Subj : Win XP :-( To : TOM WALKER From : Ross Cassell Date : Sat Oct 01 2005 10:09 am Hello TOM! 29 Sep 05 08:59, you wrote to JEAN PARROT: TW> Not so from the infoirmation I have for an install from a Retail box TW> edition. IF I format and re-install the system the internet activatio TW> nwil lbe Rejected and I will have to Phone in and Explain the TW> circumstances. IF the "Talking Head" at Microsoft has had a good day TW> he/she will give yuo an Activation key. You generally will get 2 to 3 no questions asked Internet Activations before they make you call. A couple years ago, I had to replace the cooling fan on a Compaq presario, the tool I was using to pry on the spring clip for the heat sink slipped and I nicked the motherboard near the base of the processor socket. System wouldnt boot, mobo gone. So I ordered a barebone SOYO kit and transfered my HDD's and other stuff into the new kit. *Note before this happened I had added/changed devices from/to the initial install, which didnt require re-activation. I still had to do a repair-reinstall of XP, because of new motherboard and processor, at which point I was prompted for reactivation and it reactivated without issue over the Internet. As things would turn out, the new SOYO MOBO was junk, the system was unstable, and I even tried doing a fresh install, this time I had call in to reactivate it, I told them why I was reactivating and they had no issue. But the stability problem was still there. I went and got a ECS motherboard and installed it, did a repair-reinstall of XP, and had to call in to re-activate it, again they had no problem. At this point my issues were resolved. Bottom line is, you arent going to get hassled by them to re-activate, unless you are trying to run the same copy on more than one computer, they do realize that people upgrade their systems or have to take steps to recover from crashes et al. I am not selling the activation scheme they have, only pointing out that it isnt the hassle you paint it to be. == Ross Fidonet Feeds Or Fidonet In Your Newsreader! http://www.easternstar.info Blog: http://www.cassell.us Email: rcassell[at]gmail[dot]com .... Building Contractors, not to be confused with homemakers --- GoldED+/LNX 1.1.5-30512 * Origin: The Eastern Star - Spartanburg, SC USA (1:123/456) .