OEM activation with new hardware

I decided to replace my aging motherboard and processor and now I'm asked to
activate windows. I follow the activation process and it tells me that my
product key is invalid or something like that.

OEM versions of Windows XP do not permit
motherboard upgrades. You need to purchase
a new "Full Version" of Windows XP and
perform a "Repair Install".

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User
Microsoft Community Newsgroups
news://msnews.microsoft.com/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"tahoemark" wrote:

| I decided to replace my aging motherboard and processor and now I'm asked to
| activate windows. I follow the activation process and it tells me that my
| product key is invalid or something like that.

Hi,

Sadly, OEM versions are generally tied to the hardware that they are
originally activated on and are not transferable to a new system. The
limitation is one of the reasons they are cheaper than retail versions. You
can try to activate by phone, you might get lucky, but in general you will
need to purchase a new license for WinXP.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

"tahoemark" <tahoemark@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:A11C331A-32E1-4890-9B41-3EAF9BF10903@microsoft.com...
>I decided to replace my aging motherboard and processor and now I'm asked
>to
> activate windows. I follow the activation process and it tells me that my
> product key is invalid or something like that.

tahoemark wrote:
> I decided to replace my aging motherboard and processor and now I'm asked to
> activate windows. I follow the activation process and it tells me that my
> product key is invalid or something like that.


Normally, and assuming a retail license (many factory-installed OEM
installations are BIOS-locked to a specific chipset and therefore not
transferable to a new motherboard - check yours before starting), unless
the new motherboard is virtually identical (same chipset, same IDE
controllers, same BIOS version, etc.) to the one on which the WinXP
installation was originally performed, you'll need to perform a repair
(a.k.a. in-place upgrade) installation, at the very least:

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/directo...;EN-US;Q315341

The "why" is quite simple, really, and has nothing to do with
licensing issues, per se; it's a purely technical matter, at this point.
You've pulled the proverbial hardware rug out from under the OS. (If
you don't like -- or get -- the rug analogy, think of it as picking up a
Cape Cod style home and then setting it down onto a Ranch style
foundation. It just isn't going to fit.) WinXP, like Win2K before it,
is not nearly as "promiscuous" as Win9x when it comes to accepting any
old hardware configuration you throw at it. On installation it
"tailors" itself to the specific hardware found. This is one of the
reasons that the entire WinNT/2K/XP OS family is so much more stable
than the Win9x group.

As always when undertaking such a significant change, back up any
important data before starting.

This will also probably require re-activation, unless you have a
Volume Licensed version of WinXP Pro installed. If it's been more than
120 days since you last activated that specific Product Key, you'll most
likely be able to activate via the Internet without problem. If it's
been less, you might have to make a 5 minute phone call.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

Bruce,
I'm a little confused (so what's new?)--I built this computer several years
ago and as I said I just replaced the motherboard and cpu. I reformatted the
old hard drive and installed windowsxp pro oem which is the license I had
bought for the original 4 year old computer. So is it possible to activate
this or not. I tried doing it by internet and telephone and no luck. The
telephone method had me taking to a computer and entering a 50 digit product
id number and than said the id wasn't any good. I couldn't figure out how to
talk to a human being.

thanks
mark

"Bruce Chambers" wrote:

