Borrowed XP CD

Engineer

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A friend of mine at work told me that he had upgraded to XP (from ME). Out of curiosity, I asked him how much it cost to purchase the upgrade (the price may have gone donwn?). He stated that he did not purchase XP but rather borrowed the disk from his brother.

I told him that he will have to activate XP on his computer and when MS finds out that two different PC's are running the same XP disk his brother's system (the first one) will be shut down.

He is somewhat hesitant to believe me though I am pretty sure (I read a lot about XP activation before I bought my copy) I am right.

Has anyone heard of systems being shut down due to the owner lending out his/her copy of XP to a friend for upgrade.

Thanks
Engineer
 
if he is using the same CD-Key he may run into problems ...there are a couple of simple solutions around this ..none that i can discuss tho!! :)
 
When you get your tax refund, go buy it. Very simple...
 
Originally posted by Burpster
if he is using the same CD-Key he may run into problems ...there are a couple of simple solutions around this ..none that i can discuss tho!! :)

ya better not :eek: :cool:
 
If both of them are doin the Active Updates then One of them is gonna have a problem... Now it is possible that it might get over looked for a bit, but the MicroSquish Police will show up sooner or later... :eek:

Go out and Buy It. :cool:
 
would it be possible to have him install a new hard drive in his bro's comp..install xp.....activate...take out hard drive......then put hdd in his own comp?

or would it detect two same cd keys in use?
maybe i'll go test it out.....
 
Windows would find alot of new hardware as soon as you turn on the computer, so you'd have to reactivate.
 
Was the cd he borrowed from his brother legit or not in the first place? If not, then the activation simply isnt a problem and they should both buy a legit copy :p

but theres something on the tweaks database thread about reinstalling without reactivating (backing up a file pre-format and putting it back post-format)... probably still have the problem with diff hardware and need re-activating though
 
if there is gonna be windows XP installed on 2 systems with the same key then it is prolly an illeagal copy

if the product key (not install key) matches XXXXX-640-0000356-23XXX, or XXXXX-640-2001765-23XXX than it is a illegal copy

x can be any number
 
Reply

Yes, my friend's brother's copy of XP was a legitimate copy that was installed and activated.

When I installed XP on my system, I had some problems with it and ended up talking to MS tech support staff on the phone. At the time I asked them about the idea of also installing XP on my second computer (I have 2). The MS Tech Support guy was very clear that I could not do that. He stated that once the second installation was activated, that when I went online with the first system (PC) then MS would shut down my first system.

I told my friend this and he said, "Of course they would tell you that". All the info, I have read supports what MS says though.

Here is an excerpt from what I have read;
___________________________________________________
XP activation FAQs
By David Williams, TechRepublic
05 August 2002

As a support technician for a major PC manufacturer, customers frequently ask me to outline the basics of Microsoft's latest antipiracy effort, Product Activation.

They want to know if it will affect the software they can install, if it will prevent future hardware upgrades, and above all else they want to know how it will affect their privacy.

To help you explain the basics of Product Activation, I've compiled 10 of the questions I am asked most frequently and the answers I give to those questions.

How does Product Activation work?

Product Activation is currently required for all OEM and retail versions of Windows XP, Office XP, and several other Microsoft products.

Product Activation isn't required on licenses acquired through one of Microsoft's volume licensing agreements. So agreements such as Microsoft Open License, Enterprise Agreement, or Select License, will not require activation. Click here for a complete list of products from Microsoft's Web site.

During the installation process, you must enter the product key associated with the particular copy of the software. After you enter this product key and accept the end user license agreement (EULA), you'll be prompted to activate the software.

You can choose to activate the software now or later. Once you've chosen to activate the software, you must opt to do so over the Internet or via the phone.

The Product Activation screen for Windows XP
During the activation process, an algorithm uses the software's product key and information about the machine's hardware to create a 50-digit installation ID. For a very detailed description of how the installation ID is created, check out this paper from Fully Licensed GmbH, a German copy-protection company.

The Installation ID is then transmitted to Microsoft via the Internet or by you, over the phone. A confirmation ID will be either sent back to you via the Internet or given to you while you're on the phone. Once you enter the confirmation ID, the activation process is complete.

Frequently asked questions

Now that you know how Product Activation works, let's take a look at the 10 questions end users ask me most frequently.

1. What data does Microsoft gather during activation?

The only information transmitted to Microsoft during activation is the installation ID and, for Office XP and Visio 2002, the name of the country in which the product is being installed. What about the hardware information used to create the installation ID? According to Microsoft, once the installation ID has been created, there is no way to use this ID to determine the computer's hardware configuration.

2. Will the product work without being activated?

Yes, but only for a short time. The Office XP family of products can be launched 50 times before activation is required, and Visio 2002 can be launched 10 times. The grace period for Windows to be activated is 30 days from first boot or upgrade; beta versions require activation in 14 days.

3. Can I use my software after the grace period without activating it?

No. Once the grace periods have expired, Office XP and Visio 2002 will go into what's known as "reduced functionality mode" (see question four) and Windows XP will cease to function except for allowing the user to activate the software.

4. What is "reduced functionality mode" and what products does it pertain to?

Office XP and Visio 2002 will go into “reduced functionality mode" if the user doesn't activate before the end of the grace period. In this mode, users will not be able to save changes to documents or create new documents, and additional functionality may be reduced. Existing files won't be altered. You can edit or save them once you activate your version of Office XP or Visio 2002. Users will regain full functionality after the software is activated.

5. Will I have to reactivate my copy of Windows XP if I upgrade my hardware?

Unfortunately the only answer to this question is maybe. Microsoft states that changing some hardware items after activation will cause your activation to be invalid and require reactivation. Microsoft doesn't detail which hardware items are involved, but according to the white paper by Fully Licensed, the following components are all used to compute the installation ID:
___________________________________________________
Thanks
Engineer
 
you can always use the Corporate CDkey, it doesnt require activation
 
okay here is the deal

by reading my thread you agree that i am not suggesting that you download or use XP illegally in any way. BUY IT LEGALLY!

Okay here is the deal:

- forget about "shutting down your system." never gonna happen

- XP SP1 will not get you unless using a known illegal key

and finally why people can install legal XP on diff. computers:

- after you activate XP your hardware infomation is kept on a server for 60 days. guess what? after 60 days it is cleared so you could technically (NOT SUGGESTING YOU DO SO!) reactivate XP on a different computer.

and thats the deal..

hope i kept legal enough, if there is a problem with the post (legal or ethical) moderators feel free to delete it.
 
Originally posted by matty T
you can always use the Corporate CDkey, it doesnt require activation

Watch yourself... you are now on the list :D
 
what list?
i own a legal copy of Xp

i dont really think its fair for microsoft to limit installation to 1 machine, XP is so F***n expencive
 
Originally posted by matty T
what list?
i own a legal copy of Xp

i dont really think its fair for microsoft to limit installation to 1 machine, XP is so F***n expencive

First of all watch the language
Second... if its too exspensive then use another operating system... ie if you cant afford the Mercedes you dont steal it just because you want it, right...
Or at least I'd hope not.
Anyway there is other versions of Windows that arent that exspensive. (Windows 2000 <$100 USD) and just as good. Or you could be a rebel and go the Linux route... hehe
 
im just gonna sign up for the Longhorn Beta as soon as it comes out, that way i dont have to spend another $500 plus to buy it :happy:
 
Originally posted by matty T
what list?
i own a legal copy of Xp

i dont really think its fair for microsoft to limit installation to 1 machine, XP is so F***n expencive

A list with your cd key and your hardware key on the microsoft server. (you access it when you activate by internet)
 

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