Product Activation with a new motherboard

[tomcage9]

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

I would like to upgrade the motherboard in my computer, but I am worried that
if I do this, Windows XP will not allow me to use the computer unless it is
re-activated.

Is this what would happen if I upgraded the board?

 

[Guest]

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

Hi

If you replace the motherboard, you will have to perform a 'Repair' install
of XP afterwards.

--

Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups


"tomcage9" <tomcage9@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:90B7E4B9-7FB6-40E9-97F0-B9E77D7D59D4@microsoft.com...
>I would like to upgrade the motherboard in my computer, but I am worried
>that
> if I do this, Windows XP will not allow me to use the computer unless it
> is
> re-activated.
>
> Is this what would happen if I upgraded the board?

 

[tomcage9]

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

Thats not a problem, but would XP not have to be reactivated?

If this is the case then I will go ahead and buy the new board... I felt
sure someone had told me I would have a problem in the past.

"Will Denny" wrote:

> Hi
>
> If you replace the motherboard, you will have to perform a 'Repair' install
> of XP afterwards.
>
> --
>
> Will Denny
> MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
> Please reply to the News Groups
>
>
> "tomcage9" <tomcage9@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:90B7E4B9-7FB6-40E9-97F0-B9E77D7D59D4@microsoft.com...
> >I would like to upgrade the motherboard in my computer, but I am worried
> >that
> > if I do this, Windows XP will not allow me to use the computer unless it
> > is
> > re-activated.
> >
> > Is this what would happen if I upgraded the board?
>
>
>

 

[Guest]

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

Hi

You shouldn't have to reactivate if you are changing just that one item.
Have a look at the following article by the late Alex Nichol regarding
Activation:

"Windows Product Activation (WPA) on Windows XP"
http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm

--

Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups


"tomcage9" <tomcage9@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:AC56FB57-0BA8-41A9-9344-9286AE475F95@microsoft.com...
> Thats not a problem, but would XP not have to be reactivated?
>
> If this is the case then I will go ahead and buy the new board... I felt
> sure someone had told me I would have a problem in the past.
>
> "Will Denny" wrote:
>
>> Hi
>>
>> If you replace the motherboard, you will have to perform a 'Repair'
>> install
>> of XP afterwards.
>>
>> --
>>
>> Will Denny
>> MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
>> Please reply to the News Groups
>>
>>
>> "tomcage9" <tomcage9@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:90B7E4B9-7FB6-40E9-97F0-B9E77D7D59D4@microsoft.com...
>> >I would like to upgrade the motherboard in my computer, but I am worried
>> >that
>> > if I do this, Windows XP will not allow me to use the computer unless
>> > it
>> > is
>> > re-activated.
>> >
>> > Is this what would happen if I upgraded the board?
>>
>>
>>

 

[tomcage9]

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

Thanks, thats a very useful article.

Could you advise me on a few more things, such as:

1) Which part is the SCSI Adapter, would it be different on a new motherboard?
2) The current motherboard has onboard LAN - is that likely to count as the
NIC? (After reading further down the article, it seems it is)
3) The same processor would be used again on the new board -- it is an AMD
Athlon CPU. Is it true that these processors have no serial number, so if it
was changed to a different Athlon CPU it wouldn't show up?

I'm in the UK, is there a free-phone number here for activation problems
like there is the the US, or an online alternative? Microsoft seem pretty
fair about it considering that article.

Thanks for your help.

"Will Denny" wrote:

> Hi
>
> You shouldn't have to reactivate if you are changing just that one item.
> Have a look at the following article by the late Alex Nichol regarding
> Activation:
>
> "Windows Product Activation (WPA) on Windows XP"
> http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm
>
> --
>
> Will Denny
> MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
> Please reply to the News Groups
>
>
> "tomcage9" <tomcage9@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:AC56FB57-0BA8-41A9-9344-9286AE475F95@microsoft.com...
> > Thats not a problem, but would XP not have to be reactivated?
> >
> > If this is the case then I will go ahead and buy the new board... I felt
> > sure someone had told me I would have a problem in the past.
> >
> > "Will Denny" wrote:
> >
> >> Hi
> >>
> >> If you replace the motherboard, you will have to perform a 'Repair'
> >> install
> >> of XP afterwards.
> >>
> >> --
> >>
> >> Will Denny
> >> MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
> >> Please reply to the News Groups
> >>
> >>
> >> "tomcage9" <tomcage9@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:90B7E4B9-7FB6-40E9-97F0-B9E77D7D59D4@microsoft.com...
> >> >I would like to upgrade the motherboard in my computer, but I am worried
> >> >that
> >> > if I do this, Windows XP will not allow me to use the computer unless
> >> > it
> >> > is
> >> > re-activated.
> >> >
> >> > Is this what would happen if I upgraded the board?
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
>
>