> tahoemark wrote:
> > I decided to replace my aging motherboard and processor and now I'm asked to
> > activate windows. I follow the activation process and it tells me that my
> > product key is invalid or something like that.
>
>
> Normally, and assuming a retail license (many factory-installed OEM
> installations are BIOS-locked to a specific chipset and therefore not
> transferable to a new motherboard - check yours before starting), unless
> the new motherboard is virtually identical (same chipset, same IDE
> controllers, same BIOS version, etc.) to the one on which the WinXP
> installation was originally performed, you'll need to perform a repair
> (a.k.a. in-place upgrade) installation, at the very least:
>
> How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade of Windows XP
> http://support.microsoft.com/directo...;EN-US;Q315341
>
> The "why" is quite simple, really, and has nothing to do with
> licensing issues, per se; it's a purely technical matter, at this point.
> You've pulled the proverbial hardware rug out from under the OS. (If
> you don't like -- or get -- the rug analogy, think of it as picking up a
> Cape Cod style home and then setting it down onto a Ranch style
> foundation. It just isn't going to fit.) WinXP, like Win2K before it,
> is not nearly as "promiscuous" as Win9x when it comes to accepting any
> old hardware configuration you throw at it. On installation it
> "tailors" itself to the specific hardware found. This is one of the
> reasons that the entire WinNT/2K/XP OS family is so much more stable
> than the Win9x group.
>
> As always when undertaking such a significant change, back up any
> important data before starting.
>
> This will also probably require re-activation, unless you have a
> Volume Licensed version of WinXP Pro installed. If it's been more than
> 120 days since you last activated that specific Product Key, you'll most
> likely be able to activate via the Internet without problem. If it's
> been less, you might have to make a 5 minute phone call.
>
>
> --
>
> Bruce Chambers
>
> Help us help you:
> http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
>
> You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
> both at once. - RAH
>

The OEM license for Windows XP is tied to
the original computer hardware it was first
activated on. Replacing the motherboard
with a different one constitutes a different
computer, thus the original OEM license
is no longer valid with a new motherboard.
Only a "Retail Version" of Windows XP
will permit motherboard changes.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User
Microsoft Community Newsgroups
news://msnews.microsoft.com/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"tahoemark" wrote:

| Bruce,
| I'm a little confused (so what's new?)--I built this computer several years
| ago and as I said I just replaced the motherboard and cpu. I reformatted the
| old hard drive and installed windowsxp pro oem which is the license I had
| bought for the original 4 year old computer. So is it possible to activate
| this or not. I tried doing it by internet and telephone and no luck. The
| telephone method had me taking to a computer and entering a 50 digit product
| id number and than said the id wasn't any good. I couldn't figure out how to
| talk to a human being.
|
| thanks
| mark
|
| "Bruce Chambers" wrote:
|
| > tahoemark wrote:
| > > I decided to replace my aging motherboard and processor and now I'm asked to
| > > activate windows. I follow the activation process and it tells me that my
| > > product key is invalid or something like that.
| >
| >
| > Normally, and assuming a retail license (many factory-installed OEM
| > installations are BIOS-locked to a specific chipset and therefore not
| > transferable to a new motherboard - check yours before starting), unless
| > the new motherboard is virtually identical (same chipset, same IDE
| > controllers, same BIOS version, etc.) to the one on which the WinXP
| > installation was originally performed, you'll need to perform a repair
| > (a.k.a. in-place upgrade) installation, at the very least:
| >
| > How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade of Windows XP
| > http://support.microsoft.com/directo...;EN-US;Q315341
| >
| > The "why" is quite simple, really, and has nothing to do with
| > licensing issues, per se; it's a purely technical matter, at this point.
| > You've pulled the proverbial hardware rug out from under the OS. (If
| > you don't like -- or get -- the rug analogy, think of it as picking up a
| > Cape Cod style home and then setting it down onto a Ranch style
| > foundation. It just isn't going to fit.) WinXP, like Win2K before it,
| > is not nearly as "promiscuous" as Win9x when it comes to accepting any
| > old hardware configuration you throw at it. On installation it
| > "tailors" itself to the specific hardware found. This is one of the
| > reasons that the entire WinNT/2K/XP OS family is so much more stable
| > than the Win9x group.
| >
| > As always when undertaking such a significant change, back up any
| > important data before starting.
| >
| > This will also probably require re-activation, unless you have a
| > Volume Licensed version of WinXP Pro installed. If it's been more than
| > 120 days since you last activated that specific Product Key, you'll most
| > likely be able to activate via the Internet without problem. If it's
| > been less, you might have to make a 5 minute phone call.
| >
| >
| > --
| >
| > Bruce Chambers
| >
| > Help us help you:
| > http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
| > http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
| >
| > You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
| > both at once. - RAH
| >

tahoemark wrote:
> Bruce,
> I'm a little confused (so what's new?)--I built this computer several years
> ago and as I said I just replaced the motherboard and cpu. I reformatted the
> old hard drive and installed windowsxp pro oem which is the license I had
> bought for the original 4 year old computer. So is it possible to activate
> this or not.


