Clean Install

[Steve R. Neel]

I have been reading posts on reformatting HD's and Clean Installs...
everything seems ok, but... I still have the question on when I get to the
point of registering it again, will I fall to some problem and MS won't let
me activate it? my computer was different when I installed XP over Me. I had
one Harddrive, after I installed XP, I added another (I didn't have it
installed because I had some stuff on there I was afraid of deleting), added
a USB port and also put in another motherboard, which is the same as the
other, just a different... (Compaq Spare). I have done this several times
with Me, Deleting HD, reinstall etc... but with XP piracy thing and
activating, again my only question is will I run into a problem that
Microsoft won't let me activate XP? I also just want to have a clean install
with NTFS instead of FAT32 because I hear it's better. Thanks

[sqr]

It is not mandatory to register but you must activate XP.

--
sqr
Overseer: alt.os.windows-xp
--
ftp://sqr.myftp.biz


"Steve R. Neel" > wrote in message
y.com...
> I have been reading posts on reformatting HD's and Clean Installs...
> everything seems ok, but... I still have the question on when I get to the
> point of registering it again, will I fall to some problem and MS won't
let
> me activate it? my computer was different when I installed XP over Me. I
had
> one Harddrive, after I installed XP, I added another (I didn't have it
> installed because I had some stuff on there I was afraid of deleting),
added
> a USB port and also put in another motherboard, which is the same as the
> other, just a different... (Compaq Spare). I have done this several times
> with Me, Deleting HD, reinstall etc... but with XP piracy thing and
> activating, again my only question is will I run into a problem that
> Microsoft won't let me activate XP? I also just want to have a clean
install
> with NTFS instead of FAT32 because I hear it's better. Thanks
>
>
>

[NoSpam]

Steve,
I've had to activate my XP 4 times since I bought it. The first 3 times
I could do online. The 4th time XP told me I had to call a 1-800 number.
I asked the tech why I couldn't activate online and he said you're
allowed 3 online activations and then after that you'll have to call
Microsoft. He asked me a couple of questions and then asked what I did
so that I had to install XP again. I explained, not going into detail,
about how I was getting blue screens of death and that Roxio tech
support told me to do something that totally screwed everyting up. I had
to reformat my HDD and reinstall XP. Microsoft said OK and gave me my
activation number. They didn't persue for more explanation, nor made me
feel like I was 'steeling' XP. It was legit and I had a very courteous
response from Microsoft. No problems at all. So if you explain briefly,
your problem, they'll activate your XP.
BTW - I've completely changed my system (rebuilt it with new
motherboard, HDD, CPU, etc.) from when I first bought, registered and
activated XP. So when I had to call Microsoft, my system was completely
different from when I first activated it, and I had no problems
activating XP for the 4th time.
Good luck.

Steve R. Neel wrote:
> I have been reading posts on reformatting HD's and Clean Installs...
> everything seems ok, but... I still have the question on when I get to the
> point of registering it again, will I fall to some problem and MS won't let
> me activate it? my computer was different when I installed XP over Me. I had
> one Harddrive, after I installed XP, I added another (I didn't have it
> installed because I had some stuff on there I was afraid of deleting), added
> a USB port and also put in another motherboard, which is the same as the
> other, just a different... (Compaq Spare). I have done this several times
> with Me, Deleting HD, reinstall etc... but with XP piracy thing and
> activating, again my only question is will I run into a problem that
> Microsoft won't let me activate XP? I also just want to have a clean install
> with NTFS instead of FAT32 because I hear it's better. Thanks
>
>
>