exit2dos

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Jul 16, 2006
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Anyone know if the activation for MS applications (Office, Visual Studio, Frontpage, etc.) is based on the internal harware, or is it based on the XP activation?

If I do a fresh install of Vista on a new or a re-formatted drive, will all of my MS apps require me to call MS and transfer my license on each - or is the activation tied in with the internal hardware key?
 
Solution
It is almost certainly hardware based like XP.

Recently I reformated my PC to start afresh with some new drivers. I changed the driver for my motherboard. For some reason, this didn't give me trouble with the XP installation (I have an OEM version that never prompts me for a license or activation, so it might have a totally different way of identifying my PC). However, for my retail version of office I got into my first ever activation snaffu, forcing my to phone home to MS and explain myself. Apparently, office did a system check, saw the new drivers, assumed a new mobo, and cried fowl. The best part was that the bastard at the MS activation center told me my copy was only licensed for two PCs and I would have to uninstall from one...

mattthenewb

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Jan 12, 2003
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It is almost certainly hardware based like XP.

Recently I reformated my PC to start afresh with some new drivers. I changed the driver for my motherboard. For some reason, this didn't give me trouble with the XP installation (I have an OEM version that never prompts me for a license or activation, so it might have a totally different way of identifying my PC). However, for my retail version of office I got into my first ever activation snaffu, forcing my to phone home to MS and explain myself. Apparently, office did a system check, saw the new drivers, assumed a new mobo, and cried fowl. The best part was that the bastard at the MS activation center told me my copy was only licensed for two PCs and I would have to uninstall from one, even though my product explicitly stated it could work on 3 PCs. All this after having used the product on 3 PCs with no problem for months. Luckily, for whatever reason, the problem fixed itself and the software activated, no thanks to M$.

Throughout this my version and license of XP was constant. Only hardware (actually, only a driver) changed.
 
Solution