Required Or It Will Stop Working

Windows XP requires "Activation"
You must contact Microsoft with a few weeks after installation, or Windows XP will refuse to continue to work.

Activation is NOT Registration:

Activation : Based on the serial number of the hardware components (harddisk, motherboard, network card), a code is generated. Based on this code, a "Confirmation ID" is created for your system.

The purpose of Activation is to prevent a copy of Windows XP to be installed on multiple systems (and
Microsoft only gets paid for one license).

Follow the steps below for activating windows XP:

Click On START--> Click on Activate Windows.

Let's assume there is no Internet connection and you are trying to activate by phone.

Much better and easier:

Configure your Internet connection and activate via the Internet

And after a few minutes:

What information has been send to Microsoft as part of this activation process ?

- serial number of the system volumne
- MAC adress of the network card
- CD ROM ID
- display adapter ID
- CPU ID
- CPU serial number
- harddisk ID
- IDE controller ID

This information is stored in the file WPA.DBL. (Windows Product Activation file) And cannot be transfer to an activated Windows XP installation to a fresh copy of Windows XP installation
on the same computer (like: a new disk is installed and Windows XP is re-installed) :

Some examples : As soon as you restart Window XP and it checked the WPA.DBL file copied from a previous installation, Windows XP expects "fraud" and initiates activation request.

You can exchange a few of these components (like upgrading to a new graphic card or a new network card), but once too many of components ( maximum of 3) are changed, then the activation becomes invalid and you will be asked to activate again.