XP Home Edition Re-activation

[Guest]

Hey guys,

I build my own computers and at the minute have a system with an MSI
motherboard, which has onboard video. However, I don't use this, I have a
seperate card in the AGP slot.

I have an OEM version of Windows XP Home Ed. and when I first installed it
(this July), I activated it without a problem.

I would now like to reformat (from the Windows CD) and reinstall the
operating system - using the onboard video instead of the graphics card
(which I'll take out).

I am concerned whether I will be allowed to reactivate the product since I
am using an OEM version with different (1 item) hardware. I have rang
Microsoft but the man didn't seem to know.



Thank you to everyone,
Conor McLaughlin

 

[Haggis]

Hey guys,

I build my own computers and at the minute have a system with an MSI
motherboard, which has onboard video. However, I don't use this, I have a
seperate card in the AGP slot.

I have an OEM version of Windows XP Home Ed. and when I first installed it
(this July), I activated it without a problem.

I would now like to reformat (from the Windows CD) and reinstall the
operating system - using the onboard video instead of the graphics card
(which I'll take out).

I am concerned whether I will be allowed to reactivate the product since I
am using an OEM version with different (1 item) hardware. I have rang
Microsoft but the man didn't seem to know.



Thank you to everyone,
Conor McLaughlin

i can't say for sure (it should be ok , i've done it without reactivating) )
....since you are past the 120 day mark ..it should activate online with no
problem

 

[Guest]

THanks for your message.

Do you know if there's anyway I can get solid information (from Microsoft or
somewhere else)

Conor

 

[Ken Blake]

In

I build my own computers and at the minute have a system with
an MSI
motherboard, which has onboard video. However, I don't use
this, I
have a seperate card in the AGP slot.

I have an OEM version of Windows XP Home Ed. and when I first
installed it (this July), I activated it without a problem.

I would now like to reformat (from the Windows CD) and
reinstall the
operating system - using the onboard video instead of the
graphics
card (which I'll take out).

I am concerned whether I will be allowed to reactivate the
product
since I am using an OEM version with different (1 item)
hardware. I
have rang Microsoft but the man didn't seem to know.

Yes, it should be no problem at all. You can't use your OEM
version on a different computer, but such a minor hardware change
doesn't make it a different computer.

 

[Raymond J. Johnson Jr.]

message | THanks for your message.
|
| Do you know if there's anyway I can get solid information (from Microsoft
or
| somewhere else)
|
| Conor
|
| "Haggis" wrote:
|
| >
| > message | > > Hey guys,
| > >
| > > I build my own computers and at the minute have a system with an MSI
| > > motherboard, which has onboard video. However, I don't use this, I
have a
| > > seperate card in the AGP slot.
| > >
| > > I have an OEM version of Windows XP Home Ed. and when I first
installed it
| > > (this July), I activated it without a problem.
| > >
| > > I would now like to reformat (from the Windows CD) and reinstall the
| > > operating system - using the onboard video instead of the graphics
card
| > > (which I'll take out).
| > >
| > > I am concerned whether I will be allowed to reactivate the product
since I
| > > am using an OEM version with different (1 item) hardware. I have rang
| > > Microsoft but the man didn't seem to know.
| > >
| > >
| > >
| > > Thank you to everyone,
| > > Conor McLaughlin
| > >
| > >
| >
| > i can't say for sure (it should be ok , i've done it without
reactivating) )
| > ....since you are past the 120 day mark ..it should activate online with
no
| > problem
| >
| >

It won't be a problem. As Haggis said, if it's been more than 120 days since
you last activated, you should be able to activate over the Internet with no
problems. There's a chance that even if it's been less than 120 days that
the removal of the card wouldn't be enough to trigger a new activation
requirement. At the worst, you'll have to activate over the phone which is a
painless process.

 

[Guest]

Description of Microsoft Product Activation
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;302806

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

Frequently asked questions about Microsoft Product Activation
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;302878

How To Troubleshoot Activation in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/293764

I don't believe you will have an issue with activation, as long as the
Product Key used for this system has not been abused. (used on other systems)

 

[Ken Blake]

