Windows Product Activation

[MARKBLACK]

Hi, I'm worried about this Windows Product Activation (WPA)
with Windows XP. I've had my machine a couple of weeks approx 3 weeks. My concerns are how do I know if my machine has already been Activated or not?. I bought my computer with XP already installed, from a big store so theres no problems with anything illegal. Plus is it easy to Activate? I have important work on this machine now I can do without having to activate this. Thanks in advance.

Markblack

[EzyStvy]

Frequently Asked Questions about Microsoft Product Activation



This article is also pretty interesting:
What is product activation?
http://j-walk.com/ss/excel/activation.htm

[Miz]

To check to see if your copy of XP is already activated--which I'm sure it is since it came preinstalled--go to Start>Run and type in, or copy and paste from here, "oobe/msoobe /a" (without the quotes) then press the enter key on your keyboard.

[Blakhart]

If you have run xp-antispy this will result in no response at all.
Although I doubt that you have run antispy or would want to.

[Mac Medic]

If you bought a major OEM PC, like dell or Compaq, chances are it doesn't have activation anyway. The OEM's complained to M$ back when activation was being considered and were exempted from the program.

[stump]

I don't have the OEM version of XP, but the retail version will nag you to death until you activate. If there are no pop-us pleading for activation, there is probably nothing to worry about.

[HAL9000]

Activation is blown outta proportion. If done over the internet, all that's required is that you say yes, you want to activate, and it pops back in literally seconds that the deed is done.

Phone activation is still quite painless. You call the toll free number listed and get an automated system. It requests that you type into the phone a huge key number (something like 7 or 8 sets of 6 digits). Once complete, they return a key number for you to type into your system. Once complete, your system is activated and you have yet to talk to a real person.

Re-activation can occur when you change too many pieces of hardware. No biggie, you can run thu the above steps once again to re-activate and you're done.

If you have re-activated several times, you may receive an error such as I did that says that you have re-activated this key number too many times. Internet activation sent me thru to phone activation which still failed which then forwarded me to an actual Microsoft representative (WOW... a REAL person). Same process, they ask for the generated key number from your system. While waiting for the new key number to be generated, I was asked why I had to re-activate. I simply explained that being in the computer business, I am constantly upgrading my machine. She tells me OK and reads out the new activation key. I type it in and bang... done once again, have a nice day.

So as you can see, nothing to be terrified about. The corporate giant isn't out there to give you the third degree just because you changed a bunch of hardware in your system.

[sdkfz]

not at home right now with my xp pc I, there is also a item in the program bar for activating and if you click on it and you are already activated it says so (I might be confusing office xp with win xp) but I am pretty sure there was this item and I tried it just to see and got told already done

[sdkfz]

Home now: To check if you are activated
Start-->All Programs--> Accessories-->System Tools--> Activate Windows. I just gave it a try and it came back already activated

[Tuf]

If you haven't activated XP there will be an icon in your systray for a few minutes after startup.

HAL has had similar experiences as I have. Once after installing XP several times over a four day period with different hardware I had to call. The guy on the other end asked are you reinstalling XP? I said Yes and hegave me the number. Thats all that was said other than the number itself.

No big deal, nothing to worry about.

[videobruce]

Why don't you skip XP and go with 2000 with SP3?
NO product activation to deal with and it is time proven without all the crap!

[Tuf]

Originally posted by videobruce Why don't you skip XP and go with 2000 with SP3? NO product activation to deal with and it is time proven without all the crap!

2000 is a good operating system but it is not as hardware compatible or as software friendly as XP. It's code is starting to show its age. I wouldn't recommend anyone with a good running 2000 system replace it with XP, although I did on all of my computers.

When you say with all the crap, it's actually 2000 that is getting overloaded with Service Packs. XP now sports one that makes a possible 319 minor changes or enhancements to the code. Service Pack Three for 2000 makes over one thousand changes, mostly with additional code.

On an new system it makes little sense to chose 2000 over XP unless you are in corporate environment with a lot of machines running 2000 with no plans to switch anytime soon.

[Mac Medic]

I thought SP3 for 2k-pro included product key checking?. I know it did on 2kserver.

[sri2000_uk]

I have three computers on a home nework, all running XP home edition. I have formatted all of them at different times over the last year, and had no trouble with re-activating either of them. I had to format one of them a few days ago, and the pop up is telling me to activate, which I will do as soon as I know if a recent problem is cured. (see my post XP freeze)
A TIP If you own more than one copy of XP, write the product code on the discs with a CD pen, and put No 1 etc. If you get them mixed up, you will know which is in each computer.

Jack

[Hpro]

Originally posted by Tuf 2000 is a good operating system but it is not as hardware compatible or as software friendly as XP. It's code is starting to show its age. I wouldn't recommend anyone with a good running 2000 system replace it with XP, although I did on all of my computers. When you say with all the crap, it's actually 2000 that is getting overloaded with Service Packs. XP now sports one that makes a possible 319 minor changes or enhancements to the code. Service Pack Three for 2000 makes over one thousand changes, mostly with additional code. On an new system it makes little sense to chose 2000 over XP unless you are in corporate environment with a lot of machines running 2000 with no plans to switch anytime soon.

Sorry you are mistaken - the big pain in the A** is Xp - not Win2K.!Get some real old legacy hardware and then you will know what I'm talking about..Xp is a crap os as WinME is - sorry but that's the truth...

[Hpro]

Originally posted by oem_guy_2002 I thought SP3 for 2k-pro included product key checking?. I know it did on 2kserver.

