Re: Hardware upgrades and Windows XP Pro

[Richard Urban]

In my opinion, you are not being treated as a pirate just because you have
to phone in for activation vs: activating by going on-line. Sorry you are so
touchy!

--
Regards:

Richard Urban

aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard :-)

"j0eb0b" > wrote in message
...
> My son and I are gaming enthusiasts. As such, we need to swap hardware in
and out of a legally installed Windows XP Pro system with some
> frequency. As an example, we are considering changing hard drives in our
system to an SATA RAID configuration from the existing single HDA
> system that XP Pro OS is currently installed on. What is the procedure to
use when you need to reinstall Windows XP (on the system that it was
originally licensed to)
> when major hardware upgrades are being undertaken? I ask this because I
recently had to reinstall XP for the third time (because of a motherboard
change)
> and could not use the Windows activation system because of the magnitude
of my system change. We are firm supporters of intellecual property
> rights but also feel that hobbists should not be treated as pirates when
we modify our systems. How do we stay right with Microsoft in a hobby-type
> environment?
>
> This question is germane forany builder who does not throw an existing
computer away and replace it with a new one but rather upgrades iover time
to remain contemporary (from a hardware standpoint).
>
> Joe
>

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

You are not being treated any differently than anyone else. If the hardware
changes are of a great enough magnitude, during activation, you will be
presented with a phone number to call as opposed to being able to activate
over the Internet. That is the procedure, if you need to reinstall, do so
and follow the instructions if prompted to activate.

--
Michael Solomon MS-MVP
Windows Shell/User
Backup is a PC User's Best Friend
DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/

"j0eb0b" > wrote in message
...
> My son and I are gaming enthusiasts. As such, we need to swap hardware in
> and out of a legally installed Windows XP Pro system with some
> frequency. As an example, we are considering changing hard drives in our
> system to an SATA RAID configuration from the existing single HDA
> system that XP Pro OS is currently installed on. What is the procedure to
> use when you need to reinstall Windows XP (on the system that it was
> originally licensed to)
> when major hardware upgrades are being undertaken? I ask this because I
> recently had to reinstall XP for the third time (because of a motherboard
> change)
> and could not use the Windows activation system because of the magnitude
> of my system change. We are firm supporters of intellecual property
> rights but also feel that hobbists should not be treated as pirates when
> we modify our systems. How do we stay right with Microsoft in a
> hobby-type
> environment?
>
> This question is germane forany builder who does not throw an existing
> computer away and replace it with a new one but rather upgrades iover time
> to remain contemporary (from a hardware standpoint).
>
> Joe
>

[Alex Nichol]

j0eb0b wrote:

>My son and I are gaming enthusiasts. As such, we need to swap hardware in and out of a legally installed Windows XP Pro system with some
>frequency. As an example, we are considering changing hard drives in our system to an SATA RAID configuration from the existing single HDA
>system that XP Pro OS is currently installed on. What is the procedure to use when you need to reinstall Windows XP (on the system that it was originally licensed to)
>when major hardware upgrades are being undertaken? I ask this because I recently had to reinstall XP for the third time (because of a motherboard change)

See www.aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm

Provided you have not had to go and activate at the network center for
120 days, a new activation (following a clean install) will go through
on the net just like first time, and give you a fresh start point. If
less, you would have to do it by phoning in - not that big a hassle
provided you are expecting it


--
Alex Nichol MS MVP (Windows Technologies)
Bournemouth, U.K. (remove the D8 bit)