Legitimizing Your Copy of XP

phuschnickens

So I've made the mistake of mismatching copies of Windows XP with the computer they belong to. Which was infinitely stupid of me... b/c the computer I was installing on actually had an OEM sticker on them, and let's just say the copy I was installing was an XP Corporate copy. Anyways, so a few years later, Microshaft gets into checking more closely at that kind of stuff and I start getting nag screens on a couple computers that I actually have a right to run Windows on (Just not the XP Corporate Version).

http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/selfhelp/PKUInstructions.aspx

There it is, the link that saved me reinstallation and headache. The only question I had was that I had to check a box that said "I will be sending info to MS." But f*** 'em. Let them come knock on my door I guess.

Now I have all legitimate copies of Windows, and I feel good about myself or something. Just wanted to pass that on and give back what has been given so freely to me.

Thanks

phu

primesuspect

I did that a few years ago. It makes you feel good in the end.

phuschnickens

primesuspect wrote:

I did that a few years ago. It makes you feel good in the end.

Yeah, did you have to do the reinstall or did you manage to find this tool?

primesuspect

I used the tool for two of my parents' computers. For all my computers, I reinstalled.

Leonardo

I have OEM WinXP copies installed on a couple of my computers. Does this legitimizing process have any impact on the ease or difficulty in validating an OEM installation when motherboards and processors are upgraded? In other words, will I still need to go through the nutroll of calling Microsoft when I upgrade major components?

phuschnickens

Huh, had no idea it was available that long ago. If M$ took suggestions, I would say... make this tool more available... there might be more legit copies of Windows out there.

Also, I didn't know you were born of parents, I kind of assumed you were like immaculate conception or something like found in a manger or something. Interesting.

phuschnickens

Leonardo wrote:

I have OEM WinXP copies installed on a couple of my computers. Does this legitimizing process have any impact on the ease or difficulty in validating an OEM installation when motherboards and processors are upgraded? In other words, will I still need to go through the nutroll of calling Microsoft when I upgrade major components?

Still a nutroll if I'm thinking clearly... better than being what they think of as a pirate on the open seas of silicone in terms of ease of updating... you actually don't have to talk to a human anymore if you're changing a major component. Just answer the questions and the friendly robot will give you the product key.

stoopid

I usually just enter random letters and numbers until I find something that works. Takes a year or two, but it saves me like $150.