Re-Activate Windows because of software?

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

I've had Windows XP Home, on a new machine, for just over three
months. I use a digital camera which appears as a disk drive. I had
two or three requests from Microsoft to (re-)Activate Windows in the
first month or six weeks of having this machine (and Windows XP).

My camera connects to a USB (camera) data cable; I leave the cable
plugged in.

Sometimes I download photos from a friend's camera. My friend's
camera, same brand, different model, uses the same cable.

After a couple of months, I installed a Plug N Play printer, but
didn't get another Activate Windows request for a week or two
afterwards.

However, I got such requests very shortly after installing
Nero_Burning_Rom, and then later, after updating the same program.

Today I updated Real Player (free version), and again I got an
Activate Windows request, on my first reboot following the update.

Until today, I've activated Windows without any hitches. But today
(perhaps after the most recent critical update, of 11 May?), it told
me it would dial another number to do the activation. Then it wouldn't
connect, but said online activatin is (temporarily?) unavailable.

I'd never seen this before; previously, there was no extra attempt to
dial another number Does anybody know what that is all about?

When dialing the second number woujldn't connect, I kept following
instructions to wait a few minutes and then click on Redial. When I
clicked on Redial, it said "Thank you," and exited, but without doing
the activation. I had this experience at least three times (yes, three
reboots,and each of them started off with the Activation request).

My questions are: :

1) does Windows question the legality of my copy of XP Home when I
have software updates that talk to hardware? - that is, instead of
any actual new hardware being installed?

2) does Windows question the legality of my copy of XP Home because I
remove the camera from the data cable (USB port) in order to take it
around to take pictures with it?

Summary question: Why is Windows so paranoid? I don't really mind that
much - when the reactivation works without a hitch, though I have to
enter my information each time, and that's a pest.

What I really do very much mind is having software updates cause
reactivation requests (call that forced, because I have no choice, do
I?) - when the reactivition doesn't work.

I ended up using the voice phone to do the reactivation; that was a
weird experience! I wasn't sure if I was talking to a human or a
machine!

If anyone can tell me what causes these seemingly endless and quite
frequent requests (every two or three weeks, I estimate), I'd be very
grateful. My friend with XP says he never has to re-activate his
Windows XP. He has the same version I do, just a different machine.

Thanks!


Almali del Benian