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Dr Nick Riviera
Guest
Hi all
Could anyone clarify for me the situation with regard to XP activation. I have read that XP records a "score" based on your hardware components at every boot and if you are building and upgrading components regularly and not enough of the original build components remain, the OS can fail to boot and you have to get a fresh activation code from Microsoft. Is this correct? Surely this would limit system builders' scope for future projects?
Also what is the situation with OEM hardware/software?
Apparently if I buy an OEM copy of XP with an item of hardware at the same time, Microsoft are OK with that, but if I don't buy it at the same time as some system component, there's a problem.
Am I correct in thinking that I can't (for example) build a machine now and install an OEM copy of XP on it, then completely upgrade all the main components (and sell them as bits on ebay for example) a year later and be unable to install the same XP? Is taking a Ghost image the only way to do this?
I understand that the idea of this is to stop me building a machine, flogging it, then building another with the same XP discs, but it seems (to an uninformed oik like me ) to be a serious stumbling block in building and upgrading.
Course I could always use Win2K Server (which I have genuine copy of and doesn't require activation AFAIK) to get my HyperThreading going, but I happen to like XP!
Confused - anyone clarify?
Nick
Could anyone clarify for me the situation with regard to XP activation. I have read that XP records a "score" based on your hardware components at every boot and if you are building and upgrading components regularly and not enough of the original build components remain, the OS can fail to boot and you have to get a fresh activation code from Microsoft. Is this correct? Surely this would limit system builders' scope for future projects?
Also what is the situation with OEM hardware/software?
Apparently if I buy an OEM copy of XP with an item of hardware at the same time, Microsoft are OK with that, but if I don't buy it at the same time as some system component, there's a problem.
Am I correct in thinking that I can't (for example) build a machine now and install an OEM copy of XP on it, then completely upgrade all the main components (and sell them as bits on ebay for example) a year later and be unable to install the same XP? Is taking a Ghost image the only way to do this?
I understand that the idea of this is to stop me building a machine, flogging it, then building another with the same XP discs, but it seems (to an uninformed oik like me ) to be a serious stumbling block in building and upgrading.
Course I could always use Win2K Server (which I have genuine copy of and doesn't require activation AFAIK) to get my HyperThreading going, but I happen to like XP!
Confused - anyone clarify?
Nick