I have a copy of Windows XP upgrade. I was not the one who bought it, a friend did. He used it on his machine. I have 2 PCs at home. I used the same copy to upgrade one of my OS.

Now recently, I had to reformat my second PC and needed to install an OS. So I still had the copy laying around and decided to install it.

It works fine, the only thing is that I am reminded to activate Windows XP. There is a reminder that pops up each time I boot up. I had 30 days from the install date, now I’m down to 19. When I try to go an activate it, it tells me that my CD key has been used too many times and they wont allow me to activate it.

Anyone know what will happen if I don’t activate it? My only option at this point is to buy ANOTHER Win XP copy and use the new CD key. Everything is legit with the first one I used.

Thanks for any input!

Go Buy a legit copy. TechSpot does not condone or promote piracy.

As for what will happen? After the time runs out, it will stop working if you haven't activated it.

No, its possible that microsoft have disabled internet activation for you, if you do have a legal copy, you need to phone them on the number it gives if you choose to activate by phone. They'll then give you the activation number. They do this if you reinstall xp more than a few times as another form of anti piracy

Correct me if I am wrong, but last time I checked, a copy of XP can only be installed legally on one machine. Contact MS if you like, I'm sure they would love to hear from you :evil:

What it will do is not allow you to login until you've activated it after 30 days.

You can just buy a license (just a CD key and not the XP install disk) if you want to save some money and can use the disk some more.

You can probably find the oem version of Windows 2000 Pro on the web for about the same price as XP Home. It may not require activation which makes it a better deal. That's what I would do.

Re: Re: Windows Activation - what if I dont?

This has been attempted quite a few times. They don't care. As so says the telephone reps.


Anyways, if you don't activate windows, if you try to install or do something major, the computer will lock up and restart and when it comes back, the only thing you can do is mess with the activation window, you will never see your desktop again untill you activate.

furthermore, there are ways of keeping your registration by copying files you currently have to the computer after you reinstall which makes it so you dont have to re-activate.

at the same time, i wont point out how to actually do this because i question the legitimacy (and legallity) of what you want to do with this info.

but i seriously doubt they care like xtr said.

I don't mean to be a jerk, but isn't that a little harsh? I know that you, just like pretty much anyone else in these forums (including myself) have used some CD or another more than once. Give the guy a break. I'm not sure about you, but I can't afford to go around laying down an outrageous $200.00 per machine for XP. Nothing justifies that. Nothing. It costs Microsoft maybe, MAYBE, $5.00/cd to make and ship. That includes the disk and all labor involved. For them to turn around and rip us off like they do, it makes 150% sense to me why someone would want to "steal," if thats what you would call it, from them. If you ask me, Microcrap is stealing from US! I have to go now, I think my wallet just peed itself in mortal terror of the thought of outfitting all 7 of my desktops with legit copies of XP.

And yes, I do realize this post is almost 3 years late. Just thought I would voice my opinion.

Over and out.

No one forces you to use it. Some shoes & jeans cost a fortune, does that mean it's right to steal them because you want them ?

If you really don't want to pay, then look at alternatives like Linux.

i pay $90 for 101% legit copies at a local store.

I understand that. But I don't feel that using the same CD on a couple of computers is piracy. I mean they can limit the number of computers I can install something on. Microsoft does. I need XP to run almost everything I do. As much as I dislike certain aspects of it, I still use it and there are just certain things it can do that Linux can't. (i.e. types of software that will run). I use linux on 2 of my 9 systems, my personal server runs linux. My problem is that I am 15 years old and I don't have a job. $100 ( I said $200 in my first post and that figure was overstated, I was thinking xp Pro. Which has come down in price as well, I apologize for the mistatement) but regarless, $100 doesn't just come smack me upside the head every now and again. I don't like pirating, honestly. I stopped downloading music and movies without paying. I use musicmatch now. But there are certain things poor folk like myself just cant manage. Is it still wrong, yes. But it is like a little kid in mexico whos only means of survival is stealing. Does it make stealing right? No. But there is some level of justification involved. The kid wasn't stealing to be a *******, he was doing it because he had to survive. If this makes me a thief, then I openly admit I am. But until someone can propose a viable solution to the problem at hand I am going to continue to ****** software that I cannot otherwise attain because I cannot afford to pay inflated prices for walletware (i.e. software that rips you off).

you cant afford the OS's but you can afford 9 computers? I think a better analogy would not be the kid stealing to survive but rather the kid stealing gas for his 9 automobiles because he cant afford to pay for gas for all nine auto's.

You can only have 1 license for WINDOWS XP on 1 machine. So if your friend has erased his off his computer and you installed his XP cd on your machine you're legit. Not activiting windows will freeze it after 30 days.

Yes folks you can sell your XP cd or give it away, but once you do so, you can't keep that XP installation on your own computer.


If you move the XP installation from 1 computer to another, you will have to CALL microsoft to have the activation from the old computer removed and the new one activated. Generally it is a lot easier to just buy another XP CD.

Yeah, I had a strange feeling someone was going to ask this. I actually was going to write this in my last post but decided not to. The story behind my 8 computers and my server is this: I worked for several months doing manual labor for a family friend (i can't legally work up here, so it was under the table) I saved enough money to buy my server and my two primary desktops. I had accumulated four more throughout the past years from Christmas or family friends giving their older crap away and recently bought two more cheap desktops with money I got from relatives and parents at my birthday and Christmas (the two are relatively close together, so we celebrate them as one in early february). So could I have taken the money I got from my relatives and bought legit copies of XP? Yes. But I already owned at least 4 legit copies.

... and yes I do use ALL of them. My two main desktops I use simuntaniously, my server is self explaintory (it does what servers do) and the other ones are used as game servers for games like Far Cry and Halo, as well as for lan partys and such.

Also I wanted to apologize if it seemed like I was trying to stir a debate. I simply wanted to show that I thought calling a guy out for using a copy of XP on a different computer and calling it piracy was a bit too harsh. I read my first post and I now realize how nasty it sounded, so I apologize if I came across the wrong way because I know I did.

Have a good day everyone.

-8ball

Stealing? I don't think so. It cost a fortune just for all the R & D, marketing, federal compliance, etc.... plus the cost of piracy.

Things cost high because of this (plus a profit factor.) After paying for all the above, the company is entitled to make a profit.

WINDOWS is a damn good operating system. If it wasn't, it wouldn't be on 90% of the world's computers.

If you don't like it, get linux, unix, etc....

Windows is still the best o/s out there. I give you that. I said I don't like some features of if (i.e. pop-up messages telling me "Windows Updates! click here!" like thats a good thing. I get the point that Microsoft budgets for piracy and prices accordingly, but don't you think that the guy who is building 100 bootleg CDs an hour is more of a risk than some guy who just wanted XP on two computers?

Yeah, I get the part about me or someone else that practices piracy not being able to change your stance on it. But isn't the whole point of a public forum to be able to voice where we stand and try to support that. That is what makes for great threads, seeing different people's point-of-views. Without that aspect posts are degraded down to the asking for help then getting support level. You lose the whole aspect of friendly debate that provokes deep thought on issues and where one stands.