If you have a generic OEM installation CD, such as is provided to small
systems builders, you should be able to activate it, although you may
have to speak to a human to explain that you've replaced a failed
motherboard. If, however, you had somehow gotten ahold of a *branded*
OEM CD, you'll not be able to reuse the license, as Microsoft has
tightened up the enforcement of the rules on those -- thanks, in part,
to too many illicit Dell (and other branded) CDs being sold on eBay, at
computer fairs, swap meets, and similar venues.


> I tried doing it by internet and telephone and no luck. The
> telephone method had me taking to a computer and entering a 50 digit product
> id number and than said the id wasn't any good. I couldn't figure out how to
> talk to a human being.
>


I haven't had a need to make such a call recently, but maybe one of
these will help:

Microsoft Activation Centers Worldwide Telephone Numbers
http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/r...ol/numbers.asp


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

I built a computer 3 years ago, and several months ago had a power supply
failure. Not knowing at the time that it was just the power supply, I
replaced the Mother Board and the PS at the same time to be safe. I'm still
running the same XP Pro OEM without a hitch.

I thought that the only difference between OEM and Retail, is that Retail
comes with lots of fancy packaging and useless offers, and it also has free
phone support with MS for a certain period of time. Other than that, I'm
under the impression that they are the same as far as application and EULA's
go.




"Carey Frisch [MVP]" <cnfrisch@nospamgmail.com> wrote in message
news:O4TxZoaEGHA.3200@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> The OEM license for Windows XP is tied to
> the original computer hardware it was first
> activated on. Replacing the motherboard
> with a different one constitutes a different
> computer, thus the original OEM license
> is no longer valid with a new motherboard.
> Only a "Retail Version" of Windows XP
> will permit motherboard changes.
>
> --
> Carey Frisch
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows - Shell/User
> Microsoft Community Newsgroups
> news://msnews.microsoft.com/
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> "tahoemark" wrote:
>
> | Bruce,
> | I'm a little confused (so what's new?)--I built this computer several
> years
> | ago and as I said I just replaced the motherboard and cpu. I reformatted
> the
> | old hard drive and installed windowsxp pro oem which is the license I
> had
> | bought for the original 4 year old computer. So is it possible to
> activate
> | this or not. I tried doing it by internet and telephone and no luck.
> The
> | telephone method had me taking to a computer and entering a 50 digit
> product
> | id number and than said the id wasn't any good. I couldn't figure out
> how to
> | talk to a human being.
> |
> | thanks
> | mark
> |
> | "Bruce Chambers" wrote:
> |
> | > tahoemark wrote:
> | > > I decided to replace my aging motherboard and processor and now I'm
> asked to
> | > > activate windows. I follow the activation process and it tells me
> that my
> | > > product key is invalid or something like that.
> | >
> | >
> | > Normally, and assuming a retail license (many factory-installed
> OEM
> | > installations are BIOS-locked to a specific chipset and therefore not
> | > transferable to a new motherboard - check yours before starting),
> unless
> | > the new motherboard is virtually identical (same chipset, same IDE
> | > controllers, same BIOS version, etc.) to the one on which the WinXP
> | > installation was originally performed, you'll need to perform a repair
> | > (a.k.a. in-place upgrade) installation, at the very least:
> | >
> | > How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade of Windows XP
> | > http://support.microsoft.com/directo...;EN-US;Q315341
> | >
> | > The "why" is quite simple, really, and has nothing to do with
> | > licensing issues, per se; it's a purely technical matter, at this
> point.
> | > You've pulled the proverbial hardware rug out from under the OS.
> (If
> | > you don't like -- or get -- the rug analogy, think of it as picking up
> a
> | > Cape Cod style home and then setting it down onto a Ranch style
> | > foundation. It just isn't going to fit.) WinXP, like Win2K before
> it,
> | > is not nearly as "promiscuous" as Win9x when it comes to accepting any
> | > old hardware configuration you throw at it. On installation it
> | > "tailors" itself to the specific hardware found. This is one of the
> | > reasons that the entire WinNT/2K/XP OS family is so much more stable
> | > than the Win9x group.
> | >
> | > As always when undertaking such a significant change, back up any
> | > important data before starting.
> | >
> | > This will also probably require re-activation, unless you have a
> | > Volume Licensed version of WinXP Pro installed. If it's been more
> than
> | > 120 days since you last activated that specific Product Key, you'll
> most
> | > likely be able to activate via the Internet without problem. If it's
> | > been less, you might have to make a 5 minute phone call.
> | >
> | >
> | > --
> | >
> | > Bruce Chambers
> | >
> | > Help us help you:
> | > http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
> | > http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
> | >
> | > You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
> having
> | > both at once. - RAH
> | >

