Topic: XP validation can it be got around that is the question.

[Tony]

Now I'm not advocating this, even if it is does work   


But as I understand it [please put me right if/or where I may be wrong]but on installation of XP your given 30 days to validate the OS. And I take it if you don't validate it by day 30, it will cease to function.

Now assuming you have gone down the validation route, I understand that on doing this MS takes a electronic snapshot of you set up. And if for some reason you do a clean reinstall it has to be validated again, and it checks you are infact reinstalling it on the original machine.

Now if so far, I'm right in my assumptions, I'm I right in again assuming that you then tried to instal onto an obviously different machine set up, it would fail validation. [different HHD, Mobo, Memory, Graphic card and the like]


Now I'm I right in thinking once validation has taken place thats it? Or does MS validate the machine at every security update. Because I just wondered what if you were to take an "Image" of the C: Drive of a validated machine. Then did a recovery reinstall onto another hardrive, which you then popped into your spare PC .... anubody tried it?...obviously just as an excersize. 

[Simon]

Wouldn't it still spot that the hardware had changed?  I think it can do this even if you don't reinstall Windows.

[sam]

I've not tried it.... but worth a shot.

[Tony]

Wouldn't it still spot that the hardware had changed?  I think it can do this even if you don't reinstall Windows.

Yes you could be right Simon, now I come to think about it. But I might just give it a try on a spare hardrive, just to prove it you understand.

[Sandra]

Its the mobo and CPU that seem to be the main thing that it picks up on Tony.

If its a genuine reinstall on a replacement PC then you should be able to validate it by phone if it wont do it online.

[Tony]

Its the mobo and CPU that seem to be the main thing that it picks up on Tony.

If its a genuine reinstall on a replacement PC then you should be able to validate it by phone if it wont do it online.

Cheers Sandra,

of course for the purpose of the "experiment"  it would not be a genuine reinstall would it. In fact it would not be an install at all....more an imprinting of an already validated C: Drive onto another hard drive. Obviously in the normal plan of things if your changing the mobo or the hard drive you have to reinstall the OS .....and as such you have to go to validation on every install of the said OS.

Anyway its way past my bedtime ...nite nite 

[gmax]

I replaced a mobo last week, I got the message " two days to activate it", but it was easy enough to do online.

[gmax]

Cheers Sandra,

of course for the purpose of the "experiment"  it would not be a genuine reinstall would it. In fact it would not be an install at all....more an imprinting of an already validated C: Drive onto another hard drive. Obviously in the normal plan of things if your changing the mobo or the hard drive you have to reinstall the OS .....and as such you have to go to validation on every install of the said OS.

Anyway its way past my bedtime ...nite nite 

No you don't always have to reload windows if you change the mobo, it depends if windows has the drivers for the new hardware.

[Tony]

No you don't always have to reload windows if you change the mobo, it depends if windows has the drivers for the new hardware.

Yes your right gmax, silly me...see it proves I need my brain sleep. Beauty sleep is not that important these days, what with the wife's eyesight being what it is