Re: ok, let's clear this up MS - is Product Activation really restricted?

Stephen wrote: 
Tim.T wrote:

I've read one thread about Product Activation and the problems
incurred doing it a limited number of times. I myself have had to
this even with an OEM version of XP. So I'm confused about whether
or not it IS necessary. For example, I didn't realise the number of
times you could activate it was limited. I know this may be a
precaution against piracy, but MS should realise that people have to
reinstall their OS for many reasons, and just because they do it
often or "too frequently" DOESN'T mean they're a friggin pirate!
Sometimes a clean reinstall of the OS is like a breath of fresh air
for your pc! This may come as a shock, but sometimes the OS is the
cause of the problem: refusal to recognise drivers, etc, as well as
the unlikely event of you finding a driver for your hardware that IS
"XP compliant". Yes, yes as long as you buy your stuff from the
Windows Catalog lol

I'd appreciate responses directly from MS-reps, if possible.

Tim


Some copies of Windows XP balk after so many activations on the same PC within 120 days. I had one copy of Home that balked after a few times .. yet I had another that I could activate over and over again until the cows came home .. Why one balked I don't know .. it might have been some reason with my hardware .. maybe I inadvertently changed some bios configuration that made it seem like a new set of hardware to the product activation algorithm.

However, technically, as long as you have a legitimate copy you can activate it on the same set of hardware as many times as you want. If activating by Internet ever fails then you need simply phone. Tell them the 50 digit number necessary for activation - that's all they need know:

Microsoft's own words: "The only information required to activate is an installation ID (and, for Office XP and Office XP family products such as Visio 2002, the name of the country in which the product is being installed.)" 

But what about this scenario:

I buy a blank whitebox PC and a retail copy of XP Pro.

I install XP Pro on the PC and activate it on the Internet.

A few weeks later, I buy a new blank whitebox PC.

I decide to wipe my copy of XP Pro off the first PC and install it on the new one.

So now I have one copy of XP Pro installed on one machine - which is perfectly OK according to the EULA.

However, if I try to activate the new install over the Internet, it will fail because my copy of XP Pro is already activated on the old PC.

Now, if it's true that all I need to provide is the installation ID to activate Windows over the phone, then presumably I'm under no obligation to explain why I'm activating XP on another machine?

Now suppose I didn't wipe XP off the first machine. What's to stop me from doing this and thus defeating the whole purpose of activation?

http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/basics/activation/mpafaq.asp#details

Windows Product Activation only exists to discourage casual copying by the home and small business user. It doesn't stop dedicated pirates and it isn't locked down .. heck after 120 days the thing resets so one could conceivably install the copy on a second computer then and have it activate over the Internet without a hitch.

Before all this, Microsoft operating system software was completely on the honour system. Now it is 'sorta' on the honour system 'sorta' portected by Windows Product Activation. I can't see why anyone would blame Microsoft too much for providing some protection to their intellectual property. 


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Relevant Pages

  • Re: XP rights vs Buyers usage?
    ... your license is only valid with the hardware on which it was ... If you have the original CD, it will certainly install on another machine, ... Windows OEM XP Home, and has its own Product Activation Key, you should use ...
    (alt.os.windows-xp)
  • Re: ok, lets clear this up MS - is Product Activation really restricted?
    ... This may come as a shock, but sometimes the OS is the cause of the problem: refusal to recognise drivers, etc, as well as the unlikely event of you finding a driver for your hardware that IS "XP compliant". ... However, if I try to activate the new install over the Internet, it will fail because my copy of XP Pro is already activated on the old PC. ... Alias Windows Product Activation only exists to discourage casual copying by the home and small business user. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: transferring ownership of windows xp home upgrade license
    ... Cause OEM versions require hardware thief. ... >> Now that's separate, of course, from "Product Activation", which might ... > simpler to say you can't install it on two different computers ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Windows XP Pro Activation
    ... simply remove WinXP from the computer it is currently ... and install it onto the new one. ... Piracy Basics - Microsoft Product Activation ... Windows Product Activation ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: ok, lets clear this up MS - is Product Activation really restricted?
    ... >>> the unlikely event of you finding a driver for your hardware that IS ... > hardware to the product activation algorithm. ... > an installation ID (and, for Office XP and Office XP family products ... > portected by Windows Product Activation. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)