 

[Guest]

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

Hi

If the mobo includes a NIC, then you 'may' have to reactivate as that counts
as one of the higher 'scorers' in that article.

If you have a problem re-activating, then yes, there is a UK number to use.
I've had to use it at various times myself. The number will appear on the
screen as it does for the US.

--

Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups


"tomcage9" <tomcage9@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:B5E42B2E-D63C-4176-82D8-A186C242AA8E@microsoft.com...
> Thanks, thats a very useful article.
>
> Could you advise me on a few more things, such as:
>
> 1) Which part is the SCSI Adapter, would it be different on a new
> motherboard?
> 2) The current motherboard has onboard LAN - is that likely to count as
> the
> NIC? (After reading further down the article, it seems it is)
> 3) The same processor would be used again on the new board -- it is an AMD
> Athlon CPU. Is it true that these processors have no serial number, so if
> it
> was changed to a different Athlon CPU it wouldn't show up?
>
> I'm in the UK, is there a free-phone number here for activation problems
> like there is the the US, or an online alternative? Microsoft seem pretty
> fair about it considering that article.
>
> Thanks for your help.
>
> "Will Denny" wrote:
>
>> Hi
>>
>> You shouldn't have to reactivate if you are changing just that one item.
>> Have a look at the following article by the late Alex Nichol regarding
>> Activation:
>>
>> "Windows Product Activation (WPA) on Windows XP"
>> http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm
>>
>> --
>>
>> Will Denny
>> MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
>> Please reply to the News Groups
>>
>>
>> "tomcage9" <tomcage9@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:AC56FB57-0BA8-41A9-9344-9286AE475F95@microsoft.com...
>> > Thats not a problem, but would XP not have to be reactivated?
>> >
>> > If this is the case then I will go ahead and buy the new board... I
>> > felt
>> > sure someone had told me I would have a problem in the past.
>> >
>> > "Will Denny" wrote:
>> >
>> >> Hi
>> >>
>> >> If you replace the motherboard, you will have to perform a 'Repair'
>> >> install
>> >> of XP afterwards.
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >>
>> >> Will Denny
>> >> MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
>> >> Please reply to the News Groups
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> "tomcage9" <tomcage9@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> >> news:90B7E4B9-7FB6-40E9-97F0-B9E77D7D59D4@microsoft.com...
>> >> >I would like to upgrade the motherboard in my computer, but I am
>> >> >worried
>> >> >that
>> >> > if I do this, Windows XP will not allow me to use the computer
>> >> > unless
>> >> > it
>> >> > is
>> >> > re-activated.
>> >> >
>> >> > Is this what would happen if I upgraded the board?
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>>
>>
>>

 

[Guest]

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

tomcage9 wrote:
> I would like to upgrade the motherboard in my computer, but I am worried that
> if I do this, Windows XP will not allow me to use the computer unless it is
> re-activated.
>
> Is this what would happen if I upgraded the board?


Normally, and assuming a retail license (many OEM installations are
BIOS-locked to a specific chipset and therefore not transferable to a
new motherboard - check yours before starting), unless the new
motherboard is virtually identical (same chipset, same IDE controllers,
same BIOS version, etc.) to the one on which the WinXP installation was
originally performed, you'll need to perform a repair (a.k.a. in-place
upgrade) installation, at the very least:

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/directory/article.asp?ID=KB;EN-US;Q315341

The "why" is quite simple, really, and has nothing to do with
licensing issues, per se; it's a purely technical matter, at this point.
You've pulled the proverbial hardware rug out from under the OS. (If
you don't like -- or get -- the rug analogy, think of it as picking up a
Cape Cod style home and then setting it down onto a Ranch style
foundation. It just isn't going to fit.) WinXP, like Win2K before it,
is not nearly as "promiscuous" as Win9x when it comes to accepting any
old hardware configuration you throw at it. On installation it
"tailors" itself to the specific hardware found. This is one of the
reasons that the entire WinNT/2K/XP OS family is so much more stable
than the Win9x group.

