Hi guys,
(Sorry if this is wrong place)

Being a PC gamer, HDD space is always a issue. Im using a 40gb @ the moment with XP Pro. I took an ghost image when I did a fresh install (after activation). If I get a biger HDD and use the Image, will I have to reactivate it?
Thanks
VH

First off I don't think your image will work. Simply beacase the hard drive is different in make, model, size and everything else about it. If you put your image onto it I think you will have problems if it works at all.

I would recommend that you do a fresh install of XP onto your new drive. If there are thing on your old drive that you want simply connect it up as a Slave device.

I think I will have to reactivate it. So long as you have the original CD and code handy there won't be any problems in doing so.

When I activated they never asked me for a cd code over the phone. It wouldnt work on line for me for some reason. Maybe cause I got the XP cd for free at the MS Convention. Luv going to those conventions, lots of free stuff, and its legit straight from MS themselves. I got very sick of constant activations.

I keep my original XP cd but I have seen XP corp and like that much more. Too bad they don't sell it to the public.

It might work. Windows will check the hardware and notice if there are changes. Small changes are accepted, but bigger changes aren't. If Windows sees this as a small change (I think it will), the system will work just fine. There's no garantuee however!

It's been a while since my last activation and it was when I added a wireless PCI network card. After that, I changed the mobo, CPU, ram, video card, added a HD changed out 2 opticals, painted my case, added watercooling (don't think those two count ) So I'm probably due for one next hardware change, probably the mouse will push me over, lol. Maybe its more the number of changes than the importance of the change? Can any users comment on this?

I think I remember having to reactivate one time after changing the sound cards pci slot. Crazy windows, lol.

I think the HD change counts as 2 of about a permitted 4 changes, 1 for the drive ID and 1 for the Volume Serial Number (unless that image tool preserves it).

It's down to the image tool, the question of migrating it to a larger drive - if it makes the partition larger, than it cannot be a 100% unchanged image.

LBA means we should not need to be concerned by the physical parameters of the drive.

I could be mistaken, but I seem to recall that XP allows a number of hardware changes in a given period of time. As for how long that time period is, I do not remmember. but i think it was like 6-8 months.

Anyone, feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

Hi Guy,
Thanks for all of your replys . This is a screen shot of a prog that tells you what XP uses for the activation. I think it shows that 1 or 2 hardware changes would happen. What do you guys think?

Thanks
VH

I just did this with xp and I had to call MS and get a code. Once you install win xp you will have 30 days to activate just click your country in the drop down bar get the phone number and call them toj activate. I think you can activate this as many times as you need they just asked me how many computers I had it installed on I told them. they gave me a code and away we go done. I also told them I was about to do a major uprgrade and they said I would probably have to call back go through the same process, but as long as I only installed it on my one computer I was ok.