Stop XP home activations!

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canton_kid
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Stop XP home activations!

Post by canton_kid »

I found this and not sure how it works, I don't use XP home so I can't test at the moment.

It seems that XP supposedly deletes the wpa.dbl file after detecting hardware changes and that is what triggers the need to re-activate XP home.

SO....

Copy %SystemRoot%\system32\wpa.dbl
to a new location like floppy disk or other drive/partition, then after a fresh install or major hardware change and XP wants to call in to re-activate, instead copy the wpa.dbl file back to it's original location and it should trick XP home into thinking it already has called in.

You might have to boot into safe mode to do this. Hit F8 repeatedly durring bootup! Might have to get to a command prompt mode (would that be good old dos??)

If your only doing a fresh install and no hardware changes it should work fine, if there is some type of id code generated by your computer configuration saved in there, then it might not work with hardware changes, worth a try though! Some software uses codes like that for registering shareware. I have 2 or 3 programs I registerd that will only work on the computer it was registered to, so I have to e-mail them to get a new key when I want to change computers! Actually I would not have registered if I had known that before hand!!

As for me, I still am quite happy with 2k, but I do have free unlimited no activation required XP home if I ever decide to start using it :)

This is for oem XP home (preinstall also works with 2k pro, XP pro too)
Actually what I really have is an oem 3 pk of XP home that came with a pre-install cd. I can set up a work (tech) system so when I build new systems I can install fast through a network un-attenended and no keys needed, no need to install from the cd! Then I configure the new systems and test, then what they call "SEAL The system" ready for the end user. They have 30 days to use the system from first boot when they buy it untill they have to either activate XP home or it locks up. BUT, the pre-install disk has a feature to reset XP home up to 3 times, so that means I can install and use XP home 30 days, reset and use again. So depending if the 3 includes the first use or not I have either 90 or 120 days before I have to actually activate XP home, or re-format and do a fresh install to start over :D
So far, I haven't even opened the disks yet, so I may even be able to use the system in "Factory mode" and not even have to "Seal" my personal system. I will try that latter when I actually install XP Home on something.


Mostly I figure they are installing a time limited version of wpa.dbl (or XP is set to delete it in 30 days if not activated) then they just install a new copy of wpa.dbl that runs another 30 days! Keeping a log on the disk somewhere how many times the wpa.dbl has been replaced so after 3 resets it no longer resets. Don't know if that's correct, but it's what I think is happening.

The pre-install disk is only available with oem 3 packs. I bought one! :)
$264 :mad

I thought I'd share this with the rest of you system builders :)
Basically this stuff about the pre-install is confidencail to only system builders acording to the M$ terms I read on the packaging, but since we are all system builders here I am keeping it confidetial and only sharing the knowledge with other system builders that might not be aware of this yet :)
If your not a system builder don't read this!!! :rolleyes:

We all know how annoying it would be to be away from a phone and have XP lock up! Camping, vaction in a remote cabin, traveling, move into a new house/apartment/dorm, go to a LAN PARTY, so if you XP home users are planning any major upgrades that might require re-activation you might want to try backing up your wpa.dbl file now, then next time XP home says you have to call in, simply restore that file and see if it worked! Then carry that disk with you when you travel, just in case!

Also a wise move for techs, if it works, before making any major changes to a clients system copy the wpa.dbl file to a floppy, then if you need to manually call in because it's already been activated a few times it might save alot of time to just copy the file back from a floppy instead of calling. A tech friend had to wait on hold for about 20 minutes one day after installing a new system board in a clients computer. I don't know if the wpa.dbl file would have fixed that or not, worth a try!

No need for anyone other than a pirate to care about call in activation right??? Who cares if a highly trained highly paid technicain is on hold for 20 minutes for no reason with legally purchased software waiting for a new key??? Not like it cost anyone any money or lost work time right?? :mad
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TheSovereign
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Post by TheSovereign »

this is gonna get deleted
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Post by FlyingPenguin »

Sov, there's nothing illegal about it. This tip has been around a while.

You still need to own a legit cd key for WinXP. All this does is remove the need to have to reactivate XP on the SAME SYSTEM you've already activated it on it at least once before.

So if you have a legit XP install, and you backup this file, and then you later need to do a fresh install on the same system you can just restore this file and not have to worry about doing an activation.

Not that activation is a big deal normally, but it can be a hassle if you're working on a system that has no internet or easily accessible phone (as happens to me on occasion) or if you're typical PC Abuser and do a re-install often and don't want to hassle with it.
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canton_kid
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Post by canton_kid »

Thanks FP,

I hadn't seen this before myself, didn't know if it was new or old or works or not as I mentioned above.

Because most people do similar things most people assume no-one does anything different!
Most people have a phone in there house, most people live at home. Most people don't do fresh installs or upgrades at 2 am.
I for one never have or will fit the mold that makes everyone else the same. I travel alot, no phone!
I sometimes live away from home the entire summer, no phone! For instance when I lived in Branson, MO. I didn't bother with a phone when I rented an apartment there, so no call in options! Go 10 blocks to a pay phone at 2am is not what I call an option! And why should I??

For about 3 years I had no phone here at home because 2 phone companies both said I was in the other companies area not thiers. So what then, drive 5 miles to a pay phone to re-activate XP??

This year I may be going to the mountains to live for the summer, if I do, geuss what! NO PHONE!
Ups and Fedex will still deliver my hardware, I can still go to best buy, staples ect if I want to drive around, but when I get home there and actually install the hardware, no phone!

Now I can record a movie with a camcorder, and I can capture, author, and burn it to DVD while there if the system is working, what I can't do is call someone for a new key for some odd ball reason.

Main reason I never bought XP home before!
And only reason I bought it now was I needed it on hand for systems I am building to sell soon.

What I will probably do is look at XP home and try it out on the systems I build to sell, then if I like it just buy an oem XP pro for myself.
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sethpa
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Post by sethpa »

Funny thing, that activation doohickey in XP....

I recently upgraded mobo, vidcard AND a hard drive in system, (same chipset though). It never even burped, let alone want to reactivate. Maybe 'cause it had the same fans in it? :D
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canton_kid
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Post by canton_kid »

I geuss it can be strange,

I was there when a tech friend spent 20 minutes on the phone to get a new key for a clients system he just upgraded. He was on the phone not getting any work done, the clients system was down and he was wanting it soon as posable, and my tech friend was supposed the be looking at wireless hardware with me on another system, so even though I had nothing to do with the XP system, it was a headache to me too, since I had to wait 20 minutes for him to get off the phone!

So what does that add up to cost wise? Clients down time, techs downtime, my downtime waiting for tech to get off phone? Oh about 1/2 hr would equal about $50 or more when added up for all of us that were waiting to get back to work.
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