MPA Confusion

Hello All, According KB document # 302878, it lists the # of times that
someone can activate a copy of XP is unlimted on the same machine (If you
install Windows XP on the same computer by using the same Product Key, the
number of activations is not limited) .

However there have been times where I have formatted the drive, installed
windows, activated & mess with the configuration, etc & thus will go & do a
fresh reinstall again. Well after so many times Windows tells me something
like "You have exceeded the amount of times this copy of Windows can be
activated" However the configuration inside my computer has NOT changed.

So why would I get you need to reactivate if no hardware has changed & it
activated before with the same hardware?

Thanks!!

"Choli" wrote
> Hello All, According KB document # 302878, it lists the # of times that
> someone can activate a copy of XP is unlimted on the same machine (If you
> install Windows XP on the same computer by using the same Product Key, the
> number of activations is not limited) .
>
> However there have been times where I have formatted the drive, installed
> windows, activated & mess with the configuration, etc & thus will go & do
> a
> fresh reinstall again. Well after so many times Windows tells me
> something
> like "You have exceeded the amount of times this copy of Windows can be
> activated" However the configuration inside my computer has NOT changed.
>
> So why would I get you need to reactivate if no hardware has changed & it
> activated before with the same hardware?

That message is very misleading. I can't answer why activation was
triggered, but it can be activated as many times as is wanted on the same
system. A retail version can also be transferred to another computer if
first removed from the computer in which it's installed. If activation
won't go through on the internet then call if for it.

Here is a link to an article by the late Alex Nichol, MVP on activation.
http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm

--
Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]