Question about backing up Window's License's?

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Ok,I have quite a few of Microsoft's products on my Hardrive,I have:

Microsoft office 2007
Windows Vista Home Premium
and XP



Now i need to Re-Format my hardrive because of a hardrive issue (My backup drive is being a pain,but windows WONT Boot without it,even though its installed on another drive :( ) I have installed Windows Vista twice now,and this will be my third after i format,Is there anyway to backup my License files so i dont have to Re-Activate?
 
Ghosting the drive would be the only way which would defeat the purpose of formatting.

In XP SP1 there was a folder you could back up (it was in the i386 directory iirc) but I believr that doesn't work in XP SP2 and Vista.

Someone else may know something I don't and have an answer for you but my advice would be to get some drive imaging software to use after this install and activation, at least it will make next time easier.

If you're dual booting Vista & XP I'd say some or all of the BCD is on your back up drive and is a likey cause of your "no boot" issue
 
Well,It happend Even Before i was dual booting (When i first started D booting it was with Linux) It refused to boot if i took out my backup drive,So when i reinstall everything,im going to take out my backup drive,install,and then Put it back in.

Also when i re-install everything,i'll make a drive image.Hopefully someone can help me with my license issue.
 
im confused. i dont see why you cant re activate. its the same pc after all.
 
Why not partition your drive if your having problems with your back up drive, partition you main drive and make a 10g or whatever you need spare drive just for storing you back up on, then use Norton Ghost or Acronis True Image, I use Norton Ghost AND SWEAR BY IT, as soon as you have all the necessities/requirements you need on your PC then make a ghost image of that drive and store it on your Partition Drive or you back up drive if you get it working. with imaging software it acts like a clone and copies everything intact, so it copies your OS and all the programs installed as they are, so all your activated programs will still be activated whenever you restore from it INCLUDING WINDOWS. this program has been a messiah to me as it makes formating a snip, its not really a full format obviously but it saves the hassle of reloading windows then digging out all your disc's and putting back on all software.
The only thing to remember with image software is that if you change some major hardware then you need to make a new image as the restore does not always work as the configuration on the image does not match your new hardware.
 
im confused. i dont see why you cant re activate. its the same pc after all.
hes right you know
if you are just reinstalling the same pc
the activation key will be the same for
the new pc
as long as the hardware stays the same
 
But doesnt Microsoft count how many times you have re-activated windows,and then after a certain amount of Re-Activations you cant activate it any more?
 
But doesnt Microsoft count how many times you have re-activated windows,and then after a certain amount of Re-Activations you cant activate it any more?

as long as it's all legal reactivations, the worst they can do to you is give you a new key over the phone.
 
it doesn't
it just cares about how many different computers you activate on
but it gets its activation key based of complex hardware info
so unless it is the exact same computer, it won't work on any other pc
 
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