How do you reactivate XP on completely new hardware?
 

I've built a new PC and the old h/w is going to become a FreeBSD server... obviously activation doesn't work on the new PC since the serial# has already been assigned. How do I get it transferred? Anyone else done it?

Call them on their free number.. It's no problem using different hardware.. Just give them your activation code on the phone and they will give you another code for you to type in.. I do it all the time..

just reuse the same cd key. If it wont take it tells you to call a toll-free number to confirm.

download an OEM copy of windows from limewire.. Such a bullshit deal anyway with activation.

If for some ingodly reaso n you have to speak to a reaq live person just tell em your hard drive crashed and theyll reactivate you no problem. Done it dozens of times lol

Hey, just a followup for anyone who ever finds this via search...

I did manage to activate the new h/w without having to call. The last activation would have been 12-18 months previously so perhaps their system automatically considers that a "no questions asked" upgrade.

The interesting thing is that when I redid my RAID volumes a couple of days later (thus reinstalling XP from scratch) it complained the serial# had already been activated! It has now been reactivated via phone.