Guest Gregory K Posted September 10, 2008 Posted September 10, 2008 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 Posted September 10, 2008 Posted September 10, 2008 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 Posted September 10, 2008 Posted September 10, 2008 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 Posted September 10, 2008 Posted September 10, 2008 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 Posted September 10, 2008 Posted September 10, 2008 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 Posted September 11, 2008 Posted September 11, 2008 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 Help us help you: http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375 They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has killed a great many philosophers. ~ Denis Diderot
Guest Plato Posted September 14, 2008 Posted September 14, 2008 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. -- http://www.bootdisk.com/
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