Quake3World

I understand this is old...

For Windows Xp can…
1. a cd Key only work once?
2. Does a cd key only work more than once on the exact same set of hardware?
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3. For a user that does not have internet access, how would they go about activating their software?
4. Say I acquired a cd key and you went out and bought WinXp. Your version of this software had the same key that I guessed. (I know what your thinking, but I'm just saying...) Will you not be able to activate your software b/c I have already registered mine version with your cdkey and you have a different set of hardware?



Maybe some links or something about this would do me better?

tia.
:icon26:

You could probably have two exact setups, but each network card has a unique mac address.
I believe this is one thing they look at when registering the key to your system.

They can also do it over the phone.

Just get pro it doesn't have anything like that.

Uh, XP Pro def. has activation as well, this coming from someone who actually purchased it

Technically you are only supposed to use one copy of XP for one computer, but Microsoft does not take an extrememly active role in preventing two or even three computers on one copy with one key. Now for XP there are four categories of keys, maybe five, but you gotta have a matching key and CD category.

Now all of my experience has come from XP Pro, legal and illegal.

I've been reading a few articles and just find it hard to believe that if I get someone elses cdkey before they register it that they will not be able to get past the "Please enter your 500 digit key to continue"....deal.........

4g3nt_Smith wrote:Uh, XP Pro def. has activation as well, this coming from someone who actually purchased it

lol...what a moron...

Freakaloin wrote:

4g3nt_Smith wrote:Uh, XP Pro def. has activation as well, this coming from someone who actually purchased it

lol...what a moron...

:icon19: lets be nice now children.

1. For copies of XP that you or I would get at the store. They can indeed be used more than once, but IIRC there is something like a 4 month timeout between activations. So you would not be able to use that key to activate for 4 months. This was too allow for hardware upgrades and such.
2. See 1
3. Phone
4. See 1

Im confused...dumb Number 1 up for me I guess. It's just not clicking...

It's sad that pirating software nowadays is often less hassle than legally purchasing and using it.

bork[e] wrote:Im confused...dumb Number 1 up for me I guess. It's just not clicking...

okay....
Say you bought XP Home -=OR=- Pro at Wal-Mart.
You install it on you computer and use the Key that came with it to activate.
Now that key is useless for 4 months.
After 4 months it will be fully functional again.

So if you have 3 computers and just want to buy 1 copy of XP you would have to install it on the first one, waite 4 months, install it on the second, wait another 4 months and then install it ont he 3rd.


Note: If you format your computer inside of 4 months and go to reinstall it will still work because is is the same Harware set up.
But if you upgrade your motherboard and NIC inside of that 4 months it will not. You would have to waite the time period out.

That help? o.0


*I'm pretty sure it's a 4 month period, may be shorter now though*

best just to download?

Bdw3 - yeah, thx. lol

inolen wrote:It's sad that pirating software nowadays is often less hassle than legally purchasing and using it.

w3rd
the only people they are fucking over are the people who actually buy the software

true... i usually install cracks for even my purchased games as i hate this useless cd swapping; plus my drive is stupid and thinks of itself as a centrifuge or something.

[edit]

oh... my older drive even cracked my warcraft 3 cd once. :icon28:

inolen wrote:It's sad that pirating software nowadays is often less hassle than legally purchasing and using it.

It's funny how it got so much harder to install a legitimate copy after the Activation program started.... But pirating was still just as easy as ever. If it didn't come down to legal issues, that would be considered an incentive to not buy it, wouldn't it?

On the other hand, if you buy a Corporate copy of XP Pro, you don't have to worry about activation at all. Which is funny, considering the corporate copies of MS software are usually the ones that have wound up being distributed for pirating. But they aren't going to alienate their corporate customers by forcing them to activate every desktop.

if u download xp pro u also don't have to worry about the activation...hmmm...

Did you read the thread Geoff?

no...i usually just read the first 5-7 words...i have adult add sorry...

i think axe has re-activated his XP > 50 times with all the hardware changes he used to do.
AFAIK you just have to call them... which is also what you do if you don't have net. their is an activation phone#.

1. a cd Key only work once?
Once every 90 days

2. Does a cd key only work more than once on the exact same set of hardware?
Yes up to 3 installs on the same hardware withing the 90 days then you need call it in

3. For a user that does not have internet access, how would they go about activating their software?
Call it in you (takes about 10 minutes and have the phone near the computer) You need to read off a huge number then they give you a huge key to type in.

4. Say I acquired a cd key and you went out and bought WinXp. Your version of this software had the same key that I guessed. (I know what your thinking, but I'm just saying...) Will you not be able to activate your software b/c I have already registered mine version with your cdkey and you have a different set of hardware?

No 2 CD keys are the same and guessing a key is highly unlikely, but if you do *wink *wink your friend needs to wait 90 days before he can use his key on other hardware.

3 months then?

Correction++ :icon14: