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[quote user="NeO6874"][quote user="Safety Valve"] <p>One word of caution. XP Pro will ask you to activate online or by phone your serial key. If you fail to do so within 50 bootups or a time limit (I think 30 days) you will lose the XP key.</p><p>[/quote]</p><p> </p><p>nah - it'll just not let you do anything until you activate it... </p><p>[/quote]</p><p>Actually Microsoft has control of the key. If there is a problem with the XP Copy on your machine for whatever reason, they have the power to invalidate the key and have you replace it before you can DO anything with the computer.</p><p>QOUTE</p><p><strong>Product Activation Overview</strong></p><p>Microsoft Product Activation is an anti-piracy technology designed to verify that software products have been legitimately licensed. This aims to reduce a form of piracy known as casual copying. Activation also helps protect against hard drive cloning. Activation is quick, simple, and unobtrusive, and it protects your privacy.</p><p>Product Activation works by verifying that a software program's product key has not been used on more personal computers than intended by the software's license. You must use the product key in order to install the software and then it is transformed into an installation ID number. You use an activation wizard to provide the installation ID number to Microsoft either through a secure transfer over the Internet, or by telephone. A confirmation ID is sent back to your machine to activate your product.</p><p>The installation ID number includes an encrypted form of the product ID and a hardware hash, or checksum. No personally identifying data is included or required. The confirmation ID is simply an unlocking code for the Windows XP installation on that particular PC.</p><p>If you overhaul your computer by replacing a substantial number of hardware components, it may appear to be a different PC. You may have to reactivate Windows XP. If this should occur, you can call the telephone number displayed on the activation screen to reactivate the software.</p><p>END QOUTE</p><p>Source</p><p><a href="http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/evaluation/features/activation.mspx">http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/evaluation/features/activation.mspx</a></p><p>The biggest reason I run into this problem is I build my own machines from just a empty computer case using parts purchased on Newegg.</p><p>Once I bring the Frankenstien to life and successfully connect to the Internet with the newly-built machine it will activate the XP just for that machine only. The parts are identified and a list sent off. If I replace video drivers or change parts too radically or too fast the XP Will be made invalid on your machine. I lost a expensive copy of XP some time ago simply by uninstalling a video card driver and did not get the oppertunity to re-install or use another video card at the time. I was simply provided with a phone number to call and was made to explain the change to the machine.</p><p>That is why I prefer to simply build new computers when the time comes to upgrade or otherwise introduce new hard drives, video card, motherboard etc... all of these are triggers for the validation process which may or may not allow you to continue using XP.</p><p>You can clone and reproduce Win98 faster than rabbits and have a whole warehouse full of machines running and Microsoft does not know what is going on. That is why they built the Activation into the XP, to cut down on piracy and other activities that really hurts the rest of us.</p><p>VISTA will be even more restrictive and there is a potential for you to lock yourself out of your own machine even if you completely own the device and everything on it.</p>
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