Microsoft Disable Product Activation over Internet

Customers who find themselves reinstalling Windows XP should be ready for a headache: Microsoft will no longer support activating the product over the Internet for PCs which have Windows pre-installed.

Intended to curtail the stealing and selling of certificates of authenticity, the new security measure will start at the end of this month. At first, it will be limited to the Windows XP software preinstalled on systems shipped by the top 20 PC sellers.

“The main reason (for the change) is to address piracy in this area,” a Microsoft representative said on Thursday. “Microsoft has found various people selling the labels of authenticity that they have copied or have pulled off other PCs.”

Starting Feb. 28, Microsoft’s product security will require that customers who need to reinstall their operating system call a customer service representative to get a code that will reactivate their Windows XP system. New systems shipped from the top 20 PC makers, also known as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), will be preactivated, stated a memo posted to the blog Aviran’s Place. The Microsoft representative said the memo was authentic

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Thought:
Well, Microsoft is getting serious on the piracy issues. However, this is not a good news for existing WindowsXP users. We knew format hardisk + re-install Windows is normal. Online activation is troublesome already, now it is worse. You need to call customer service whenever you reinstall Windows!

Worry not! You can backup the Windows Product Activation database, and restore later when you reinstall Windows XP on the same PC. :)