Windows XP licensing

> These install options get over my head fast. I've used Virtual PC and
> Win98 in the past with my G3/G4 tower Macs at home and at the
> office. So I have some experience first hand. (Too slow, unable to
> print to my HP USB printer at home,

That's Windows 98 for you. Although USB "support" came out with the
"Windows 95 with USB support" edition USB connectivity never really
worked properly until Windows ME (Mistake Edition). The problems you
had were probably very little to do with virtualisation and more to
do with Windows 98.

> Options, dual partition -
> 1. Keep the HD partition with Win XP and update OSX 10.4 to 10.5.
> Would Win XP registration notice?

You haven't reinstalled XP and (assuming) you haven't changed your
hardware so provided you can get the boot-loader (BootCamp or
whatever name it ends up with) to still call up the XP install there
won't be a problem.

> 2. Wipe the WIN XP partition, update OSX 10.4 to 10.5, allow OSX to
> install Win XP.
> Is this going to happen?
> This would be a second install of Win XP on the same machine.
> Problems?

A re-install of XP on the same machine isn't "supposed" to be a
problem. There is a limit, either 2 or 3 times, not sure which but
the activation wizard is "supposed" to be able to handle this.
Again, the hardware hasn't changed so there should be no problem.
(The activation wizard uses some sort of hash key generated through a
combination of hardware installed and product key)

> 3. Best option? Don't install Win XP at this time

Unless you really need it no. It is VERY different to OS X & if
you've never used it before you will have headaches. For a start,
Windows is next to impossible to use without a 2 button mouse and
it's not always obvious weather you should left or right click but
we've had two button mouse discussions before, I don't want to start
another one. (It also doesn't support control-clicking or whatever it
is like OS X does, I use a 2 button mouse for OS X so I can never
remember the key combination). XP is also more prone to viruses,
security problems, etc, etc, as of yet OS X is not subjected to these
problems to the same extent.

> Options, virtual install
> 1. Keep the virtual install, update OSX 10.4 to 10.5. Will
> cohabitation allow smooth running or many new problems? Would Win
> XPhave to be reinstalled?

This is the scenario most likely to cause the wheels to come off.
As I mentioned above activation relies on the Hardware remaining
unchanged so if the virtualisation software changes, XP may think the
Hardware has changed. However, again the activation wizard is
supposed to take into account one hardware change (ie going from AMD
based system to Intel based system) and a reinstall. It is possible
to make XP go on new hardware without reinstalling but it is a LOT of
messing around.

Hope this helps some and doesn't just add to the confusion

PS: Another note that I haven't seen mentioned anywhere and since
we're talking about re-installing XP I thought here would be as good
a place to mention it as any. *Any* Windows OS (not just XP) PREFERS
to be installed on a blank hard drive or partition. THERE IS NO
archive install like there is in OS X. If there is another Windows
installation detected by the installer it gets upset. It is possible
to install two copies of XP on the same partition but the file system
ends up being a mess. (I did this once to try and repair a broken
copy of XP but ended up formating and reinstalling anyway)

-------------------------------------
Jason Campbell
Technician
Psychology Department
University of Otago

--On May 2, 2006 8:22:38 AM -0700 EARL HAMNER <earlghamnercomcast.net>
wrote:

> Look forward to Mac OSX 10.5 -
> In regard to MS registration and to those who have already installed
> Win XP sp.2 onto one of the three Intel Macs what will be the legal
> case for yet another post install after OSX 10.5 on the same computer?

If you purchased a retail version of XP the legal case is you can install
this any one computer at any one time. You can reformat and reinstall on
that one computer as many times as you like. You can format the drive and
move it to a new computer. These are all legal and explicitly listed in
the EULA as acceptable.

OEM versions (versions that came with a computer) may have a different EULA
that prevent transferring to another computer. However you can still
reformat and reinstall as many times as you like on the same computer.

Now as for activation -- note there is a difference between activation and
registration. Activation is a process where Microsoft creates a hash of
information about your hardware and your product id. That is recorded at
Microsoft and any time Windows XP is installed it checks if the product id
has been used on a computer with different hardware. If it has activation
is denied and you'll need to call Microsoft and plead your case.

If activation finds it is being reinstalled on the same equipment
activation is passed through without problem (but activation still needs to
occur.

Activation requires no personal information be given to Microsoft other
than the hash of hardware information (if that can be considered personal,
they can't identify actual equipment from the hash). Registration, on the
other hand, is optional and is similar to registration of Mac OS X when it
is installed.

If you are install Windows XP back on the same machine and don't want to
bother with re-activation, save the wpa.dbi and wpa.bak files from the
c:\windows\system32 folder on the hard drive. Then skip activation during
installation, reboot into Minimal Safe Mode (F8 at boot), save copies of
the existing wpa.dbi and wpa.bak files, then replace them with the ones
from the original install.

Microsoft explains activation here:
<http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/evaluation/features/activation.mspx>

Annoyances.org has a better FAQ:
<http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article03-200>

And about.com has a longer set of instructions for my summary of saving
your activation info here:
<http://netsecurity.about.com/od/windowsxp/qt/aaqtwinxp0829.htm>

Kevin