No it don't neither on the server... have Win2k Servers running - updated - no problems no check - ..
Hpro

[Hpro]

Originally posted by EzyStvy Frequently Asked Questions about Microsoft Product Activation This article is also pretty interesting: What is product activation? http://j-walk.com/ss/excel/activation.htm

Yes that's exactly like it is (meaning the link providet.)- Anyway someday MSsoft will come down - and it isn't to far away -
if they really would like to Protect their OS - then it would be so easy you can't imagine - can tell you from a few companies they check the registration number - never mind if you have registered or not - as soon you go online with the program then as the program starts up - naturally after you double clicked the icon for it - the program calls home - Now I know you can forbid the program to call home but then the proggie is worthless for you..
If the server detects a phony Serial or Registration number it DISABLES your REGISTRATION , DISABLES your PROGRAM , sets it back to 30 DAY USE etc - programms which do things like this are
CuteFtp Version 4.2 and up
Visual Route version 6.1A
and there are others - just to have you know -

I think this activation key thing crap of microsoft - leads to somewhere else - what direction is the questions but the link Ezystvy providet points in a direction which could be very possible..
Hpro

[smokealotapotimus]

I'm sure there will be other service packs to come for XP.

[Mac Medic]

Ok, the offending code was in SP3 for pro and server, only it works differently. It checks the product ID when using windows update (which sp3 automates) and generates a hardware ID (it does this every visit to win update, not just the once like XP) . There are a number of reports of dead 2k systems after running windows update after applying sp3, but it's prob just coincidental.

http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/about.asp?

Windows Update Privacy Statement (Last Updated 10/15/2002)
Windows Update is committed to protecting your privacy. To provide you with the appropriate list of updates, Windows Update must collect a certain amount of configuration information from your computer. None of this configuration information can be used to identify you. This information includes:

Operating-system version number
Internet Explorer version number
Version numbers of other software for which Windows Update provides updates
Plug and Play ID numbers of hardware devices
Region and Language setting
The configuration information collected is used only to determine the appropriate updates and to generate aggregate statistics. Windows Update does not collect your name, address, e-mail address, or any other form of personally identifiable information.

Windows Update also collects the Product ID and Product Key to confirm that you are running a validly licensed copy of Windows. A validly licensed copy of Windows ensures that you will receive on-going updates from Windows Update. The Product ID and Product Key are not retained beyond the end of the Windows Update session.

To provide you with the best possible service, Windows Update also tracks and records how many unique machines visit its site and whether the download and installation of specific updates succeeded or failed. In order to do this, the Windows operating system generates a Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) that is stored on your computer to uniquely identify it. The GUID does not contain any personally identifiable information and cannot be used to identify you. Windows Update records the GUID of the computer that attempted the download, the ID of the item that you attempted to download and install, and the configuration information listed above.


I knew this sounded familar.

http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.p...&highlight=sp3

[Tuf]

Originally Posted by Hpro Sorry you are mistaken - the big pain in the A** is Xp - not Win2K.!Get some real old legacy hardware and then you will know what I'm talking about..Xp is a crap os as WinME is - sorry but that's the truth...

No reason to apologyze to me I didn't write the code. I run as much or more computer equipment in my home office as anyone I know. It includes a tremendous variety of specialized hardware and software. So I didn't exactly fall off the turnip truck yesterday. There is very little hardware that 2000 supports that XP doesn't. But there is a ton of software that XP will run that 2000 won't, most of it older stuff for that legacy hardware you are talking about. If XP wasn't out I'd be running 2000 and I'm sure I would still be happy with it.

For me and most of the world XP is a better OS. True if you are running mostly older hardware XP isn't for you, but then neither is 2000. If whatever reason you don't want to run XP, don't. But if you actually believe it is inferior to 2000 the boat has left without you.

Secondly I don't understand all the stink about product activation. Unless you plan to violate the license agreement it's a non issue. Tens of millions of computers are using it with no ill effect.

[sam21]

So if your Windows 2000 pro isn't activated and you download and installed SP3,your computer dies?

[Tuf]

No Win2000 didn't have product activation originally. I don't use it anymore but I have seen some reference to it being added through one of the Service Packs. But I don't know if it does or not.

[sam21]

Sorry I didn't mean activated,I meant registered.
So my question would be.
So if your windows 200 pro isn't registered(yet) and you know your copy is legal,and you download and install SP3,your computer dies?

[Tuf]

I wouldn't think so. Microsoft has never required you to register their products. Even with XP registration is optional. I'll be their is a FAQ on their site.

[sam21]

O really?
So I guess register and activate is kinda different huh?
Thanks for clearing that up btw

[Tuf]

Yes registering is where you say I Sam21 am the owner of whatever and here is my address and phone number.

Activation just makes a cryptic code based on your hardware. It contains no info about you personally.

[Hpro]

Sorry tuf - again you are mistaken -.
It's like renting a car and the carowner is telling you where you can drive to and where not./

If I pay some money for something - so I don't like that someone put his fingers into this something - it's so easy and has nothing to do with illegal software - I just don't agree with those kind of ways to make business because it isn't straight business - that's it.
Hpro

Oh BTW I know that I don't buy the softeware and etc etc but still it's my money wich crosses the table - and I don't care how many getting their stuff free - it's not my problem - !

[Tuf]

On your analogy every car I have rented I have been told where I couldn't drive it.

Your second point I don't understand, If you buy software from Microsoft you don't want them to touch it?

Your third point I really don't understand as it conflicts completely with your second point(?) If you don't buy it how is it your money and at the same time you acknowledge there is a problem, it's just not your problem.

I do completely understand how you would think I am wrong though. I also think that this topic is veering way past what is appropriate for discussion here at PC Mech so this will be my last post in this thread.

[bailey]

as I understand it, one does not buy the softwhare, you only buy the license to use it, you do not own the software at all

[HAL9000]

That's right bailey, that's exactly the way I see it, especially if you wanna use the car rental analogy, you're not buying it, you're buying a right to use it (temporarily).