IF00323
Skip Re-Activation When you Reinstall Windows XP.
For many computers, a
reinstall of
Windows XP (even if its on the same PC) requires re-activation with
Microsoft. Some versions of XP require you to actually call Microsoft after a
certain number of activations have already been performed to get it activated
again. This how-to shows how to bypass all this by backing up your activation
files.
To Backup Your Activation Files
You need to make a copy of and save on CD two files in your
Windows\system32
folder. The files are wpa.dbl and wpa.bak.
To Restore Your Activation Files In Windows
XP.
If you need
to restore your activation files after a fresh install boot your computer in
Safe Mode by pressing F8 on your keyboard repeatedly while the computer is
booting up.
Once your computer is booted in safe mode, rename the
current wpa.dbl to wpa.nonactivated and wpa.bat to wpabak.nonactivated in the
Windows\system32 directory.
Please Note: In order to view or change a file’s file
extension (.dbl) you might need to open My Documents, click Tools, select Folder
Options, click the View Tab, uncheck Hide Extensions For Known File Types.
Copy you backed up activation files to the
Windows\system32 folder.
When you restart your computer, Windows XP should be
activated.
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