point, and at a later date restore from back to that point, does it uninstall anything you installed since the restore point? Or how does it work?