How many times can I re-register my Windows XP when reinstalling?

[Mike]

I am having trouble installing my XP and I am having to
reinstall the software again. I have already registered my
software once. How many times can I re-install and re-
register my software?

[Mike Brannigan [MSFT]]

"Mike" > wrote in message
...
> I am having trouble installing my XP and I am having to
> reinstall the software again. I have already registered my
> software once. How many times can I re-install and re-
> register my software?

As many times as you like.
You may need to activate via telephone - a 4 min toll free call.

--
Regards,

Mike
--
Mike Brannigan [Microsoft]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights

Please note I cannot respond to e-mailed questions.
Please use these newsgroups

"Mike" > wrote in message
...
> I am having trouble installing my XP and I am having to
> reinstall the software again. I have already registered my
> software once. How many times can I re-install and re-
> register my software?

[Earl F. Parrish]

"Mike" > wrote in message
...
> I am having trouble installing my XP and I am having to
> reinstall the software again. I have already registered my
> software once. How many times can I re-install and re-
> register my software?

You are talking about two different processes here. You can
ACTIVATE your software as many times as is necessary to get it
running. You are not required to REGISTER the software at all. If
you do register, you only have to do it once. Registration ties the
software to a user. Activation ties the software to a machine. If
someone sold you a computer with the software already activated, you
would not have to activate it when you use it. If someone sold you
software or a computer with software, you MAY register it if you
choose. Registration is needed for support or replacement of lost
media.

--
Earl F. Parrish

[Gordon]

renegade wrote:

> Not neccessarily true. I had to put a new hard drive in another
> computer that I had. I tried to re-install XP on it and it wouldn't let
> me without the registration code / serial number.

Which you have on the jewel case or the PC case?


> I called Microsoft and
> they told me since it was already registered I couldn't register it
> again.

register....register......the process is ACTIVATION, not registering. And
you CAN ACTIVATE as many times as you like.......

--
Gordon Burgess-Parker
Interim Systems and Management Accounting
www.gbpcomputing.co.uk

[renegade]

"Mike" wrote in message
...
I am having trouble installing my XP and I am having to
reinstall the software again. I have already registered my
software once. How many times can I re-install and re-
register my software?

You are talking about two different processes here. You can
ACTIVATE your software as many times as is necessary to get it
running. You are not required to REGISTER the software at all. If
you do register, you only have to do it once. Registration ties the
software to a user. Activation ties the software to a machine. If
someone sold you a computer with the software already activated, you
would not have to activate it when you use it. If someone sold you
software or a computer with software, you MAY register it if you
choose. Registration is needed for support or replacement of lost
media.

--
Earl F. Parrish

Not neccessarily true. I had to put a new hard drive in another computer that I had. I tried to re-install XP on it and it wouldn't let me without the registration code / serial number. I called Microsoft and they told me since it was already registered I couldn't register it again. I'm not trying to correct anyone, but I have first hand experience with this as I had to go out and buy another XP cd so I could get the other pc running. If there is a way.... Please share the knowledge.......
Thanks
Renegade

[renegade]

renegade wrote:

Not neccessarily true. I had to put a new hard drive in another
computer that I had. I tried to re-install XP on it and it wouldn't let
me without the registration code / serial number.

Which you have on the jewel case or the PC case?


I called Microsoft and
they told me since it was already registered I couldn't register it
again.

register....register......the process is ACTIVATION, not registering. And
you CAN ACTIVATE as many times as you like.......

--
Gordon Burgess-Parker
Interim Systems and Management Accounting
www.gbpcomputing.co.uk

Excuse me for not using the correct phrase, ACTIVATE. As I said earlier when I called Microsoft, they said that since I already ACTIVATED the one that I just purchased it couldn't be ACTIVATED again on the new hard drive that I just installed. I should expalin a little bit before gaskets get blown for using the wrong phrase. I am more of a gear head ( CAR MOTORS )than that of a pc wiz. I can usually take things apart and figure out how they work, but some things such as programming and the such escapes me. So I am not the most computer literate person there is out there in cyber space, I am not totally stupid either. But if I don't ask questions on the things I don't know I would never know. Here is a little of what happened. Some how or another my last pc had a melt down, a friend told me to get an XP disc and re-install it and everything should be ok. I did this and things weren't ok. After all was done with the installation the pc still wasn't right. Another friend told me that I needed to replace my hard drive. I did, trying to use the XP software that I just purchased. After installing the new hard drive, I started the installation of the XP it got to the ACTIVATION code portion, I put the code in that I used on the other hard drive and it told me that that ACTIVATION CODE has already been ACTIVATED. I called Microsoft and asked them about it and they told me that since it has already been ACTIVATED I wouldn't be able to ACTIVATE it again that I would have to go out and buy another XP package to install it on the new hard drive. Now with all that being said, Maybe I should also ask," If it is ACTIVATED on one hard drive, can it be ACTIVATED on another ? " If it can be, how would one go about it ? Please share your knowledge............Thank You....

