Question about Windows XP PRO...

[ninnywaff]

My friend says that you can use the same cd key on multiple comps. Is this true? I know you can't use the same cd key more than once with xp home, but he says he has used that same cd key for pro on multiple computers and its always worked. Is this possible?

Yes this is indeed true for I have seen it with my own eyes. From what I have seen XP home requires activation after a little while or else it locks up. But good old XP pro seems to have done away with this little feature - but you can still activate Pro to lock your key and let no one else use it if you want. So in theory, as long as no one activates their key when they obtain it from their dubious contacts, everyone is free to use the key multiple times on multiple PC's - even use windows updates too!

 

[crazyman143]

does this mean if you do not activate it it will just continue to work????

 

[ninnywaff]

As far as I can see no one I have seen has ever activated thier copies of XP Pro. It seems that the cd key is the main security on pro.

 

[crazyman143]

I might have to try that I have one I have not activated yet.

 

[iamroot]

Really? Somehow i dont think ol' Bill will allow such a loophole in the system.

 

[Picklee]

yea, or you can just put the computer on hibernate everytime you "shut it down" and you will never have to activate windows XP Pro or home =) nice trick to know you will of course get the annoying little windows activation bubble tho

 

[winterfreshpwnz]

I'm getting a little confused now with this whole activation thing. I mean what is the difference between activating it, and having it installed on ur computer with a previously used cd key and not having any problems?

 

[ninnywaff]

That's what I thought but I dunno. I knows what I Sees and thats what I saw. Don't hold me responsible if it all goes pear shaped and you get locked out though if you don't activate

 

[crazyjoe16]

okay what does it mean to activate it? i have xp pro on 2 computers from the same cd.....and they work perfectly fine. and i've had them both on the same xp pro for close to a year now. so what exactly is this 'activation'?

 

[crazyjoe16]

actually no.....my dad has the same copy on his computer too....so i actually have 3 of the same xp pros on diff computers.