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  2. PCTECH
  3. January 2007

Re: PcTech Digest, Vol 5, Issue 23

pctech-request@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:


   1. Re: Moving a hard drive w/ a Gateway-installed OEM Windows    XP
      to a new mobo (Dan)

A final update to this thread...

Got the PC up and running by reinstalling using the Gateway CD.  That got
rid of the BSOD, but when I tried to logon, XP made me reactivate, but the
online reactivation failed.  I figured that was the Gateway OEM not being
allowed on a new mobo.
I'm not sure how many total reasons I have, but this is a big one for why I'm not upgrading _anything_ beyond Win2K unless absolutely necessary. As far as I can recall, I bought licenses for every copy of Win2K that I use; it's not like I want to clone illegal copies, I mean.
You'd think that such 'activation' could at least be allowed on a temporary basis. You could get your system up and running, and then make a phone call to get permanent activation later. SOMEthing should work, but straight refusal via online activation is ridiculous.
I'm moving to a new PC for example. Built from components a while back. Doesn't have a modem (so I set up via USB temporarily). Took a while to download/install AVG, ZoneAlarm and some others, not to mention fixes from MS.
Now, the basic ZoneAlarm went on before I ever connected to anything outside my home network; there's no way I was about to stand for connecting to MS to go through any "online activation" when any number of networking issues _could_ have caused it to be a lengthy process. And I know from experience that you can be nailed in a couple minutes if you aren't double-covered when you connect. 

Win2K is my final stop on the MS road.
...which is part of why I'm posting this. First, to rant. (Ahhhh, feels good.) But second, to find out for certain --
How long can you run WinXP without "activation"? I use XP at the office, but I don't have to maintain it. 

Tom Liotta

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