WinXP OEM activation question

[rhinox99]

Does an OEM copy of winxp pro still require activation? What information do they ask for when you want to activate the software?

Thanks

 

[Wayward]

Yes, The OEM version also has to be activated. You can activate via the internet. It will ask you if you just want to activate or activate and register. Registering is optional and is where you would need to give up some personal info. Activation does require any info.

 

[rhinox99]

So all I have to do is call them up and read them my activation ID?

Do they ask for the cd-key also? I have that as well but I'm just curious

 

[Idoxash]

hmm...ok I have the retail ver of XP home and I have yet to activate it cause I just want to make sure before I do so if my hardware and most of my software will work no prob with it. When comes time to activate XP and a few mths down life...lets say I format my hard drive to start with a fresh install ( I do this every 3 mths with my past OS ) must I call M$ to get a new code to activate or do all I do is reactivate it like I did before and don't worry of it?

 

[Mitzi]

<< hmm...ok I have the retail ver of XP home and I have yet to activate it cause I just want to make sure before I do so if my hardware and most of my software will work no prob with it. When comes time to activate XP and a few mths down life...lets say I format my hard drive to start with a fresh install ( I do this every 3 mths with my past OS ) must I call M$ to get a new code to activate or do all I do is reactivate it like I did before and don't worry of it? >>



If you just format and don't change any hardware at the same time, you wont have to call Microsoft again when you format to get a new code because the old code will still work - you only need to get a new code if you change hardware.

Besides, with WinXP you wont feel the need to format and reinstall so often - Xp does not deteriate as quickly as Win9x. I've had a Win2K installation for nearly a year and it still runs as quick and as stable as the day I installed. I've had an XP install on my secondary machine for about 6 months and it also still feels fresh.

 

[Idoxash]

ok thanks dude

 

[beornling]

Since I'm about to pick up a copy of XP as an upgrade, I was wondering about the activation process as well. When you first activate it over the phone, what do they want you to have/know at the time? Do they just need you sitting in front of the computer that XP is installed on with your copy of the XP documents/CDs, or is there something more? Do they need me to have my old copy of 98SE there too so that they can validate that product key as well? Also, once the activation is done, can I just write down the code they give me and plug it in the next time I do a hard drive reformatting as long as I don't change any hardware?

Thanks.

 

[littlezipp]

Let me clear up some activation questions for you all. You have to activate all versions of Windows Xp except the corporate version. All versions of home (oem, upgrade, retail, retail upgrade, etc.) as well as all versions of pro. You do not have to make a phone call, it does it over the internet. It does not send your name and information, just a "hash" of numbers that identifies your computer... They can not track you down from these numbers. If you reinstall it onto your computer that has already had it, you do not need to call Microsoft unless you have changed multiple components. It will go onto the internet to reactivate, and Microsoft will still have the "hash" it recognizes as your computer, so you will not have to call. The only time you have to call is if you change many (over 6 I think) components in a 90 day period. Every 90 days your code gets reset to allow for hardware upgrades. Hope that answers all questions.

 

[c0rv1d43]

Just one little additional comment. (I don't think it was covered earlier, but I did read the thread in a hurry.) I think some confusion about activation of OEM copies of WinXP exists because a lot of pre-installed OEM WinXP installations are already activated by the vendor. (Dell does this.) The user might never see an activation dialog (until s/he re-installs the OS anyway) on a newly purchased machine. But, if you perform the installation yourself, you will definitely be activating it -- unless it's the corporate version.

- Collin

 

[superflysocal]

i got an oem version of XP pro through their training program. It comes with a product key but there's no license number. Is something like that required for activation (online)?

 

[littlezipp]

All you need for activation, is that you entered in a valid cd key.

 

[LordEdmond]

when you activate over the phone ( UK ) you dont evan get to take to any one if the number thay you key in on your phone ( 32 digit) is ok you get a recorded voice just calls out the unlock key. if you have changed to much h/w then you get to talk to someone ( they only ask you your name ) Mr Bloggs is it or Mr J Doe


LE

 

[beornling]

I realize that I can do all this with the computer connecting to MS and doing the activation automatically over the Net, but since I'm moving and this is a new computer I'm getting right after the move, I won't have a Net connection. That's why I'm asking about what is required when doing it over the phone.

 

[Wayward]

Heres the whole deal on activation. If your doing a clean install you will enter your cd key during install. When you get booted up into XP a little bubble will pop up letting you know that you have 30 days to activate and asking you if you want to activate now. A little pair of "keys" will sit in your system tray until you activate.

I had to RE-ACTIVATE two copies of XP Pro this last weekend. One system had been up and running and activated for months. I pulled the cdrw out, changed out some ram, and put all that into a new case. No problem. I was building a new system and was having trouble installing XP so I pulled the HD out of the new machine and put it in my running system as a slave to see if it was ok. The comp booted to a splash screen saying that I had to reactivate. You can't go any further than this reactivation screen; no getting into windows. On the screen you pick your country and it lists two phone numbers to call; one toll free the other not. Also on the screen is a mega long number that you will have to read off to the microsoft rep. You don't need your cd key for reactivation. As they tell you the new activation code you type it in the boxes provided on the screen, click next and your reactivated.

Second activation. I got my new box running and activated XP. For the next few days I had cold boot problems. Bought a new mobo and reinstalled XP. Tryed to activate via internet but that was a no go, told me to call. Guess a new mobo was to much change. Went through the same process as above. Neither time did I tell them anything. When they picked up the phone and said 'may I help you' all I said was that I need to activate.

 

[acidvoodoo]

i'm getting a new comp with XP installed on it soon, i'll have to move over my NIC and cable modem to it, will that be minor enough of a change to not need to reactivate


this new system will come with a restore cd, say i somehow manage to copy the i386 file to my hard drive and get XP to install, will the number microsoft tell me to read to them tell them it's an OEM restore cd? is the OEM license only valid to the computer it came with?

 

[acidvoodoo]

bump