In

"Conor McLaughlin" <[email protected]>
wrote
in message
| THanks for your message.
|
| Do you know if there's anyway I can get solid information
(from
| Microsoft or somewhere else)
|
| Conor
|
| "Haggis" wrote:
|
| >
| > "Conor McLaughlin" <Conor
(e-mail address removed)>
| > wrote in message
| > | > > Hey guys,
| > >
| > > I build my own computers and at the minute have a system
with an
| > > MSI motherboard, which has onboard video. However, I don't
use
| > > this, I have a seperate card in the AGP slot.
| > >
| > > I have an OEM version of Windows XP Home Ed. and when I
first
| > > installed it (this July), I activated it without a
problem.
| > >
| > > I would now like to reformat (from the Windows CD) and
reinstall
| > > the operating system - using the onboard video instead of
the
| > > graphics card (which I'll take out).
| > >
| > > I am concerned whether I will be allowed to reactivate the
| > > product since I am using an OEM version with different (1
item)
| > > hardware. I have rang Microsoft but the man didn't seem to
know.
| > >
| > >
| > >
| > > Thank you to everyone,
| > > Conor McLaughlin
| > >
| > >
| >
| > i can't say for sure (it should be ok , i've done it without
| > reactivating) ) ....since you are past the 120 day mark ..it
| > should activate online with no problem
| >
| >

It won't be a problem. As Haggis said, if it's been more than
120
days since you last activated, you should be able to activate
over
the Internet with no problems.

Yes.


There's a chance that even if it's
been less than 120 days that the removal of the card wouldn't
be
enough to trigger a new activation requirement.

No. When he reformats, his activation information will all be
lost, and he *will* have to reactivate.

At the worst, you'll
have to activate over the phone which is a painless process.

That's correct.

 

[Guest]

Thank you very much everyone - in truth, my main worry was the OEM version
of Windows

Thanks again
Conor

 

[Harry Ohrn]

message |
| Thank you very much everyone - in truth, my main worry was the OEM version
| of Windows
|
| Thanks again
| Conor

As long as you are reinstalling the OEM on the same system albeit with only
a minor change then there will be no problem with Activation. For good info
on Windows Product Activation read Alex Nichol's page here
http://www.aumha.org/a/wpa.htm

 

[Raymond J. Johnson Jr.]

In



No. When he reformats, his activation information will all be
lost, and he *will* have to reactivate.






That's correct.

You're right about the need to reactivate. Duh..

 

[Ken Blake]

In

Ken Blake wrote:

You're right about the need to reactivate. Duh..

Not a problem. We all read and answer too fast sometimes.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Hey guys,

I build my own computers and at the minute have a system with an MSI
motherboard, which has onboard video. However, I don't use this, I have a
seperate card in the AGP slot.

I have an OEM version of Windows XP Home Ed. and when I first installed it
(this July), I activated it without a problem.

I would now like to reformat (from the Windows CD) and reinstall the
operating system - using the onboard video instead of the graphics card
(which I'll take out).

I am concerned whether I will be allowed to reactivate the product since I
am using an OEM version with different (1 item) hardware. I have rang
Microsoft but the man didn't seem to know.



Thank you to everyone,
Conor McLaughlin

There's no limit to the number of times you can reinstall and
activate the same WinXP license on the same PC. Nor is there ever a
charge. Nor does a Product Key (so long as it's not an evaluation
license) ever expire. If it's been more than 120 days since you last
activated that specific Product Key, you'll most likely be able to
activate via the Internet without problem. If it's been less, you
might have to make a 5 minute phone call.

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

 

[Alex Nichol]

I build my own computers and at the minute have a system with an MSI
motherboard, which has onboard video. However, I don't use this, I have a
seperate card in the AGP slot.

I have an OEM version of Windows XP Home Ed. and when I first installed it
(this July), I activated it without a problem.

I would now like to reformat (from the Windows CD) and reinstall the
operating system - using the onboard video instead of the graphics card
(which I'll take out).

I am concerned whether I will be allowed to reactivate the product since I
am using an OEM version with different (1 item) hardware. I have rang
Microsoft but the man didn't seem to know.

See my page www.aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm - one item should not be
nearly enough to cause trouble with the fresh activation you need after
a reformat; but see advice there in Format Hard disk on conserving one
other vote

 

[Guest]

Thanks guys - you have all been more helpful that the people at the microsoft
support line


Cnor

 

[Guest]

Hey (again)

See original problem below...

I've also decided now to take out the PCI soundcard and use the onboard sound.

Will that still be acceptable?


Thanks - I know I'm annoying but Microsoft don't seem to have a clue


Conro

 

[Alex Nichol]

See original problem below...

I've also decided now to take out the PCI soundcard and use the onboard sound.

Will that still be acceptable?

Sound cards do not enter into activation - at all. See my page at
www.aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm for how it works, and links to the
technical docs