I bought this new note book computer with Windows XP and a message keeps
popping up on my screen: "5 days to activation. Do you want to activate
now?" What is activation and what happens if I don't activate?
Paul Lamar
Harley wrote:
Morning, Paul...
It's Microsoft's attempt at trying to protect against illegal copying of
XP. Activating it gives them a list of your installed hardware, machine
serial number, etc. It watches for changes in the hardware, software,
etc, and if it sees too many, then it locks out XP assuming it was
illegally copied to another machine or pirated.
Even that is no problem, though...I think it allows about 5 situations
like that before it announces the deactivation...or one massive
change...which happened to me when I retired my old computer, and copied
my XP to my new one...bingo...XP didn't belong there, so it told me to
"Please Call Microsoft at ...."
So, I called the 800 number, told them I had just copied it to my new
computer, he gave me anew code to enter, and it's been fine since then,
even though I've changed the hard drive, memory, and added a bunch of
peripherals...
If you don't activate, it assumes you have a pirated or illegal copy of
XP and locks out everything except the activation screen.
Here's a copy of the text from a search I did in the Help section on
XP...it may help explain a few points I may have missed:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Understanding activation and registration
There are important distinctions between activating your Windows
operating system and registering it.
Product activation and product registration are not the same. Activation
is completely anonymous; it requires absolutely no personally
identifiable information to complete. Activation is required and ensures
that each Windows product is not installed on more than the limited
number (usually one) of computers allowed in the software's end user
license agreement, or EULA.
During activation, you can also register your copy of Windows.
Registration is *not* required; however registering your copy ensures
that you receive product support, product update information, and other
benefits. The process registration takes only a few minutes to complete.
Personal information (for example, "contact" information such as an
email address) is required if you decide to register.
You have a 30-day grace period in which to activate your Windows product
installation. If the grace period expires and you have not completed
activation, all features will stop working except the product activation
feature.
Notes
* If you have not yet activated Windows XP, you can do so at any
time by clicking the Windows Activation icon in the system tray to
initiate activation. Once you have activated Windows XP, this icon
disappears from the system tray.
* In addition, there are other ways to open the Windows Product
Activation Wizard:
o To open a system tools item, click *Start*, point to
*Programs*, point to *Accessories*, point to *System Tools*,
and then click the appropriate icon., then click *Activate
Windows*.
o Alternatively, click *Start*, then *Run*, and then type
"*oobe/msoobe /a*"..
* For more information on product registration for Windows, open the
Registration Wizard by clicking *Start*, then click *Run*. In the
*Open* box, type *"regwiz /r"*.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Harley
"Activation is completely anonymous; it requires absolutely
no personally identifiable information to complete."
Or so they say. I would not trust Bill Gates as far as I could throw him.
Screw them!!! I know where I can get a boot leg copy. I'll do it just for spite
and to get even.
Paul Lamar
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