"Luis Med" <LuisMed@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote

> Thank you again, Rock. About:
>
>> Signing what agreement, I'm not sure what you're talking about.
>
> The WGA update comes with an agreement that one has to 'sign' (that is,
> click a button that says "I agree").
>
> After reading the EULA I understood that, with the WGA update, Microsoft
> links some ID's of my hardware with the ID of my version of Windows XP.
> This
> link will be stablished as the way to recognize if a particular version of
> Windows XP is being installed in other computers, which is forbidden.
>
> Again I try to explain my concern:
> In my view, Microsoft's procedure is flawed because they didn't think that
> my computer can have future changes in parts of its hardware. By 2010 I
> will
> have a different motherboard or hard disk, with ID's that are different to
> the ID's of my previous hardware, as registered in Microsoft's files
> dating
> back to 2007.
>
> Once the WGA update is installed, any future activation of the same
> Windows
> XP could be hindered because of an obsolete hardware ID - software ID
> link. I
> imagine that if I change my hard disk and reinstall Windows XP, I will
> receive a warning from MS saying that I have an illegal copy of Windows
> XP.
> Why? Because according to their files, my version of Windows XP should
> match
> another hard disk.
>
> I want the freedom to change some parts of my hardware in the future; it
> still will be the same computer, but will Microsoft recognize it as such?
>
> About:
>
>> If you don't want to install the WGA update, don't.
>
> I also understood that if I don't install the WGA update, I won't get some
> important future updates. That's why this is for me a lose-lose situation
> and
> I am seeking help.
>
> About:
>
>> This is a peer to peer newsgroup, not official MS support. If you want
>> to
>> talk to someone at MS, you have to call them.
>
> OK, thanks, but sometimes people that work for MS write something here
> too.
> There is Mike Brannigan in this same thread. He works for MS.
> However your comments help me too, Rock, and I appreciate them.
>
> Thank you also, Bob I. Your comment is very much like Rock's first one in
> what it says. I understand that I didn't 'buy' the software. But as a MS
> consumer with limited rights to use their software, I want to know my
> options
> before I install or not the WGA update. I have already said its agreement
> should be friendlier to the legal MS consumers who have paid some money to
> use their products. I think Microsoft can build a better mousetrap than
> this
> one.
>
> Take care and thanks again.
>


Mike Brannigan doesn't work for MS anymore and hasn't for some time.
Besides, the occasional MS employee that posts here does so on their own
time, not as officially representing MS.

I don't know what else I can tell you. A copy of XP can be reinstalled as
many times as you want on the same system. If activation is needed then do
so, either through the internet or by a phone call. The only question is
what constitutes a new computer. You can change any of of the hardware
components no problem. The only question comes in is the motherboard. Some
people maintain changing that is a new computer.

In the first place if your copy of XP is BIOS locked then you can't change
the motherboard to anything but a motherboard from the OEM. If the new
motherboard is from the OEM and BIOS locked activation isn't necessary.

If it's not BIOS locked and needs activation then the question is, does that
new motherboard constitute a new computer. MS has not defined what
constitutes a new computer. I have heard of some people who have had
activation refused because of this, though I don't know of anyone
personally. I do know of many that have changed motherboards no problem.

And none of this has anything to do with WGA. It's an activation issue.

--
Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]