Used copy of XP home edition

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Guest

I've been looking through various posts, and I've since discovered that
buying a used copy of XP home upgrade is not a good idea. However, that ship
has already sailed. What I need is information on what to do from here.

When I installed the upgrade, I was prompted to activate the software. I've
never seen anything like that on any other software, so I looked at the
manual before selecting yes and discovered that activation is required to
insure that the software is installed on only one computer. I purchased the
package from a guy whose computer died. He bought a new computer with XP
already installed, so he no longer needed the upgrade package. When I try to
activate the software, what is going to happen? If it's bad stuff, how to I
avoid it or fix it?

Thanks.
 
Assuming you purchased a "Retail Version" of Windows XP,
simply activate when prompted to do so after installing. If
you are unable to activate via the internet, then select the option
to "activate by phone".

How to activate Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307890

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/windowsxp/choose.mspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| I've been looking through various posts, and I've since discovered that
| buying a used copy of XP home upgrade is not a good idea. However, that ship
| has already sailed. What I need is information on what to do from here.
|
| When I installed the upgrade, I was prompted to activate the software. I've
| never seen anything like that on any other software, so I looked at the
| manual before selecting yes and discovered that activation is required to
| insure that the software is installed on only one computer. I purchased the
| package from a guy whose computer died. He bought a new computer with XP
| already installed, so he no longer needed the upgrade package. When I try to
| activate the software, what is going to happen? If it's bad stuff, how to I
| avoid it or fix it?
|
| Thanks.
 
Walt said:
I've been looking through various posts, and I've since discovered that
buying a used copy of XP home upgrade is not a good idea. However, that ship
has already sailed. What I need is information on what to do from here.

When I installed the upgrade, I was prompted to activate the software. I've
never seen anything like that on any other software, so I looked at the
manual before selecting yes and discovered that activation is required to
insure that the software is installed on only one computer. I purchased the
package from a guy whose computer died. He bought a new computer with XP
already installed, so he no longer needed the upgrade package. When I try to
activate the software, what is going to happen? If it's bad stuff, how to I
avoid it or fix it?

Thanks.
Click to expand...


You should have no trouble whatsoever. Here are the facts pertaining
to activation:

Piracy Basics - Microsoft Product Activation
http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/basics/activation/

Windows Product Activation (WPA)
http://www.aumha.org/a/wpa.htm


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH
 
Nothing is going to happen, unless it is a pirated copy, in which case you
will not beable to activate that particular copy. But don't assume the
worse. Just activate over the internet. The activation will either be
accepted, in which case a message will appear to say you have successfully
activated Windows XP. Alternatively, if the activation over the internet
doesn't work, another screen will appear giving you instruction to dial a
free phone activation line number. Make sure you are at your pc when you
dial the number because you will need to go through the activation process
again and give the activation desk a number that Windows X generates during
the activation process. In return they should give you another number to
type into the available dialogue box onscreen. Once that is done you are
activated. And, contrary to popular belief you can if you need to reinstall
xp you simply activate the software again. there is no limit as to how many
times you can activate, so don't let that worry you. If you chnage any
hardware on your pc you may be asked to activate again. However, if 120 days
have passed since you last activated your copy of XP the activation should
go through without any problem.
 
Thanks, John.



John Barnett MVP said:
Nothing is going to happen, unless it is a pirated copy, in which case you
will not beable to activate that particular copy. But don't assume the
worse. Just activate over the internet. The activation will either be
accepted, in which case a message will appear to say you have successfully
activated Windows XP. Alternatively, if the activation over the internet
doesn't work, another screen will appear giving you instruction to dial a
free phone activation line number. Make sure you are at your pc when you
dial the number because you will need to go through the activation process
again and give the activation desk a number that Windows X generates during
the activation process. In return they should give you another number to
type into the available dialogue box onscreen. Once that is done you are
activated. And, contrary to popular belief you can if you need to reinstall
xp you simply activate the software again. there is no limit as to how many
times you can activate, so don't let that worry you. If you chnage any
hardware on your pc you may be asked to activate again. However, if 120 days
have passed since you last activated your copy of XP the activation should
go through without any problem.
Click to expand...
 
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