Windows XP will deactivate in 20 days -- what are my options?

Capodecina
Soldato
Joined
1 Aug 2005
Posts
20,001
Location
Flatland
Activate it, you say. Well, if only it were that easy.

Since I reinstalled Windows a few days ago it's been asking me to reactivate it, so I bothered to call up MS yesterday and they took me through the activation process.

The problem occurred when they asked me to type in the product key. When my motherboard got changed last year from a Dell mobo to the Gigabyte one I'm using now, MS gave me a new key [even though they probably shouldn't have done] but that key strangely enough didn't work when included in yesterday's activation process. In order to get a correct one I was told that I had to call up Dell, ask for the correct one, then go back to MS. Well, seeing as the only original Dell components left in this PC are the CPU and a couple of ram sticks, I doubt that Dell will help me.

So I need to get my OS activated in 20 days. As far as I can see, these are the options:

- Buy a full copy of XP [costs 200 quid from ********* - would rather not]
- Buy on OEM copy from Overclockers [costs 60 quid - would this work the same?? I don't know about buying OEM operating systems - what difference does it make to retail?]
- Install the Vista Beta and use it as my main system, though last time I tried that the installation didn't work, so I might have to buy the DVD from Microsoft which would be cheaper still
- Persist with activating this copy of XP [don't know how though]
- Learn Linux in two weeks!!

So there you have it? What's the best way forward do you think?
 
Soldato
Joined
13 Jan 2004
Posts
12,197
Location
Inverness
Or if you honestly can't afford that for whatever reason, get Vista on the go. If your install DVD hasn't burnt correctly, or your download was corrupt for some reason, I'm sure someone from here would happily send you a copy of the DVD.

In this situation, if purchasing a copy of XP wasn't do-able, the Vista Beta is pretty much stable enough to get away with using as a full time OS for now.
 
Associate
Joined
1 Feb 2004
Posts
1,440
Location
Bristol
As far as licensing goes, a new mobo IS a new PC

If you owned a boxed copy of the software, then removing from one PC and installing to another, with an OEM copy the software is tied to the original machine and is none transferrable, Considering this, to stay legal you need to purchase a new copy of XP either OEM or retail, or as you say use linux or the vista beta

there is no functional difference between the OEM and retail, but if you buy OEM you will technically be in the same position again if you upgrade your mobo in 2 months time this is why OEM is so much cheaper

If your orignal board died then maybe they'll transfer it if you tell them you had the machine repaired but that would be completely at their discretion

EDIT: i had issues with the vista dvd image, burned it slower and it worked fine
 
Soldato
Joined
8 Jun 2003
Posts
4,961
Location
NBO
Lysander said:
{snip}Buy on OEM copy from Overclockers [costs 60 quid - would this work the same?? I don't know about buying OEM operating systems - what difference does it make to retail?]{snip}
That's your best option if you ask me. Used to be OEM could only be bought when buying a hardware component, now you don't have to. & get Home Edition or Media Centre 2005 Edition (based on XP Pro) :D
 
Capodecina
Soldato
OP
Joined
1 Aug 2005
Posts
20,001
Location
Flatland
I don't mind spending 60 quid on a new version of Windows, it's just a pain and like is said, I wouldn't be able to upgrade the mobo and I might want to do that before the full release of Vista is out.

Is anyone willing to send me a working version of the Vista Beta? I downloaded and burned the thing twice but there must have been a problem in the burning process.
 
Soldato
Joined
13 Jan 2004
Posts
12,197
Location
Inverness
Lysander said:
Is anyone willing to send me a working version of the Vista Beta? I downloaded and burned the thing twice but there must have been a problem in the burning process.


Yeah I'll send you a copy, no problem. I have it running on my laptop and PC at work, so I'm pretty sure my copies burn ok :p :) . My e-mail is in my trust, just let me know where to send it.
 
