genuine Windows XP Activation trouble

[koshyjohn]

I have an original Windows XP disc which came bundled with my HP machine. I always used to be able to install and activate it without any problems until a week back when after an install, XP asked me to call customer service and ask for a new key. I called but customer service was closed for the weekend.

I was impatient so I used a hack anyway.

The thing is I wan't to understand why it happened. A very knowledgable acquaintance who is currently being paid to test Vista told me that once you have installed XP using on a certain machine over 30 times, it will ask you to call Microsoft. It is quite possible that I have installed XP over 30 times on that system. I can prove that I have an original copy because I have the certificate of authenticity label stuck on to the system casing.

Your thoughts on this?

 

[QwertyManiac]

Hey ! WTH ! How the hell can M$ know how many times u installed Windowze on ur PC ? its a fake call.. perhaps they were on leave, call later and see...

 

[koshyjohn]

Think about it

They know because they can count the number of times it has been activated, either over the net or via a phone call to their customer service center.

You don't have to be Microsoft to know all that, I can create a program that will tell you when you installed Windows XP, how many times it was shut down since it was installed and how many programs you have run in your current session. AND THAT is just scratching the surface.

If you are able to look inside all those index.dat files you will find links to programs you've run, websites you have seen, images that you have downloaded and stuff like that...

 

[kalpik]

Thats absolutely true.. They allow 50 installs on the professional version. Dunno about the home version. After that, you have to call customer care to get it re-activated.

 

[Vyasram]

There's microsoft again leading the path to piracy

 

[QwertyManiac]

Ohk, sorry for not understanding that fact.. but y limit all this ? When u are the original buyer u have the right to install as much times as u need thnx to thier virii then y all this rules ?