Don Brodhecker wrote:

> I thought that the only difference between OEM and Retail, is that
> Retail comes with lots of fancy packaging and useless offers, and it
> also has free phone support with MS for a certain period of time. Other
> than that, I'm under the impression that they are the same as
> far as application and EULA's go.


No, that's not correct.

Although if you get a complete generic OEM version, it contains the same
software, it has the following disadvantages as compared with the retail
version:

1. Its license ties it permanently to the first computer it's installed on.
It can never legally be moved to another computer, sold, or given away.

2. It can only do a clean installation, not an upgrade.

3. Microsoft provides no support for OEM versions. You can't call them with
a problem, but instead have to get any needed support from your OEM; that
support may range anywhere between good and non-existent. Or you can get
support elsewhere, such as in these newsgroups.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup

Ken, thanks for the info, but you cause me to ask a few more questions.
In reverse order of your list....

3) Understood..no questions here.

2) By replacing my MB and PS, didn't I do an upgrade? Or is that just
considered replacing similar components. What do they consider an upgrade?
Bigger HD? Better CPU? New graphics card? And, sticking to the original
posters question, was it because he replaced the MB and CPU at the same time
that he had a problem?

1) Question...Retail version can be installed on a completely different
computer (assuming abandonment from the first) but OEM version cannot? If
that's true, it might be worth the extra few bucks.

Lastly, you mention a "completely generic" OEM version. Is that different
than the one I bought when I built?

Don






"Ken Blake, MVP" <kblake@this.is.an.invalid.domain> wrote in message
news:us%234EAlEGHA.2708@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> Don Brodhecker wrote:
>
>> I thought that the only difference between OEM and Retail, is that
>> Retail comes with lots of fancy packaging and useless offers, and it
>> also has free phone support with MS for a certain period of time. Other
>> than that, I'm under the impression that they are the same as
>> far as application and EULA's go.
>
>
> No, that's not correct.
>
> Although if you get a complete generic OEM version, it contains the same
> software, it has the following disadvantages as compared with the retail
> version:
>
> 1. Its license ties it permanently to the first computer it's installed
> on. It can never legally be moved to another computer, sold, or given
> away.
>
> 2. It can only do a clean installation, not an upgrade.
>
> 3. Microsoft provides no support for OEM versions. You can't call them
> with a problem, but instead have to get any needed support from your OEM;
> that support may range anywhere between good and non-existent. Or you can
> get support elsewhere, such as in these newsgroups.
>
> --
> Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
> Please reply to the newsgroup
>