XP Activation License

[Garet Jax]

Hello all,

I have an upgrade retail license of XP installled on my laptop. I am selling my laptop with no OS. I want to install the XP license on my desktop machine.

I activated the XP license and I assume it took a profile of my laptop and associated it with the license key. What do I need to do to "reset" the association so I can install it and activate it on my desktop?

Thanks.

 

[corkyg]

You need to call Microsoft and have them zero out your activation for the old machine and thus open the way to reactivate on the new one. They are pretty good about this.

 

[Garet Jax]

It's that simple? I assume the phone number is readily accessible? Thanks.

 

[Navid]

Just un-install from the laptop. Then, install on the other computer. Activate, it will give you choices of online or by phone. You can try online and it may go through with no problem. Or, it may tell you that you have to call.
If it tells you that you have to call, it asks where you are located. You answer. it will give you a number to call.

 

[callmesteve]

Yea, had to call them up once, and had the job done within 10 minutes. They are pretty "lenient" on this one

 

[Navid]

Wait a minute!
I missed something in your post the first time.
Your XP license is upgrade.

To install an XP upgrade on a machine, you need a full license of another OS that can be upgraded to XP (98, ME, ?).

I assume your laptop came with an operating system on it. That is why you could upgrade it to XP using that key. I don't think you can install the OS that came on your laptop on another machine.

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: corkyg
You need to call Microsoft and have them zero out your activation for the old machine and thus open the way to reactivate on the new one. They are pretty good about this.

They don't 'zero out' the old machine. If you've had the laptop for more than 4 months, you'll probably just reactive online without any calls. If you've reactivated sooner you may have to call in, when they ask why your reactivating just tell them you bought a new machine and removed XP from the old one. Thats it.

Bill

 

[corkyg]

[/quote]

They don't 'zero out' the old machine. If you've had the laptop for more than 4 months, you'll probably just reactive online without any calls. If you've reactivated sooner you may have to call in, when they ask why your reactivating just tell them you bought a new machine and removed XP from the old one. Thats it. Bill [/quote]

Correct - I meant that they remove the old machine from their records as being activated. That allows the new activation.

 

[one7]

Is there some magic word you need to say to get them to reset the activations?

I bought XP with a barebones system from a local computer shop in 2002, and upgraded the hardware numerous times, using up my activations (I'm a musician, and am always installing and removing recording and mixing gear and new and bigger HD's and the like...) The local shop went out of business, and the mobo recently died. I've rebuilt it into a new PC, which I'm giving to a friend. I'd like to have the key reset so that it can activate online the next time without having to call it in. I've called MS twice today to ask about resetting, and they are telling me I'm forever required to call and ask permission each time this copy of XP is restored.

Can anyone who has done this tell me what number you called, or who you spoke to, or what the proper thing to say is? I'd appreciate any insight. Thanks!
-Mark

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: one7
Is there some magic word you need to say to get them to reset the activations?

I bought XP with a barebones system from a local computer shop in 2002, and upgraded the hardware numerous times, using up my activations (I'm a musician, and am always installing and removing recording and mixing gear and new and bigger HD's and the like...) The local shop went out of business, and the mobo recently died. I've rebuilt it into a new PC, which I'm giving to a friend. I'd like to have the key reset so that it can activate online the next time without having to call it in. I've called MS twice today to ask about resetting, and they are telling me I'm forever required to call and ask permission each time this copy of XP is restored.

Can anyone who has done this tell me what number you called, or who you spoke to, or what the proper thing to say is? I'd appreciate any insight. Thanks!
-Mark

I'm not sure there's any magic way to have them "reset" it to make it like-new. I believe they use some formula based on how often the hardware has changed and/or how often you try to reactivate using the same key to decide whether you need to call in.

Is there some reason the next person who buys the system can't call Microsoft if it asks them to? You could also install and activate it on the new system and then give it to your friend if they don't feel comfortable calling an 800 number and typing in some numbers...

 

[one7]

Originally posted by: Matthias99

Is there some reason the next person who buys the system can't call Microsoft if it asks them to? You could also install and activate it on the new system and then give it to your friend if they don't feel comfortable calling an 800 number and typing in some numbers...

No, there's no reason they couldn't... but there's no reason they should have to, either, and I'd like to save them the trouble if it ever comes up... they aren't exactly computer-savvy, they don't even own one now... it will be strictly an email machine, for the most part (some friends of the family, struggling with two infant girls.) Moreso, though, for my own peace of mind... it really irks me that I can pay $180 for something and then have to call and ask permission to use it. Yes, I'm biased, and anti-activation schemes. I stopped using Norton because of it, but unfortunately, it's hard to escape Windows...

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: one7

Originally posted by: Matthias99

Is there some reason the next person who buys the system can't call Microsoft if it asks them to? You could also install and activate it on the new system and then give it to your friend if they don't feel comfortable calling an 800 number and typing in some numbers...

No, there's no reason they couldn't... but there's no reason they should have to, either, and I'd like to save them the trouble if it ever comes up... they aren't exactly computer-savvy, they don't even own one now... it will be strictly an email machine, for the most part (some friends of the family, struggling with two infant girls.) Moreso, though, for my own peace of mind... it really irks me that I can pay $180 for something and then have to call and ask permission to use it. Yes, I'm biased, and anti-activation schemes. I stopped using Norton because of it, but unfortunately, it's hard to escape Windows...

MS (and other companies) wouldn't have to do this if people actually paid for their software. I blame society.

I agree it's a PITA sometimes, but as a professional software developer, I understand why they did it. They had to do something to cut down on the casual piracy that was so widespread with Win98, not to mention the *organized* piracy (which, while not so terrible in the US, is extremely bad in some foreign countries).

 

[one7]

I understand their need to protect their investment, Mathias, but I refuse to believe that the people who are affected by activation are the high risk piracy market. It does nothing about the counterfeits from the far east, it does nothing for those that use corporate CDs to install multiple copies, and it does nothing to stop unscrupulous PC builders from building and selling systems with illegitimate installations. Of course, it does increase MS's operating expenses by having to maintain a call center for me to ask pretty please because I changed a hard drive. I'm sorry, but I fail to see the impact beyond it's ability to piss off the average single-copy home user...

 

[jackschmittusa]

As it works now, the whole activation thing is just a bother to ordinary customers. Activation has been cracked for sometime now and really doesn't affect the people they are after anyway.