As always when undertaking such a significant change, back up any
important data before starting.

This will also probably require re-activation, unless you have a
Volume Licensed version of WinXP Pro installed. 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://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Guest]

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

"tomcage9" <tomcage9@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>I would like to upgrade the motherboard in my computer, but I am worried that
>if I do this, Windows XP will not allow me to use the computer unless it is
>re-activated.
>
>Is this what would happen if I upgraded the board?

If your Windows XP is an OEM version that came bundled with the
computer when it was new, and if that OEM version is BIOS locked then
it is possible that your Windows XP will be unusable with the new
motherboard *unless* that motherboard is from the company that
manufactured/assembled the computer originally.

To check if your Windows XP is an OEM version open Control Panel -
System (you can also get there by right-clicking on "My Computer" and
selecting Properties or by pressing WindowsKey+Pause) and looking at
the 20 character Product I.D. value that is reported on the last line
of the "Registered to" section. If the second segment (3 characters)
of the Product I.D. reads OEM then your Windows XP is an OEM version.

If your Windows XP is an OEM version then you can check to see if it
is BIOS locked by looking on the Start menu under Accessories - System
Tools. If there is no entry for "Activate Windows" then your OEM
version is BIOS locked.

As of 1 March 2005 Microsoft changed the activation procedures so that
BIOS Locked versions, which are self-activating on a motherboard with
the correct BIOS version, cannot be activated over the Internet and
telephone activations will normally be declined.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm

 

[tomcage9]

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

Thanks for all the information you've provided.

I've decided on a new PC build, and I will buy a new motherboard, new HDD,
and a new copy of XP. I'll re-use the memory, processor, CD-RW, etc.

My current copy of XP *is* an OEM version - it came preinstalled on the PC,
however it doesn't seem to be BIOS locked, as 'Activate Windows' still
appears in the system tools start menu folder.

I was hoping to keep the old motherboard and HDD together with XP still
installed, and possibly at a later date throw a system together, as I thought
the BIOS lock would still be intact, as it's the same motherboard, but I am
starting to wonder of this would be possible as maybe the BIOS lock doesn't
actually exist, and it's just a standard hardware check that takes place,
like in the retail versions? (I've been reading the article at
"http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm") In which case, I couldn't build a system
as the hardware would differ...

Any suggestions?

"Ron Martell" wrote:

> "tomcage9" <tomcage9@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
> >I would like to upgrade the motherboard in my computer, but I am worried that
> >if I do this, Windows XP will not allow me to use the computer unless it is
> >re-activated.
> >
> >Is this what would happen if I upgraded the board?
>
> If your Windows XP is an OEM version that came bundled with the
> computer when it was new, and if that OEM version is BIOS locked then
> it is possible that your Windows XP will be unusable with the new
> motherboard *unless* that motherboard is from the company that
> manufactured/assembled the computer originally.
>
> To check if your Windows XP is an OEM version open Control Panel -
> System (you can also get there by right-clicking on "My Computer" and
> selecting Properties or by pressing WindowsKey+Pause) and looking at
> the 20 character Product I.D. value that is reported on the last line
> of the "Registered to" section. If the second segment (3 characters)
> of the Product I.D. reads OEM then your Windows XP is an OEM version.
>
> If your Windows XP is an OEM version then you can check to see if it
> is BIOS locked by looking on the Start menu under Accessories - System
> Tools. If there is no entry for "Activate Windows" then your OEM
> version is BIOS locked.
>
> As of 1 March 2005 Microsoft changed the activation procedures so that
> BIOS Locked versions, which are self-activating on a motherboard with
> the correct BIOS version, cannot be activated over the Internet and
> telephone activations will normally be declined.
>
> Good luck
>
> Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
> --
> Microsoft MVP
> On-Line Help Computer Service
> http://onlinehelp.bc.ca
>
> In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
> http://aumha.org/alex.htm
>