Capodecina
Soldato
OP
Joined
1 Aug 2005
Posts
20,001
Location
Flatland
Memphis said:
Yeah I'll send you a copy, no problem. I have it running on my laptop and PC at work, so I'm pretty sure my copies burn ok :p :) . My e-mail is in my trust, just let me know where to send it.

Thanks Memphis, I think this will make things a lot easier. How stable is the Beta? It runs most things well, I hear, though there are some glitches but then that's to be expected. I'll send you an email - thank you very much!
 
Associate
Joined
30 Aug 2005
Posts
396
Location
The M of K
microsoft can really be bum heads about this , there is another option which i wont mention but im sure you've thought about ;) but i'd say LINUX ***!!!

*s
 
Associate
Joined
1 Feb 2004
Posts
1,440
Location
Bristol
OEM licenses are the same regardless of manufacturer, even if you self build

im sure from microsofts point of view, you arent paying an extra £60 per mobo. afterall you saved £140 buying OEM in the first place right. you could buy 3 copies for 3 different mobos and still be paying less than for a retail copy

whats more those 3 copies could run on 3 machines at the same time whereas your retail copy would have to be transferred and could only be on 1 at a time
 
Soldato
Joined
4 Mar 2003
Posts
12,449
Location
Chatteris
stig said:
microsoft can really be bum heads about this , there is another option which i wont mention but im sure you've thought about ;) but i'd say LINUX ***!!!

*s

Yer - Microsoft can be real "bum heads" about their licensing.
I mean, it's not as if they are there to make money or anything is it?
</sarc>
 
Soldato
Joined
4 Mar 2003
Posts
12,449
Location
Chatteris
n3vrmind said:
OEM licenses are the same regardless of manufacturer, even if you self build

im sure from microsofts point of view, you arent paying an extra £60 per mobo. afterall you saved £140 buying OEM in the first place right. you could buy 3 copies for 3 different mobos and still be paying less than for a retail copy

whats more those 3 copies could run on 3 machines at the same time whereas your retail copy would have to be transferred and could only be on 1 at a time

Alternatively of course you simply buy a retail upgrade which costs around, what £20 more than the OEM version.
I'm sure most people have a copy of Win98 or WinME to upgrade from.
The retail upgrade license can be moved around any number of machines as often as you like.
You pays your £20 premium and then you have an ultimately more flexible license.
It is the reason that I only buy the Retail versions because you never have any hassle like this.
If you do need to phone up to activate a retail copy for whatever reason they don't even ask "Why?" they just do it.
 
Soldato
Joined
3 Jan 2006
Posts
10,997
Location
All along the watchtower
but i dont understand.ms give you the key and you type it in, you just have to read the number of the screen first. I would try them again, just plead ignorance.

Anyway i would at least phone up dell and ask for the key, just dont mention the board ;)
 
Soldato
Joined
29 Oct 2004
Posts
10,884
I don't know if they still do it, but you used to be able to get 120 day trial CDs of XP Pro from Microsoft that will fully activate + Windows Update etc. then expire after 120 days.
 
Soldato
Joined
1 May 2006
Posts
2,583
Location
UK
Slam62 said:
but i dont understand.ms give you the key and you type it in, you just have to read the number of the screen first. I would try them again, just plead ignorance.

Anyway i would at least phone up dell and ask for the key, just dont mention the board ;)

call them again say you have had a huge crash etc and act like u dont know a thing about pc's...they will give u a key trust me. and if the key doesnt work click on that "change key" button before you call them and read out the new code...
 
Capodecina
Soldato
OP
Joined
1 Aug 2005
Posts
20,001
Location
Flatland
david.n.c said:

Yes, I did too, it worked last time.

I would change the product key but it asks you for the old one in order to do that.. and the old one doesn't work for some reason. Well, basically I didn't know what it was and had to use the jelly bean.
 
Caporegime
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
26,053
masterk said:
Really dont like this, it means a motherboard now effectively costs £60 extra.

Only if you're making a full PC out of it, and if you intend to run Windows on it.

If you don't like it, there's always the retail option.
 
Back
Top Bottom