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Topic: Product Activation: OfficeXP

Keefer Lucas
Member

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Atlantic Rim
Posts: 570

Product Activation: OfficeXP

I know that the Product Activation scheme for Windows XP resets after 120 days, allowing additional installations at this interval. What about Office XP?

11-11-2001 06:33 PM

Techie2000
Member

Registered: Aug 2001
Location:
Posts: 383

I don't know. I'd think it'd be similar. But I wouldn't "test" it because it could result in having to bow down and beg Bill Gates to use Office again.

11-15-2001 02:59 AM

dampeoples
Member

Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 832

Re: Product Activation: OfficeXP

quote:
Originally posted by Keefer Lucas
I know that the Product Activation scheme for Windows XP resets after 120 days, allowing additional installations at this interval. What about Office XP?

What does this mean, you can only use an app for a certain amount of time or only install new apps every so often?
I read a post at another site (too lazy to look), but a guy mentioned that this program only allowed like 6 hardware upgrades? What's this - adding peripherals (Visor, Cam, Etc.) or board stuff (Memory, Vid cards, modem, blah, blah). Sounds like a communist system, better put my Win98 CD in the Fire, Bomb, Water, Little Kid, Ozone, UV-Ray and Vacuum sealed safe.
Sterling

11-15-2001 03:31 AM

Keefer Lucas
Member

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Atlantic Rim
Posts: 570

App-propriate Uses

You can reinstall Windows XP once every 120 days, and it is treated as a "viginal" installation, that is to say, your perceived limitation on hardware upgrades won't matter unless they all fall withing 120 days. If you do a major upgrade within that timeframe you need to call Microsoft for a manual authorization.

What has me concerned about this more than anything is the length of time it may take me to get through....if I have to call for a manual re-authorization will it take me two hours just to reach a human who can help me?

I've read all this as it pertains to Windows XP. I am just wondering if it pertains to Office XP as well.

11-15-2001 12:43 PM

MarkEagle
VisorCentral Staff

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Connecticut USA
Posts: 2682

Re: App-propriate Uses

quote:
Originally posted by Keefer Lucas
I am just wondering if it pertains to Office XP as well.

WPA is WPA...

My understanding is that Windows Product Activation is a single activation tool that will eventually be applied to all MS products. I take that to mean all software using the WPA service will follow the same rules.

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God bless America, my home sweet home...

11-15-2001 01:34 PM

Arker
Member

Registered: Aug 2000
Location:
Posts: 107

It can seriously be installed only once in 120 days? I guess I'm out as I'm a compulsive formatter... Once every 2 - 3 months if I'm lucky.

Ark.

11-15-2001 02:57 PM

dampeoples
Member

Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 832

Re: App-propriate Uses

quote:
Originally posted by Keefer Lucas
You can reinstall Windows XP once every 120 days, and it is treated as a "viginal" installation, that is to say, your perceived limitation on hardware upgrades won't matter unless they all fall withing 120 days. If you do a major upgrade within that timeframe you need to call Microsoft for a manual authorization.

What has me concerned about this more than anything is the length of time it may take me to get through....if I have to call for a manual re-authorization will it take me two hours just to reach a human who can help me?

I've read all this as it pertains to Windows XP. I am just wondering if it pertains to Office XP as well.

What a crock of ---. I refuse to ask Bill Gates if I can fiddle with my 'puter. Guess I'll definately be getting that Mac with the Air Windows or whatever Dick & Homer were telling me about. Wonder how long Win98 will still be supported?

11-15-2001 03:31 PM

creole
Member

Registered: Mar 2001
Location:
Posts: 347

I've heard that MS planed to stop support for all versions of Windows below 2000 the day that XP came out.

11-15-2001 04:55 PM

sdoersam
Member

Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Glen Burnie, Maryland
Posts: 205

I think there is a slight misunderstanding about how WPA works here. The 120 days is the time period for which the system notes a change in the hardware, more that 6 changes in different pieces of hardware in that 120 day period, and you may need to reactivate. (Changing the NIC may shorten the number of pieces of hardware, as this is considered a key piece of the activation key) On a machine that came with XP pre-installed from the factory, the only thing that it keys off of is the BIOS version, so you could change everything without triggering a reactivation. As for reinstalling the Windows XP, this is directly from Microsoft's site.

quote:
If a reinstallation of the software is needed, is reactivation required?
Not always. If the same version of the software is reinstalled on the same machine and the hard disk is not reformatted prior to reinstalling, the software will remain activated. Reactivation will be required if the hard disk is reformatted and the software is reinstalled. This is because the software's activation status is stored on the hard drive and reformatting the hard drive erases that status.

You can find more information on product activation in the Microsoft's FAQ on Product Activation and a brief over view here on ZDnet.
I hope this clears things up a little bit. For the record, I'm not a big fan of Product Activation either, but it has been made to sound worse than it is.

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Sven

If at first you do succeed, try not to look astonished.

11-15-2001 05:13 PM

sdoersam
Member

Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Glen Burnie, Maryland
Posts: 205

quote:
Originally posted by creole
I've heard that MS planed to stop support for all versions of Windows below 2000 the day that XP came out.

That isn't quite true. Microsoft released a retirement schedule for support of their older OSes quite some time before XP's release.
Windows 3.1 and 95 and NT 3.51 have already been "retired" with NT and 98 to follow within the next few years. I'm trying to find a copy of the retirement schedule, and will post it once I find it. Can't really blame them for not wanting to support a 6 year old OS that is 3-4 versions back. Even Apple doesn't have active support for anything past Mac OS 8.6 with the archives only going to Mac OS 8.1.

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Sven

If at first you do succeed, try not to look astonished.

11-15-2001 05:30 PM

sdoersam
Member

Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Glen Burnie, Maryland
Posts: 205

Found it!

I found Microsoft's "Windows Desktop Product Lifecycle Guidelines," and I was slightly incorrect in my earlier posting. Windows 95, 3.xx, NT 3.5x and DOS x.xx will continue to be supported through the end of the year. All future products will follow the schedule they laid out. (Unless they change it later. ) You can look at the lifecycle for all their products here.

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Sven

If at first you do succeed, try not to look astonished.

11-15-2001 05:44 PM

Keefer Lucas
Member

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Atlantic Rim
Posts: 570

quote:
Originally posted by sdoersam

For the record, I'm not a big fan of Product Activation either, but it has been made to sound worse than it is.

I am with you. I don't like the product activation concept, but Windows XP is a MAJOR improvement from 98se. I'll ***** and moan about the policy while I enjoy the OS.

11-15-2001 05:45 PM

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