Changing hardware under Win XP

[Eric]

I'm about to replace the motherboard in my computer and
rebuild my whole hard drive by stripping everything off
then reinstalling the O/S along with all my apps.
How would I go about this with microsoft's registration
and activation process???

[Ray Taylor]

This will require a call to Microsoft to re-register windows. (usually free)
If your version of windows is OEM then you wont be able to put it on the new
machine.


Ray Taylor



"Eric" > wrote in message
...
> I'm about to replace the motherboard in my computer and
> rebuild my whole hard drive by stripping everything off
> then reinstalling the O/S along with all my apps.
> How would I go about this with microsoft's registration
> and activation process???

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi Eric,

No need to reregister, just reactivate. If the installation is at least 120
days old, you may be able to reactivate directly over the internet. If not,
you will likely be prompted to call in activation. In either case, the
process is fairly painless and free. Be aware that this applies only to
retail versions of WinXP, OEM versions are usually locked to the system upon
which they are installed though there are exceptions.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Win98 Help - www.rickrogers.org

"Eric" > wrote in message
...
> I'm about to replace the motherboard in my computer and
> rebuild my whole hard drive by stripping everything off
> then reinstalling the O/S along with all my apps.
> How would I go about this with microsoft's registration
> and activation process???

[Ken Blake]

In , Ray Taylor wrote:

> This will require a call to Microsoft to re-register windows.


It requires a call to re*activate*. Registration, as always, is
entirely optional.


> (usually free) If your version of windows is OEM then you wont
be
> able to put it on the new machine.


That's highly questionable. He's replacing the motherboard. Does
that make it a new machine? This is a gray area in the EULA, and
as far as I know, Microsoft has never clarified how much you have
to change before it's considered a new machine.

So under those circumstances, if it were me I would *not* assume
that it was a new machine, and could not install my OEM version
on it.

--
Ken Blake
Please reply to the newsgroup



> "Eric" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I'm about to replace the motherboard in my computer and
>> rebuild my whole hard drive by stripping everything off
>> then reinstalling the O/S along with all my apps.
>> How would I go about this with microsoft's registration
>> and activation process???

[Len Segal]

Ken,

There is a "technical issue" if this OEM is BIOS-locked by the system mfr
(assuming it is a major brand), in which case Eric would not be able to
physically install the OEM OS on that new mobo (unless by same mfr and
perhaps model, not likely).

Legally, I'm with you on this issue . . . if the case is re-used and mobo
and HDD are replaced I have always contended that this is a legit upgrade
and the OEM (assuming a generic MS created OEM, not a major brand customized
OS) could be re-used. IANAL and thus, this isn't legal advice!

--

Regards,
Len Segal, MCP
Microsoft - MVP
--------------
My reply address is intentionally wrong to reduce SPAM Email.
NOTE: We do not respond to unsolicited Email support questions,
please post questions in newsgroup.

"Ken Blake" > wrote in message
...
> In , Ray Taylor wrote:
>
> > This will require a call to Microsoft to re-register windows.
>
>
> It requires a call to re*activate*. Registration, as always, is
> entirely optional.
>
>
> > (usually free) If your version of windows is OEM then you wont
> be
> > able to put it on the new machine.
>
>
> That's highly questionable. He's replacing the motherboard. Does
> that make it a new machine? This is a gray area in the EULA, and
> as far as I know, Microsoft has never clarified how much you have
> to change before it's considered a new machine.
>
> So under those circumstances, if it were me I would *not* assume
> that it was a new machine, and could not install my OEM version
> on it.
>
> --
> Ken Blake
> Please reply to the newsgroup
>
>
>
> > "Eric" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >> I'm about to replace the motherboard in my computer and
> >> rebuild my whole hard drive by stripping everything off
> >> then reinstalling the O/S along with all my apps.
> >> How would I go about this with microsoft's registration
> >> and activation process???

[Ken Blake]

In , Len Segal wrote:

> Ken,
>
> There is a "technical issue" if this OEM is BIOS-locked by the
system
> mfr (assuming it is a major brand), in which case Eric would
not be
> able to physically install the OEM OS on that new mobo (unless
by
> same mfr and perhaps model, not likely).


Yes, that's certainly so. I was assuming, perhaps incorrectly,
that we weren't talking about that kind of OEM version.


> Legally, I'm with you on this issue . . . if the case is
re-used and
> mobo and HDD are replaced I have always contended that this is
a
> legit upgrade and the OEM (assuming a generic MS created OEM,
not a
> major brand customized OS) could be re-used. IANAL and thus,
this
> isn't legal advice!


I've said before that, since Microsoft's requirement is to put
the sticker on the *case*, one could perhaps legally defend the
position that as long as you keep the case, with the sticker on
it, you could replace everything else and still consider it the
same computer.

