so i removed my cd drive and...

byteagig

byteagig

byteagig

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29 Jun 2005
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york
windows (xp sp3) tells me it has detected a major hardware change WTF! and i need to activate windows in 3 days. i thought only a m/b change would qualify for a major hardware change! well anyway it activated ok after that.

anyways i was thinking of swapping cpu's around in my computers and was wondering if changing a cpu would trigger this hardware change detection thing that windows has? has anyone experienced this with changing a cpu?
 
Yes. I have even been prompted after changing a sound cards pci slot, and adding a new drive. I kid ye not.
 
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I had it after changing a graphics card ages ago.

I cant remember but I know vista is licensed per Mobo, but XP might be different. Check the sticky in the Windows sub forum.

Think it just allows a certain number of changes per activation.
 
Vista & XP are both the same regards activation on OEM, change motherboard you will require a new license.

You can change all other components and you will be fine, but like you found out change a dvd drive and windows might throw up you require re-activation.
My media center did this when I connected my external drive to the ESATA port.
 
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I've changed motherboard 3x times, CPU 3x times, HDD about 5x times, graphics twice and each time been asked to reactivate my copy of windows XP.

Never had any problems doing so though...
 
i never even changed drives lol i just borrowed it for another machine to try linux, i assembled some spare bits and didnt have a drive so thats why i was surprised when i had to activate windows again
 
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