Finally, someone trying to actually help rather than get brownie points from
MS and prove there unproven point. Thanks for your help Bill but I tried
that. When I placed the call to MS to activate it, we tried not entering an
activation code then proceeded to the next step and inputted the Product Key
from the tower. It came up invalid! MS support suggested I call eMachines.
EMachines basically said there was nothing I can do/didn't have a solution.

Thanks again though for your genuine concern!


"Bill" wrote in message
...
Your mother's machine should have MS seal on it with the
'Product Key'. This is a legal key and you paid for it. It is
not disk dependent except for restrictions on OEM stuff...
You 'should' be able to do a system repair with any disk
of the OS...
Bill
Atlanta
PS write it down in your user manual too!

On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 16:33:01 -0800, "daygo140"
wrote:

I am not having a problem, yet. But here is the scenario. I bought a copy
of
Windows XP a while ago for my PC. I reformatted my HDD reinstalled and
activated Windows XP several times since I like to keep my PC fresh, which
doesn't seem to be a problem as long as the copy is on one PC.

Well, my Mom had a problem with her eMachines which needed it's BIOS to be
flashed, I did so. The Windows XP that comes installed in an eMachine and
is
contained in the system restore disks uses "System Locked
Pre-installation"
(SLP) which at boot, Windows XP compares the PC's BIOS to the SLP
information. If it matches, no activation is required.

Well since I have flashed her BIOS the information does not add up and
eMachines can't do anything for my Mom.

So I stepped in and installed my version of XP and activated it and
updated
it to SP2 for her. Now there are two working copies of the same Windows XP
on
two different PC's. It's not like I just copied Windows XP to a CD and
started passing it out to prevent people from purchasing an upgrade. Mom
technically has a right/license to run Windows XP but can't.


My questions that need to be answered so I can get sleep at night:

1.) Will my or my Mom's PC render useless? (MS finding out and disabling
it
via Windows Update or some other technique?)

2.) Will I go to jail or get a fine?

3.) My best friend bought a Dell and ran over his restoration disk with
the
wheel of his chair, schmuck . Almost same scenario, he has the
right/license
to run it but can't. Can I install my copy onto his PC without getting my
PC
or my Mom's deactivated or rendered useless?

4.) Will I go to jail or get a fine if I also install it on my best
friend's
PC?

I REALLY appreciate the time you guys take to answer this post. You are
really helping me out! THANK YOU!!

BTW, I scoured the 'net and there is an overwhelming amount of information
and information that is conflicting (even from MS) that is real hard to
get
these questions answered. So I figured someone here has the "Windows
Product
Activation" (WPA) knowledge or experienced the same thing I am.