Don't Reactivate After Reinstalling

Started By Broni, Oct 28 2004 12:18 AM

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#1 Broni

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Posted 28 October 2004 - 12:18 AM

If you reinstall Windows XP, you normally have to reactivate it, but there's a way around reactivation. Windows XP maintains the activation information in the file Wpa.dbl, which you'll find in the Windows\System32 folder. After you activate, and any time you add hardware to your system, back up the file to another disk. If you need to reinstall Windows XP for any reason, go through the installation routine, then copy the latest version of Wpa.dbl to the Windows\system32 folder.

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#2 jimo1mo Re: Don't Reactivate After Reinstalling

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Posted 04 February 2005 - 02:29 AM

mlurp - Think reason didn't work for u - See Hint #3
Windows Product Activation(WPA) on Windows XP

Didn't work for me either on 3/10/04.. :fat_face_sad:

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#3 ojas25 Re: Don't Reactivate After Reinstalling

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Posted 24 March 2008 - 08:42 AM

Broni, on Oct 28 2004, 11:18 AM, said:

If you reinstall Windows XP, you normally have to reactivate it, but there's a way around reactivation. Windows XP maintains the activation information in the file Wpa.dbl, which you'll find in the Windows\System32 folder. After you activate, and any time you add hardware to your system, back up the file to another disk. If you need to reinstall Windows XP for any reason, go through the installation routine, then copy the latest version of Wpa.dbl to the Windows\system32 folder.

Thanks for this tip I will it a try Ojas

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#4 spider Re: Don't Reactivate After Reinstalling

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Posted 19 July 2009 - 07:00 PM

Broni, on 28 October 2004 - 12:18 AM, said:

If you reinstall Windows XP, you normally have to reactivate it, but there's a way around reactivation. Windows XP maintains the activation information in the file Wpa.dbl, which you'll find in the Windows\System32 folder. After you activate, and any time you add hardware to your system, back up the file to another disk. If you need to reinstall Windows XP for any reason, go through the installation routine, then copy the latest version of Wpa.dbl to the Windows\system32 folder.

nice one Broni, very educational I would say! :hi:

spider

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#5 Man'n'Black-4xp Re: Don't Reactivate After Reinstalling

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Posted 28 November 2010 - 09:53 PM

Broni, on 28 October 2004 - 12:18 AM, said:

If you reinstall Windows XP, you normally have to reactivate it, but there's a way around reactivation. Windows XP maintains the activation information in the file Wpa.dbl, which you'll find in the Windows\System32 folder.

I've done this successfully(way to many times). Only I reinsert both WPA.BAK and WPA.DBL Is this overkill? :30428:

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#6 Broni Re: Don't Reactivate After Reinstalling

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Posted 28 November 2010 - 09:59 PM

WPA.BAK is just a backup file, so it really doesn't matter.

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#7 Man'n'Black-4xp Re: Don't Reactivate After Reinstalling

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Posted 29 November 2010 - 04:59 AM

So wpa.dbl is the important one, thanks good to know! :pianosmiley:

I read once that windows made these files by radomly grabbing parts of harware seriel# and machine ids, that true?
can one edit them when hardware is swapped out or new apps are loaded( which can I read cause a new # )

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#8 Broni Re: Don't Reactivate After Reinstalling

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Posted 29 November 2010 - 05:03 AM

Quote

I read once that windows made these files by radomly grabbing parts of harware seriel# and machine ids, that true?
can one edit them when hardware is swapped out or new apps are loaded( which can I read cause a new # )

I have no idea....

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#9 Berton Re: Don't Reactivate After Reinstalling

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Posted 29 November 2010 - 02:43 PM

There's no hard and fast list of changes that can be made but usually changing the motherboard and/or CPU will kick out that it is a different computer and cause the need for Activation. With most of the 'brands' you have to stay with the same/replacement board as the factory restore discs may not work on others, coded to prevent use otherwise. I've changed HDDs, Opticals, Sound and Network cards without problems.