Luis Med 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.
>

There is no relevance between WGA and your future plans. What should
be evident from Rock and others who write about OEM vs. retail versions
of Windows XP in this newsgroup is that there are limitations in just
what can be done with the OEM version. Sure, hardware breaks but there
is a certain point beyond all reason when an original computer system
no longer exists. One of the tests is the bios-locked OEM version of XP.
It is released for specific makes and even models. A motherboard swap,
for example, may be sufficient grounds to rule that a "new" computer
exists, thereby "killing" the OEM versions of XP that came with the
original. The OEM branding would make it impossible for it to install
with any foreign (i.e., off-brand) bios, motherboard, chipset, etc.

OTOH, swapping CPU's, hard drives, VGA cards, NIC's, etc., as component
parts, may not result in a "new" computer and could well be defined as
"repair" of the original system and OS. Under these circumstances, the
OEM version of Windows XP may be allowed to persist. But all of this is
determined by the Product Key and Windows Product Activation (WPA). Of
course, this would not apply to the retail, boxed version.

And yes, what you want can occur. A better mousetrap does exist but it
may also be prohibitively costly to the average consumer...that is, you.
And it does away from the OEM version of any software in exchange for a
full-cost, wholly-owned, personal operating license with verification and
approval for utilization. Such setups have existed in the past, but not to
the level of sophistication that is available today. This brings to mind
of an OEM in the 1980's and its highly proprietary system that rejected all
but its own branded peripherals and OS. And can always happen again. You
really want all of this just to stretch the use of OEM software past its
legal boundaries?