Re: switching WinXP licenses on two PCs

Michael,

 You can keep re-installing and
> activating Windows on the same computer repeatedly as long as the hardware
> doesn't change and you use the same key.


The corollary to that is hardware changes can de-activate a copy. In theory,
single changes at a time (ie replace the hard drive or cpu) should not
deactivate it, but making 3 or more changes at the same time will likely
trigger it. In practice, I think changing only the network card alone will
be enough -- the MAC address must play into the coding pretty heavily. When
hardware changes do trigger a de-activation, the online activation will no
longer get approved and you have to get in the call queue to speak to a
representative. I've had to do it a few times, the most recently is after a
storm took out the NIC on my motherboard and I had to install a separate NIC
instead.

They've always readily given me a new key. I've heard they let you do that
around 5-6 times on the same key before they get more inquisitive. I must be
close to that now, but I haven't kept score. I think the main idea it so
reduce mass piracy or even people who build PCs to sell on ebay. When the
calls on a given key are few and far between, they probably just hand out
new codes.

Office XP was less forgiving. When I changed the NIC, it not only
de-activated but did not provide a grace period the way WinXP did. And the
online activation would not accept it, and when I called the rep said the
system was down "for scheduled maintenance" and to call back in 20 mins. Of
course, this was during prime time Monday morning office hours in the USA,
so I had a hard time buying the "scheduled maintenance" thing, especially
after hearing the same line for a few hours when I'd repeatedly call back.

YMMV.

Doug