Does a format+reinstall require a reactivation in XP

[sean2002]

Ok, say I buy XP and activate it. then for some reason I have to format my hard drive and reinstall XP. If I did not change any hardware do I still have to reactivate and if so will Microsoft give my a hard time

 

[Doomer]

No problem. They'll automatically bill your credit card.

 

[Salvador]

You'll most likely have to reactivate the product. I had to with Office XP.

Sal

 

[MorpheusMan]

Yes. You will have to re-activate Windows XP after a reformat and reinstall.

Sucks, doesn't it?

 

[noninterleaved]

<< No problem. They'll automatically bill your credit card. >>



It will figure out that you are reactivating from the same computer and will work just fine. You will not be billed ANYTHING for the reinstall.

 

[sean2002]

Will microsoft give me a hard time if I reinstall a lot. I do a lot of beta testing and I end up reinstalling quite a bit.

 

[noninterleaved]

No... it looks at the hardware in your system, and tries to determine if it is a different computer.

If you are constantly changing all of your hardware, and you do it on less than a 30 day cycle, I would say DON'T activate until you are set on the hardware. You do have 30 days, after all.

 

[GonzoDaGr8]

<< Will microsoft give me a hard time if I reinstall a lot. I do a lot of beta testing and I end up reinstalling quite a bit. >>



If you do a lot of formats..Then don't activate it. You have 14 days of use before XP turns back into a pumpkin. That should be plenty of time to crash and burn it. I personally have activated mine over the internet a good 6-8 times allready with no probs.

 

[JohnnyPC]

<< Will microsoft give me a hard time if I reinstall a lot. I do a lot of beta testing and I end up reinstalling quite a bit. >>



How about installing the XP, get it the way you like it with apps drivers and such, then make an image of that partition so when you need to re-install, you drop the saved & already activated image back onto your drive?!!?!?