Activating Windows XP

Like most software companies, Microsoft is very concerned with piracy and has taken steps to try to prevent people who haven't obtained Windows legitimately from using it. One of the steps that Microsoft has implemented in Windows is activation. During activation, a unique identifier is created for your Windows installation based on your Windows product key and the hardware you are using. This identifier is required to run Windows after it has been installed on a computer for 30 days. When you activate a computer, this identifier is transmitted to Microsoft. Should this same identifier be provided during a different activation session, the activation would be denied and the copy of Windows could not be used.

As you work with a new Windows installation, you'll be prompted to activate it. You'll also see a count down toward the 30-day activation deadline. Until you reach 30 days after the installation date, activation won't affect your use of Windows except for the regular prompts you'll see. After 30 days, you'll have to activate Windows to be able to use it.

After you've activated Windows on a specific computer, you won't be able to use that copy of Windows on a different computer (which is the whole point). To do so, you'll probably have to call Microsoft to have the original activation disabled (which means you won't be able to use Windows on the original computer on which you installed it).

Note

Because activation is based on a specific piece of hardware, you don't need to worry about it preventing you from reinstalling Windows on the same computer. You can reinstall Windows on the same Mac as many times as you'd like. Activation will only affect the installation of Windows on a different computer on which a specific copy was activated.

Because of this, I recommend that you don't activate Windows until you must to keep it running. This will give you 30 days to use it and make sure you've set it up on the Mac on which you'll want to run it over the long run.

When the 30-day grace period is close to expiring, the easiest way to activate Windows is via the Internet. After you've protected your Windows installation and established a connection to the Internet, you can activate your copy of Windows by choosing Start menu, All Programs, Activate Windows. The Activation Wizard will appear. Choose the Yes, Let's Activate Windows over the Internet Now radio button and click Next. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the activation process.

Note

You can only activate one copy of Windows on the same computer, too. This means that you can activate Windows under a virtual machine or under Boot Camp, but not both (without buying two Windows licenses anyway). If you want to try both options, you can do so for up to 30 days without activating Windows. When you decide which option works better for you, activate Windows in that environment.