[Joan Archer]

No. You can only have one copy on one machine, if you have already
installed and activated that XP on one machine you cannot install and
activate it again on another one.
Joan



renegade wrote:

>snip>

Maybe I should also ask,"
> If it is ACTIVATED on one hard drive, can it be ACTIVATED on another
> ? " If it can be, how would one go about it ? Please share your
> knowledge............Thank You....

[Bruce Chambers]

renegade wrote:

>
> Excuse me for not using the correct phrase, ACTIVATE. As I said earlier
> when I called Microsoft, they said that since I already ACTIVATED the
> one that I just purchased it couldn't be ACTIVATED again on the new
> hard drive that I just installed. I should expalin a little bit before
> gaskets get blown for using the wrong phrase. I am more of a gear head
> ( CAR MOTORS )than that of a pc wiz.


Then you should understand why your use of the wrong term caused
misunderstandings. Imagine, for a moment, if someone were to ask you
for help fixing his car, claiming that he's having problems with his
carburetor. You pop the hood, only to find a fuel injection system....
Or you ask him to hand you a box-end wrench, only to receive an
open-end wrench.... What is your first reaction going to be? In
discussing technical issues, the correct terminology is crucially
important to getting an accurate idea of where the problem lies. It
wouldn't do you any good, whatsoever, were you to receive the correct
answer to the wrong question.


> .....

> Here is a little of what happened. Some how or another my last pc had a
> melt down, a friend told me to get an XP disc and re-install it and
> everything should be ok. I did this and things weren't ok. After all
> was done with the installation the pc still wasn't right. Another
> friend told me that I needed to replace my hard drive. I did, trying to
> use the XP software that I just purchased. After installing the new hard
> drive, I started the installation of the XP it got to the ACTIVATION
> code portion, I put the code in that I used on the other hard drive and
> it told me that that ACTIVATION CODE has already been ACTIVATED. I
> called Microsoft and asked them about it and they told me that since it
> has already been ACTIVATED I wouldn't be able to ACTIVATE it again that
> I would have to go out and buy another XP package to install it on the
> new hard drive. Now with all that being said, Maybe I should also ask,"
> If it is ACTIVATED on one hard drive, can it be ACTIVATED on another ? "
> If it can be, how would one go about it ?


All you should have needed to do was explain to the Activation operator
that you had to reinstall and re-activate because the hard drive failed.
Call again; if you get connected to an operator that pulls the same
line, simply ask, politely but firmly, to speak to a supervisor.
Explain the situation, as you've done here.

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

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[renegade]

No. You can only have one copy on one machine, if you have already
installed and activated that XP on one machine you cannot install and
activate it again on another one.
Joan



renegade wrote:

snip

Maybe I should also ask,"
If it is ACTIVATED on one hard drive, can it be ACTIVATED on another
? " If it can be, how would one go about it ? Please share your
knowledge............Thank You....

Thanks Joan......Renegade

[Gordon]

renegade wrote:

>
> Joan Archer Wrote:
>> No. You can only have one copy on one machine, if you have already
>> installed and activated that XP on one machine you cannot install and
>> activate it again on another one.
>> Joan
>>
>>
>>
>> renegade wrote:
>>
>> snip
>>
>> Maybe I should also ask,"
>> If it is ACTIVATED on one hard drive, can it be ACTIVATED on another
>> ? " If it can be, how would one go about it ? Please share your
>> knowledge............Thank You....
>
> Thanks Joan......Renegade
>
>

You might have SAID it was on another machine and not "on another hard disk"
right at the beginning! It would have saved all that bandwidth!

--
Gordon Burgess-Parker
Interim Systems and Management Accounting
www.gbpcomputing.co.uk