xp and upgrading

[suitcase]

How many components can I upgrade and still use my copy of xp. If I change the mb, processor and ram will I be able to still use it?

[WhatsThisBoxFor?]

After you change a certain number of components you have to reacticate (phone up M$), but I think that depends on upgrades in the past to the number of parts you can change. Also if you change a lot of components at once it is possible that you have to do a reinstall (not reformat, just reinstalling windows). When I changed my mobo, processor and ram (at once) I had to reinstall and reactivate.

[pam123]

For a switch that basic you'll have to reactivate by phone.
It's no big deal, the call is toll free and it's a painless few minutes with a voice robot.
You read in the disk ID and it reads you back the activation code that you'll type in.

[Statica]

more of hardware changes necissating reactivation:
Basically XP has a list of hardware belonging to the following categories for checks to see what the original XP was activated on:
1 Display Adapter
2 SCSI Adapter
3 IDE Adapter
4 Network Adapter MAC Address
5 RAM Amount Range (i.e. 0-64MB, 64-128MB, etc)
6 Processor Type
7 Processor Serial Number
8 Hard Drive Device
9 Hard Drive Volume Serial Number
10 CD-ROM / CD-RW / DVD-ROM
-----------------
XP checks to see that it is running on the same or similar hardware that it was activated on. Reactivation is required if it detects that the hardware has changed "substantially".

MS has a definition of what "substantially" changed means. First there is a difference for PCs that are configured to be dockable. Additionally, the network adapter is given a superior "weighting.".

In a dockable PC, if a network adapter exists and is not changed, 9 or more of the other above values would have to change before reactivation would be required. If no network adapter exists or the existing adapter is changed, 7 or more changes (including the network adapter) will require a reactivation.

If the PC is not dockable and a network adapter exists and is not changed, 6 or more of the other above values would have to change before reactivation would be required. If a network adapter existed but is changed or never existed at all, 4 or more changes (including the changed network adapter if it previously existed) will require a reactivation.

The change of a single component multiple times (e.g. from display adapter ATI to display adapter Nvidia to display adapter Matrox) is treated as a single change. The addition of components to a PC (adding a second hard drive) which did not exist during the original activation, would not trigger a reactivation. Reactivation would not be triggered by the modification of a component not listed above.

Reinstallation of XP on the same or similar hardware and a subsequent reactivation can be accomplished an infinite number of times. Finally, the Microsoft activation clearinghouse system will automatically allow activation to occur over the Internet four times in one year on substantially different hardware. Every 120 days, the current configuration of a user's PC will become the new "base," so to speak. For example that on a non-dockable PC you could change 8 of the above parts without a reactivation. After 120 days, you could again change 8 parts. This last feature was implemented to allow even the most savvy power users to make changes to their systems and, if they must reactivate, do so over the Internet rather than necessitating a telephone call.

[bdunn]

Thats what microsoft says but you never really know. I work in the real world. Sometimes adding a single piece of HW will force re-activation. In my experience the only things you can change and garantee it wont ask for re-activation are case and power supply.

[JPMiller]

And on the other side of the coin, I've done whole motherboard swaps and not have it be an issue... you just never know...