Formatting hard drive and reinstlling winXP

I have been given a computer with XP installed.It has been activated correctly by the previous owner.I want to delete all referance to him from the machine.I do not intend to change any hardware in the machine.I do not have the activation number( if that is what it is called)I have all the original paperwork and CD relating to the machine and winXP.How do I reactivate it in my name.The previous owner has died( how else would I be able to get a free computer)The macine was Activated about 3 weeks before he died.Not the best way in the world to get anything,even if it is free.

 

Well, activation is according to hardware, not owner.

Are you wanting to change just the Registered To: information?

 

If so, look here:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows NT\ CurrentVersion

 

I'm sorry I have not made myself clear.
I have to format the "C" drive to remove all traces of the previous owner.Then I intend to reinstall WinXP.How can I reactivate the OS. using information that is on the machine from the original activation.I have already gone to the reg and changed names.O

 

I'm sorry I did not understand any of that.I suppose that goes with :There are none so blind as those that will not see.

 

you can activate window after you fill out product key. If you dont have it, you would need to open activation menu and click activate by telephone, then you will see long numbers after you pick where country you are at then the phone number will come on menu up for you to call MS. If your product key exceed or doesnt work because you have new motherboard. You will to do samething by calling microsoft. Tell the person on phone ur long code numbers on menu, they will give you 42 numbers for you to fill out on the activation menu. one Win XP cd can only be install on one computer, doesnt matter how many harddrives you install win xp on over again, but have to be one motherboard. You can install same win xp on other machine but you will have to delete win xp off the older pc. If you want format, have you boot on win xp cd then enter win xp set up and delete win xp off the harddrive then hit enter to contiune. If you see C key as create partition, dont hit that unless you want extra space on harddrive to install other OS like slicing pizza. You dont have to register MS, I never did. If you want remove every trace of previous owner's data that recovery data program cannot find, you would need to do low level format. If using win xp format is good enough for you, at least pick long one.

 

Actually ona clean install the product key is asked near the end of installation. If you don't have it, you don't install XP.

This is note quite true. If activation clearing house lets you do it, great, but most times they won't. We get a lot of customers wanting to do that, and in turn are very disappointed.

Not true either, you just need to explain the situation to clearinghouse--we have customers do it all the time.

A low level format is not needed to get rid of previous data unless it is sensitive, like security wise, and even then....low level format is overkill.

 

Actually, it does work, for what I mentioned changing.


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310441

Ujanus, if you have the prduct key and are simply reformatting, and installing on same PC, you will be fine. Activation goes per hardware, not owner.