badfrog

September 14, 2009 at 2:57pm

I have been using HP OEM keys on all my machines, and have been able to reactivate them multiple times through several motherboard and CPU changes.  if it doesn't activate automatically, I just call, and they take care of it.. 

have never had any issues reactivating OEM keys.

Pball1224

September 14, 2009 at 2:18pm

I've had to call Microsoft when reinstall XP before. I can't remember if my disk is a full or OEM, but I've been using it since XP launch date. I've probably reinstalled 12 times or more because of many reasons, often switching hardware, or to a whole new system. I've noticed that if a lot of time has gone by since the last reinstall, like 9 months, there's no issue. But when I reinstalled 3 times in 2 months, it made me call.

I've probalby called 4 times, and it's pretty scripted. They ask what you to explain what you've done, then they ask you to verify that you are only running the OS on one machine, and have completely removed it from the old machine. Then you read them your key, and they read you some verification code back that you must enter, and that's it.

If you lie and have several machines checking in for auto updates I imagine your key will get blacklisted, but I'm only guessing. I have no idea how strict they are.

jrocknyc

September 14, 2009 at 2:10pm

between 2002-2008 i upgraded PCs (mobo, ram, cpu, gpu) three times, and only on the last one did activation hit a snag.

i had to call Microsoft. And I said, "yeah i upgraded," and they let it through. no lies required. (i was ready to just dl a bootleg version if they forced me too)

I have an academic WInXP cd (from 2002) that i got for like $25 from a friend. 

 With Win7 coming out, i wouldn't sweat the upgrade. Just try it, and if activation fails, and the call (to india) fails, then you STILL have Win7 beta/RC to try out. Or llinux, which i used to hate but withUbuntu 8 & 9 seems to have finally gotten useable.

Dexter243

September 14, 2009 at 2:01pm

for oneif you own the os you own it

and when you call to activate it tell them nuthing but HD crashed and i had to reinstall 

and when thay ask how many pc you have this os on say 1 

your done 

do not ever tell them any thing more then that 

and you can activate your os as many times as you like 

with xp and vista 

i have instaled my oem vista that came with my laptop on my main pc and downgraded my laptop to xp do to a cheep and slow laptop and for what i use it for xp works much better,

 

BDDave

September 14, 2009 at 1:55pm

I fews years back, I upgrade my Sony 2004 OEM version of WinXP and I too had to call Microsoft. Yet, I didn't have to for the added memory nor my new Nvidia 260 in Feb 2009. The call was no big deal, didn't take long either.

lien_meat

September 14, 2009 at 12:30pm

I've upgraded one of my boxes (self built) and it didn't care (new processor and mb, and ram) but for some reason, when I put in a different graphics card, it wanted me to re-activate.  I have a friend who's ram went bad, so he borrowed a stick of his brothers (different brand, different size stick) and xp asked him to re-activate.  I ALWAYS expect windows to ask on a hardware upgrade now.  In my experience you just don't know.  Note however, that both of these copies of windows xp were from MSDN from our college, NOT oem installs...which may be the difference.  Also, I don't know if sp3 makes a difference or not for sure, but it seems to be much more strict afterwards in my opinion.
### I'm an idiot, and I approve this message ###

ez223

September 14, 2009 at 12:00pm

I've installed one OEM version of WinXP onto three entirely different self-built computer systems over the last 8 years and another OEM copy onto two differnt systems and have never had to call Microsoft to activate the OS.

 

EZ