Windows XP Product Activation

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (More info?)

"Paddy" <paddysiaw2@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:6ijGd.877$J6.476@trnddc02...
> I have a really big problem with my pcs. I have one computer that I
> purchased from Gateway and another one that I received from a friend. The
> computer that I received from my friend was running on windows 98 so I
> used
> my gateway windows xp installation cd to install windows xp on that
> computer. Since then whenever I turn the computer on, I receive a ballon
> message saying "activate windows xp". If I click on it, It will
> automatically say that windows is already activated.
> Last week, I ordered a the widows xp service park cd from Microsoft.
> When I installed it, and restarted the computer, I the same balloon popped
> up but this time when I clicked it, I told me to activate windows xp If I
> want to continue using if after 30 days. It gave me two choices. Whether I
> wanted to activate windows by internet or by phone. I choice phone since I
> don't have misplaced my product key. When I called the representative, I
> was
> told that there was nothing I could do about the product activation. I was
> also told that the istallation ID was invalid and that there was no way I
> was going to be given a new one.
> This really bothers me. Any suggestions are welcome.
>
>
> Thanks
> Paddy
>
>

Sounds like you need to buy a new copy of XP... the one that came with the
Gateway PC is tied to that Gateway PC.

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (More info?)

Paddy wrote:
> I have a really big problem with my pcs. I have one computer that I
> purchased from Gateway and another one that I received from a friend. The
> computer that I received from my friend was running on windows 98 so I used
> my gateway windows xp installation cd to install windows xp on that
> computer. Since then whenever I turn the computer on, I receive a ballon
> message saying "activate windows xp". If I click on it, It will
> automatically say that windows is already activated.



First of all, your new computer has an OEM license for WinXP.
An OEM version must be sold with a piece of hardware (normally a
motherboard or hard rive, if not an entire PC) and is _permanently_
bound to the first PC on which it's installed. An OEM license, once
installed, is not legally transferable to another computer under _any_
circumstances.

Secondly, as it has *always* been with *all* Microsoft operating
systems, it's necessary (to be in compliance with both the EULA and
U.S. copyright law http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/117.html), if
not technically) to purchase one WinXP license for each computer on
which it is installed. (Consult an attorney versed in copyright law
to determine final applicability in your locale.) The only way in
which WinXP licensing differs from that of earlier versions of Windows
is that Microsoft has finally added a copy protection and anti-theft
mechanism, Product Activation, to prevent (or at least make more
difficult) multiple installations using a single license.


> Last week, I ordered a the widows xp service park cd from Microsoft.
> When I installed it, and restarted the computer, I the same balloon popped
> up but this time when I clicked it, I told me to activate windows xp If I
> want to continue using if after 30 days. It gave me two choices. Whether I
> wanted to activate windows by internet or by phone. I choice phone since I
> don't have misplaced my product key. When I called the representative, I was
> told that there was nothing I could do about the product activation. I was
> also told that the istallation ID was invalid and that there was no way I
> was going to be given a new one.
> This really bothers me. Any suggestions are welcome.
>
>

You need to purchase a separate WinXP Pro license for each computer
on which you install it.

--

Bruce Chambers

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