I have Windows XP Pro loaded on my PC. Now something has happened to my PC which I cannot solve. I want to format my disk and re-install Windows XP Pro. Do I have to de-activate it somehow first so I can use the product key again or will it just automatically let me re-activate as I am re-loading it on the exact same PC.
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De-activate Windows XP
- Thread starter jasonb007
- Start date
The file you need to save on your XP machine is called wpa.dbl. Basically, if you do a system repair type install you shouldn't have to re-activate your machine (Provided all hardware is the same). If you format the drive first, then do a clean install, you will need to re-activate your machine. Saving this file, and then overwriting the install one with this one avoids that. There is a procedure that has to be followed. Check out this link for a guide on just how to do this.
Good Luck
Mark
Good Luck
Mark
WPA will allow you to activate your machine after you reformat and reinstall. Generally speaking if you haven't recently activated with that PID, then Internet activation will work fine for you. If you did it recently, you might end up on the phone with Microsoft. Simply explain what you're doing (and KEEP IT SIMPLE) and they'll give you a 50-digit key to activate with. Certainly more annoying and work-intensive than the automatic method, but either way, you'll be activated again.
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