That's just my guess, though. I'm certainly not a lawyer.

--
Ken Blake
Please reply to the newsgroup



> "Ken Blake" > wrote in
message
> ...
>> In , Ray Taylor wrote:
>>
>>> This will require a call to Microsoft to re-register windows.
>>
>>
>> It requires a call to re*activate*. Registration, as always,
is
>> entirely optional.
>>
>>
>>> (usually free) If your version of windows is OEM then you
wont
>> be
>>> able to put it on the new machine.
>>
>>
>> That's highly questionable. He's replacing the motherboard.
Does
>> that make it a new machine? This is a gray area in the EULA,
and
>> as far as I know, Microsoft has never clarified how much you
have
>> to change before it's considered a new machine.
>>
>> So under those circumstances, if it were me I would *not*
assume
>> that it was a new machine, and could not install my OEM
version
>> on it.
>>
>> --
>> Ken Blake
>> Please reply to the newsgroup
>>
>>
>>
>>> "Eric" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>> I'm about to replace the motherboard in my computer and
>>>> rebuild my whole hard drive by stripping everything off
>>>> then reinstalling the O/S along with all my apps.
>>>> How would I go about this with microsoft's registration
>>>> and activation process???

[Len Segal]

Ken,

I understood where you were coming from, but wanted to make sure that the OP
understood the potential for a problem . . . just in case they had a
customized CD.

We have the same interpretation and there are folks on both sides of this
issue.

--

Regards,
Len Segal, MCP
Microsoft - MVP
--------------
My reply address is intentionally wrong to reduce SPAM Email.
NOTE: We do not respond to unsolicited Email support questions,
please post questions in newsgroup.

"Ken Blake" > wrote in message
...
> In , Len Segal wrote:
>
> > Ken,
> >
> > There is a "technical issue" if this OEM is BIOS-locked by the
> system
> > mfr (assuming it is a major brand), in which case Eric would
> not be
> > able to physically install the OEM OS on that new mobo (unless
> by
> > same mfr and perhaps model, not likely).
>
>
> Yes, that's certainly so. I was assuming, perhaps incorrectly,
> that we weren't talking about that kind of OEM version.
>
>
> > Legally, I'm with you on this issue . . . if the case is
> re-used and
> > mobo and HDD are replaced I have always contended that this is
> a
> > legit upgrade and the OEM (assuming a generic MS created OEM,
> not a
> > major brand customized OS) could be re-used. IANAL and thus,
> this
> > isn't legal advice!
>
>
> I've said before that, since Microsoft's requirement is to put
> the sticker on the *case*, one could perhaps legally defend the
> position that as long as you keep the case, with the sticker on
> it, you could replace everything else and still consider it the
> same computer.
>
> That's just my guess, though. I'm certainly not a lawyer.
>
> --
> Ken Blake
> Please reply to the newsgroup
>
>
>
> > "Ken Blake" > wrote in
> message
> > ...
> >> In , Ray Taylor wrote:
> >>
> >>> This will require a call to Microsoft to re-register windows.
> >>
> >>
> >> It requires a call to re*activate*. Registration, as always,
> is
> >> entirely optional.
> >>
> >>
> >>> (usually free) If your version of windows is OEM then you
> wont
> >> be
> >>> able to put it on the new machine.
> >>
> >>
> >> That's highly questionable. He's replacing the motherboard.
> Does
> >> that make it a new machine? This is a gray area in the EULA,
> and
> >> as far as I know, Microsoft has never clarified how much you
> have
> >> to change before it's considered a new machine.
> >>
> >> So under those circumstances, if it were me I would *not*
> assume
> >> that it was a new machine, and could not install my OEM
> version
> >> on it.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Ken Blake
> >> Please reply to the newsgroup
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>> "Eric" > wrote in message
> >>> ...
> >>>> I'm about to replace the motherboard in my computer and
> >>>> rebuild my whole hard drive by stripping everything off
> >>>> then reinstalling the O/S along with all my apps.
> >>>> How would I go about this with microsoft's registration
> >>>> and activation process???
>
>

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Unless the new motherboard is virtually identical to the old one
(same chipset, same IDE controllers, same BIOS version, etc.), you'll
need to perform a repair (a.k.a. in-place upgrade) installation, at
the very least:

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/directory/article.asp?ID=KB;EN-US;Q315341

This may also require re-activation. 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.


Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
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----
You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH


"Eric" > wrote in message
...
> I'm about to replace the motherboard in my computer and
> rebuild my whole hard drive by stripping everything off
> then reinstalling the O/S along with all my apps.
> How would I go about this with microsoft's registration
> and activation process???