Windows Product Activation, Windows Activation Technologies, and so on

[John Doe]

I just upgraded motherboard and memory. Microsoft wants me to
reactivate windows 8. Should I do a clean install first? Otherwise,
what I do my next install that is inevitable, I'm going to be stuck?
Or will the activation server recognize that I'm using the same
hardware after windows asks me to activate in the new installation?
If I just thought of that possibility, I guess it might do that.

Thanks.





--
I'm used to using Windows XP with a workaround, so I did not have to
mess with this.

[DevilsPGD[_4_]]

In the last episode of >, John Doe
> said:

>I just upgraded motherboard and memory. Microsoft wants me to
>reactivate windows 8. Should I do a clean install first? Otherwise,
>what I do my next install that is inevitable, I'm going to be stuck?
>Or will the activation server recognize that I'm using the same
>hardware after windows asks me to activate in the new installation?
>If I just thought of that possibility, I guess it might do that.

Even if you run into difficulties, it's usually as simple as phoning the
number provided, answering the automated system's questions correctly
(hint: Number of systems that this license is installed on? 1. Even if
your license allows more than one, say one), then if you talk to a rep,
explain you replaced your motherboard or hard drive and needed to
reinstall Windows.

--
The nice thing about standards, there is enough for everyone to have their own.

[dweebken[_2_]]

On 11-Jan-13 5:50 PM, DevilsPGD wrote:
> In the last episode of >, John Doe
> > said:
>
>> I just upgraded motherboard and memory. Microsoft wants me to
>> reactivate windows 8. Should I do a clean install first? Otherwise,
>> what I do my next install that is inevitable, I'm going to be stuck?
>> Or will the activation server recognize that I'm using the same
>> hardware after windows asks me to activate in the new installation?
>> If I just thought of that possibility, I guess it might do that.
>
> Even if you run into difficulties, it's usually as simple as phoning the
> number provided, answering the automated system's questions correctly
> (hint: Number of systems that this license is installed on? 1. Even if
> your license allows more than one, say one), then if you talk to a rep,
> explain you replaced your motherboard or hard drive and needed to
> reinstall Windows.
>
I've been through that process a few times with Win 7 on a number of
system rebuilds and never had a problem other than having to write
down/enter a long long bunch of numbers accurately. Never had to talk to
a human at MS.

[John Doe]

dweebken <dweebken yahoo.com> wrote:

> DevilsPGD wrote:
>> John Doe <jdoe usenetlove.invalid> said:

>>> I just upgraded motherboard and memory. Microsoft wants me to
>>> reactivate windows 8. Should I do a clean install first?
>>> Otherwise, what I do my next install that is inevitable, I'm
>>> going to be stuck? Or will the activation server recognize
>>> that I'm using the same hardware after windows asks me to
>>> activate in the new installation? If I just thought of that
>>> possibility, I guess it might do that.
>>
>> Even if you run into difficulties, it's usually as simple as
>> phoning the number provided, answering the automated system's
>> questions correctly (hint: Number of systems that this license
>> is installed on? 1. Even if your license allows more than one,
>> say one), then if you talk to a rep, explain you replaced your
>> motherboard or hard drive and needed to reinstall Windows.
>>
> I've been through that process a few times with Win 7 on a
> number of system rebuilds and never had a problem other than
> having to write down/enter a long long bunch of numbers
> accurately. Never had to talk to a human at MS.

Shouldn't the web activation work, then?

[John Doe]

John Doe <jdoe usenetlove.invalid> wrote:

> Shouldn't the web activation work, then?

Maybe better would be...

Wouldn't the web activation work, then?

In other words... Did the web activation not work?

[DevilsPGD[_4_]]

In the last episode of >, John Doe
> said:

>John Doe <jdoe usenetlove.invalid> wrote:
>
>> Shouldn't the web activation work, then?
>
>Maybe better would be...
>
>Wouldn't the web activation work, then?
>
>In other words... Did the web activation not work?

The short answer is no. The web activation will fail first, but the
phone system will let you through. If it happens again a few more times,
you'll be referred to a rep.

I suspect it's due to the fact that the phone system can track phone
numbers as a way of rate-limiting abuse.

As an aside, you actually don't have to enter the numbers the phone
system provides either, once the phone system approves you, you can
close the dialog and start the activation system over the web and it
will go through.

Or at least, it does for me (but I'm on an Action Pack, which might work
differently than a standard OEM or retail key)

--
The nice thing about standards, there is enough for everyone to have their own.

[Gene E. Bloch[_2_]]

On Fri, 11 Jan 2013 12:06:04 +0000 (UTC), John Doe wrote:

> dweebken <dweebken yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> DevilsPGD wrote:
>>> John Doe <jdoe usenetlove.invalid> said:
>
>>>> I just upgraded motherboard and memory. Microsoft wants me to
>>>> reactivate windows 8. Should I do a clean install first?
>>>> Otherwise, what I do my next install that is inevitable, I'm
>>>> going to be stuck? Or will the activation server recognize
>>>> that I'm using the same hardware after windows asks me to
>>>> activate in the new installation? If I just thought of that
>>>> possibility, I guess it might do that.
>>>
>>> Even if you run into difficulties, it's usually as simple as
>>> phoning the number provided, answering the automated system's
>>> questions correctly (hint: Number of systems that this license
>>> is installed on? 1. Even if your license allows more than one,
>>> say one), then if you talk to a rep, explain you replaced your
>>> motherboard or hard drive and needed to reinstall Windows.
>>>
>> I've been through that process a few times with Win 7 on a
>> number of system rebuilds and never had a problem other than
>> having to write down/enter a long long bunch of numbers
>> accurately. Never had to talk to a human at MS.
>
> Shouldn't the web activation work, then?

As implied by the other responses, it just isn't all that hard. Do it
and if necessary make the phone call.

Don't panic, though. If the robot detects fear in your voice, it will
attack!

(That *is* a joke, even if it's not funny.)

--
Gene E. Bloch (Stumbling Bloch)

[charlie[_2_]]

On 1/11/2013 3:23 PM, DevilsPGD wrote:
> In the last episode of >, John Doe
> > said:
>
>> John Doe <jdoe usenetlove.invalid> wrote:
>>
>>> Shouldn't the web activation work, then?
>>
>> Maybe better would be...
>>
>> Wouldn't the web activation work, then?
>>
>> In other words... Did the web activation not work?
>
> The short answer is no. The web activation will fail first, but the
> phone system will let you through. If it happens again a few more times,
> you'll be referred to a rep.
>
> I suspect it's due to the fact that the phone system can track phone
> numbers as a way of rate-limiting abuse.
>
> As an aside, you actually don't have to enter the numbers the phone
> system provides either, once the phone system approves you, you can
> close the dialog and start the activation system over the web and it
> will go through.
>
> Or at least, it does for me (but I'm on an Action Pack, which might work
> differently than a standard OEM or retail key)
>
The "Action Pack" Key should not be a problem.
If it somehow is, you might end up making "the call".
(Stranger things have been known to happen.)

I had a key obtained directly from Microsoft Sales/Marketing for one of
the previous windows versions (Vista new day program). All of a sudden,
it stopped working when I had to reinstall. The key was basically a
multi-install retail key.
A quick voice call to Microsoft validated the non working key, then gave
me a replacement key.