Anita

Windows XP Activation Changes We spoke with Microsoft about how it is addressing user concerns over XP's inflexibility toward hardware upgrades. Microsoft has revealed that it plans to change its antipiracy measures in Windows XP to respond to the beta testers' concerns of that XP's product activation system wasn't tolerant enough of typical system upgrades. Windows product activation (WPA) is a method of tying the serial number to a specific system's hardware. Windows XP prompts the user to "activate" Windows in the first month of installation, and once the serial code is used for one configuration it cannot be used to activate Windows XP on a different hardware configuration. However, savvy users have been concerned that incremental hardware upgrades would be enough to cause WPA to lock Windows from use. Microsoft has indicated that the final version of Windows XP, set for release in late October, will modify the activation procedure to allow for a certain number of hardware changes within an unstated amount of time. A German company recently revealed how WPA generates its hardware fingerprint from 10 hardware components, including the model identification codes for the processor and graphics card, as well as the hard drive's serial number and network card's MAC address. GameSpot spoke with Allen Nieman, technical product manager for Windows XP, to get more information on how product activation will work. GameSpot: Tell us a bit about the changes to Windows product activation. What now triggers the prompt for reactivation? Allen Nieman: What triggers the prompt for reactivation hasn't changed. What has changed is that we have addressed feedback from power users participating in the beta that the need to reactivate by telephoning can be a hassle. Therefore we have made changes in the way those reactivation requests are handled to allow it to be done over the Internet based on the amount of time that has passed since the last time that product key was used to activate Windows XP. As we've always said, we are trying to strike a balance between our desire to reduce piracy and our desire to ensure a positive customer experience with Windows XP. As far as what changes will prompt for a reactivation, we plan to provide the user community with more information on this in the next couple of days. GS: You mention that the changes have to do with the amount of time since the key was last used, presumably for either the initial activation or one due to hardware changes. How long are we talking about? AN: The amount of time is based on initial activation. If you make changes to your PC--changes that would normally prompt a need to reactiviate--120 days from the time you initially activate the product, it will automatically do it online for you. GS: What's the process for reactivation if the upgrades do exceed the new limits? AN: As before, the user still has the opportunity to contact Microsoft via telephone to obtain another confirmation ID. GS: Does the activation system need access to the Internet after the initial activation to confirm hardware changes with Microsoft? AN: No, there is no ongoing access to Microsoft or "phone home." The only time a user may have to reactivate is when a substantial hardware change occurs such that the PC appears to Windows to be a completely different PC. This is to protect against hard disk cloning piracy. GS: Thanks, Allen. By Sam Parker, GameSpot PC [uPDATED: 07/20/01]