Is it OK to reinstall XP and reuse the license?

[Guest Gregory K]

I need to reformat my hard drive. If I do that and re-install XP Pro, will I

be able to register it? In the other words, will Microfoft let me use the

same license? Should I do something special to let them know that I am

reinstalling the same system?

Gregory

[Guest Alias]

Re: Is it OK to reinstall XP and reuse the license?

 

Gregory K wrote:

> I need to reformat my hard drive. If I do that and re-install XP Pro, will I

> be able to register it? In the other words, will Microfoft let me use the

> same license? Should I do something special to let them know that I am

> reinstalling the same system?

> Gregory

 

If it's been over 120 days, it will *activate* on line. If not, it may

still activate on line although you may need to call and get it

activated (you'll be given the number if it refuses to activate on

line). Just tell them you reinstalled it on the same computer. You can

reinstall XP on the same machine as many times as you like. If it's a

retail version, you can even move it to another computer if you like.

 

Alias

[Guest Bob I]

Re: Is it OK to reinstall XP and reuse the license?

 

Yes, you may continue to use the same license on the same PC.

 

Gregory K wrote:

> I need to reformat my hard drive. If I do that and re-install XP Pro, will I

> be able to register it? In the other words, will Microfoft let me use the

> same license? Should I do something special to let them know that I am

> reinstalling the same system?

> Gregory

[Guest Patrick Keenan]

Re: Is it OK to reinstall XP and reuse the license?

 

 

"Gregory K" <Gregory K@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:59191CA9-BBB8-4710-8B04-AF3E4095E42E@microsoft.com...

>I need to reformat my hard drive. If I do that and re-install XP Pro, will

>I

> be able to register it? In the other words, will Microfoft let me use the

> same license? Should I do something special to let them know that I am

> reinstalling the same system?

> Gregory

 

Same system? No problem.

 

You never have to register, though, but you may have to *activate*. These

are NOT the same thing.

 

Some OEM versions do not require activation, but after some updates, you'll

be into the WGA scenario, which will check the validity of the Windows

license. For what you are describing, this won't be a problem either, just

a minor inconvenience requiring a few clicks.

 

HTH

-pk

[Guest Alias]

Re: Is it OK to reinstall XP and reuse the license?

 

Patrick Keenan wrote:

>

> "Gregory K" <Gregory K@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> news:59191CA9-BBB8-4710-8B04-AF3E4095E42E@microsoft.com...

>> I need to reformat my hard drive. If I do that and re-install XP Pro,

>> will I

>> be able to register it? In the other words, will Microfoft let me use the

>> same license? Should I do something special to let them know that I am

>> reinstalling the same system?

>> Gregory

>

> Same system? No problem.

>

> You never have to register, though, but you may have to *activate*.

> These are NOT the same thing.

>

> Some OEM versions do not require activation, but after some updates,

> you'll be into the WGA scenario, which will check the validity of the

> Windows license. For what you are describing, this won't be a problem

> either, just a minor inconvenience requiring a few clicks.

>

> HTH

> -pk

 

Yeah, like telling WGA to never present itself in Auto Updates again.

 

Alias

[Guest Bruce Chambers]

Re: Is it OK to reinstall XP and reuse the license?

 

Gregory K wrote:

> I need to reformat my hard drive. If I do that and re-install XP Pro, will I

> be able to register it? In the other words, will Microfoft let me use the

> same license? Should I do something special to let them know that I am

> reinstalling the same system?

> Gregory

 

 

Registration is, and always has been, entirely optional, so you

needn't concern yourself with it.

 

There's no limit to the number of times you can reinstall and

activate the same WinXP license (retail or OEM) on the same PC. Nor is

there ever a charge. Nor does a Product Key (so long as it's not an

evaluation license) ever expire. If it's been more than 120 days since

you last activated that specific Product Key, you'll most likely be able

to activate via the Internet without problem. If it's been less, you

might have to make a 5 minute phone call.

 

Here are the facts pertaining to activation:

 

Piracy Basics - Microsoft Product Activation

http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/basics/activation/

 

Windows Product Activation (WPA)

http://www.aumha.org/a/wpa.htm

 

 

 

--

 

Bruce Chambers

 

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[Guest Plato]

Re: Is it OK to reinstall XP and reuse the license?

 

=?Utf-8?B?R3JlZ29yeSBL?= wrote:

>

> I need to reformat my hard drive. If I do that and re-install XP Pro, will I

> be able to register it? In the other words, will Microfoft let me use the

> same license? Should I do something special to let them know that I am

> reinstalling the same system?

 

Yes, you can register it as many times as you wish for the same pc.

 

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