smeebud
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How To: Avoide WPA "Windows Product Activation"??
How To: Avoide WPA "Windows Product Activation"??
That's my dilemma!!
On My other "experemental and test System".
New system: I can install and make a Duplicate Image.
But when I put my backup Drive In ( the duplicate ) it gives me a Product Activation Error message.
I've found This site give me better info that any I've found:
http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.php
--------------------------
Here's a Way, but has not worked yet:
WPA Articles
Article 1
I have seen a lot of questions regarding activation of windows xp after reinstalling on computer with no hardware changes. The answer is NO...you don't have to reactivate through the internet or telephone. In fact, you can save your activation files for future installs, here's how:
Avoid reactivating XP after a reinstall.
When you activate Windows XP, Microsoft stores the data in the Windows Product Activation database files wpa.dbl and Wpa.bak in the folder %systemroot%system32. If you change the motherboard or make significant hardware changes, XP will require you to reactive. But if you plan to reinstall XP on the same hardware, you can back up the activation status and then restore it after you reinstall and avoid the activation process. You can backup the Windows Product Activation database files to diskette. They are very small. A directory listing from my XP Pro workstation:
Type:
C:WINDOWSsystem32>dir wp*
--------------------------
Example From My System
C:\>cd windows
C:\WINDOWS>cd system32
C:\WINDOWS\system32>dir wp*
Volume in drive C has no label.
Volume Serial Number is AC47-D795
Directory of C:\WINDOWS\system32
09/14/2002 07:50 PM 13,344 wpa.bak
10/16/2004 08:41 AM 13,344 wpa.dbl
08/18/2001 08:00 AM 31,232 wpabaln.exe
08/18/2001 08:00 AM 29,184 wpnpinst.exe
4 File(s) 87,104 bytes
0 Dir(s) 69,489,479,680 bytes free
--------------------------
C:\WINDOWS\system32>
Directory of C:WINDOWSsystem32
09/14/2002 07:50 PM 13,344 wpa.bak
10/16/2004 08:41 AM 13,344 wpa.dbl
After you reinstall XP, to restore the Windows Product
Activation database files:
Start XP to Minimal Safe mode
Change directory to the %systemroot%system32 folder
Rename the newly created wpa.dbl to wpa.nonactivated and wpa.bak, if it exists, to wpabak.nonactivated.
Copy your backed up wpa.dbl and wpb.bak files to the system32 folder
Reboot
--------------------------
Any advice??
That's my dilemma!!
On My other "experemental and test System".
New system: I can install and make a Duplicate Image.
But when I put my backup Drive In ( the duplicate ) it gives me a Product Activation Error message.
I've found This site give me better info that any I've found:
http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.php
--------------------------
Here's a Way, but has not worked yet:
WPA Articles
Article 1
I have seen a lot of questions regarding activation of windows xp after reinstalling on computer with no hardware changes. The answer is NO...you don't have to reactivate through the internet or telephone. In fact, you can save your activation files for future installs, here's how:
Avoid reactivating XP after a reinstall.
When you activate Windows XP, Microsoft stores the data in the Windows Product Activation database files wpa.dbl and Wpa.bak in the folder %systemroot%system32. If you change the motherboard or make significant hardware changes, XP will require you to reactive. But if you plan to reinstall XP on the same hardware, you can back up the activation status and then restore it after you reinstall and avoid the activation process. You can backup the Windows Product Activation database files to diskette. They are very small. A directory listing from my XP Pro workstation:
Type:
C:WINDOWSsystem32>dir wp*
--------------------------
Example From My System
C:\>cd windows
C:\WINDOWS>cd system32
C:\WINDOWS\system32>dir wp*
Volume in drive C has no label.
Volume Serial Number is AC47-D795
Directory of C:\WINDOWS\system32
09/14/2002 07:50 PM 13,344 wpa.bak
10/16/2004 08:41 AM 13,344 wpa.dbl
08/18/2001 08:00 AM 31,232 wpabaln.exe
08/18/2001 08:00 AM 29,184 wpnpinst.exe
4 File(s) 87,104 bytes
0 Dir(s) 69,489,479,680 bytes free
--------------------------
C:\WINDOWS\system32>
Directory of C:WINDOWSsystem32
09/14/2002 07:50 PM 13,344 wpa.bak
10/16/2004 08:41 AM 13,344 wpa.dbl
After you reinstall XP, to restore the Windows Product
Activation database files:
Start XP to Minimal Safe mode
Change directory to the %systemroot%system32 folder
Rename the newly created wpa.dbl to wpa.nonactivated and wpa.bak, if it exists, to wpabak.nonactivated.
Copy your backed up wpa.dbl and wpb.bak files to the system32 folder
Reboot
--------------------------
Any advice??
ASKER
I have Swap Drives.
For safty backup I'll always have a identical imaged drive setting on the table.
If something happens to the drive I'm running, all I have to do is swap them.
So each drive must be recognized as activated.
For safty backup I'll always have a identical imaged drive setting on the table.
If something happens to the drive I'm running, all I have to do is swap them.
So each drive must be recognized as activated.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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Actually, there is a significant problem. For those business users who buy or lease from an oem like Dell, the oem will activate the license at the factory. So, if a company has 200 Winxp PCs, and wishes to clone them, wpa will not allow the users to login. The company has done nothing wrong, but microsoft treast the company as a criminal. Most medium size companies will get the PC preloaded with XP, otherwise the license fees would huge. We have leased several hundred PCs this way beginning with Windows NT. With only 1 tech onsite cloning becomes buisness critical. I'm sure I'm not the only admin who has come across this problem.
wrs