WinXP activation explained

[otwater]

I upgrade my system to often to be bother by this! my system has changed several times. still using win 98 se. win me was to unstable. no plans to buy win xp.

[RobRich]

If the user completely overhauls the hardware, reactivation may be required. In that case, users will need to contact to contact a Microsoft customer service representative by telephone to reactivate.

MS can strategically place WinXP somewhere, use your imagination.

Being in the hardware review industry, I have to constantly change multiple parts within my test boxes. I completely rebuilt one of my primary test boxes three times in the past two days alone. Now MS wants be to call for a new code everytime I change a couple of parts. I don't think so, as I have better things to do than wait countless hours on hold while trying to speak to a MS service rep.

Luckily WinME still proves viable for my 3D testing, and Win2k for more tedious tasks. I'm not a fan of MS, but I do actively use its products. I would have no issues at all paying my $200 for a workstation copy of WinXP, but I'll take my money elsewhere now. For the same amount of money, I believe I will burn a couple hunderd copies of QNX and BeOS PE to pass around to my friends!

Catch ya' later,
Robert Richmond

[MindlessVictim]

I agree.... I'm running Win98 SE, QNX, and BeOS PE all on the same Dell machine....

I would rather spend hours fiddling with cool new ideas in BeOS or QNX than sit on the phone with MS.

[jokostel]

No kidding guys.... MS is getting more and more annoying to use folk that tweeak our systems and switch out parts all of the time... the average joe doesnt give a hoot but people who legally buy products shouldnt have to be placed in this type of predicament....... MS GOTO HELL!

jokostel

[ArgonV]

This is the biggest bunch of B.S. Ive ever read!!!!!!!! MS has gone too far this time... Who the hell do they think they are? Requiring us to "call in" every time we get a new piece of hardware and tell them what it is and how we wont beable to use any software if we dont. B.S. I say!!!!! Im sticking with Win98SE for as long as I can and I may just switch over to Unix or Linux if it gets all out of hand. (Can you say making all new software and hardware so that it runs on current operating systems only? If that happens I'll go ballistic!)

[JayPeg]

As a Computer Tech I constantly add and remove hardware from my system for testing. Having to add a few more hours(MS service department not to swift) to reset WinXP will only add more to the bill for the customer. Unfortunate, but I have to get paid for my time.
I really don't like the way MS is preventing customers from using other purchased software until you have satisfied them that you are not a pirate. This sounds like a new law suit for MS.

Personally I wont be buying XP and will stick to using 98se.

[Bunnyh]

There's absolutely no sense in this. Those who pirated MS software before, have no problem pirating XP also, and some of those who still buy their software, will get totally pissed off and pirate XP. This "anti-pirate" system won't help absolutely no-one.

[Tom Pico]

Looks like I'll be sticking with Win98se for a while.
Although we don't know exactly which are the critical components that trigger MS reactivation, its a good bet that those of us who change motherboards and cpu's on a regular basis will be doomed.
Probably time to start checking out the prices on Apple PC's.

[benchristian]

could this be a violation of the privacy act? It's none of MS's business to know when and what you buy! And forcing you to tell them to use their product sounds like a big compromise on your privacy.

[benchristian]

sorry...double post

[This message has been edited by benchristian (edited 07-09-2001).]

[blind to truth]

wasn't this cracked? I saw it on the [H]|F.

[RobRich]

A regedit (the hack that everyone refers to) was available for earlier beta versions through Microsoft's Developer Program of all places. However, it is suggested that this edit will not work for the final retail release version once available.

Robert Richmond

[MTAtech]

MS is going to be sorry it did this. Can you imagine how much staff and phone lines this is going to cost them to support? I predict that they drop this a year after XP is out because it isn't worth it.

However, I see their point. Copyright protection is non-existant in the 3rd world. All 3 billion people in China share one MS Windows license.

In the U.S. some people pirate MS software but probably 90% of it is legitimate. The other 10% wouldn't buy it anyway if they couldn't get it for free - so it's not really an economic loss for MS.

[MTAtech]

benchristian - what privacy act?

I am sure one gives them these rights when you click "I agree" in the install license agreement.

[sicksock]

Last year I spent 3 months in Peru doing field work for a report on rainfall. No internet, no telephone, no bathrooms. If I had to guess, I'd say I had to reformat two on the computers running MS 98se 5-6 times. I think you can see where I'm going with this. No computer means no data collection means no report.

MS has to realize something, not everyone has telephones! or internet access! or a bathrooms!