Windows XP Activation After End-Of-Life

[ATeamInc]

Does anyone know how to activate Windows XP legally after the end-of-life? I've tried internet activation, but with no luck. Will Microsoft respond if I try to call them? Thanks!

[beta.a.brian]

There is no way whatsoever to legally activate it afaik unless you manage to find a COA sticker on an old computer.

[oscareczek]

Telephone activation still works.

[DOS]

There is no way whatsoever to legally activate it afaik unless you manage to find a COA sticker on an old computer.

COA stickers are for OEM versions. Do you have some reason to think that retail versions can't be activated now?

I successfully activated a retail version online in December.

I'll be interested to see if Microsoft ever shuts down the activation systems.

[RichB93]

Telephone activation still works.

This. I activated a Dell OEM copy on a D610 a month or so ago using telephone activation (you can then, from the telephone activation, request a link to the online manual activation page).

[ATeamInc]

Telephone activation still works.

This. I activated a Dell OEM copy on a D610 a month or so ago using telephone activation (you can then, from the telephone activation, request a link to the online manual activation page).

What number did you dial?

[SistemaRayoXP]

I guess he dialed the one provided in the Windows XP Activation setup

[AeroFusion]

If you're in the USA, the activation number is "1 (888) 571-2048". However, I remember XP activating post-EOL just fine a couple months ago. Their telephone activation system still works, as long as you have a valid CEO from an OEM or possibly a genuine key. Haven't tested the latter, however.

[ATeamInc]

I do have a copy of Windows XP(OEM) which does not include a CD Key (that version is basically a CD we made years ago as a backed up CD, not original) and I don't live in the US. If I call that number using a virtual number and ask for activation (in which I use a key from the internet), will all this work?

[SistemaRayoXP]

First, someone might answer you with something like "Sorry , but you must call from your country's phone number" and they'll provide you it, or they'll just attend you anyway , and if you use any internet serial, they may say that the serial number provided isn't valid or that it was used previously (Maybe, but maybe not )

[RichB93]

I guess he dialed the one provided in the Windows XP Activation setup

Yep! Surprisingly it was still live!

[Taiketsu0099]

This could be sound hackyened to this stage, but on these days, there are many ways to activate Windows XP; as we are speaking about an unsupported operating system, most of these ways are illegal (i was mean) browsing on the regular internet there are several unattended versions which bundles the product key inside, and even it's very esay to create a unattended one yourself. I am saying you because i make them for personal use (not to share here nor another site).

And now, Its a illegal practice to this point?
Not really if you want to use Windows XP for personal use

Before i can finish, i am not here to challenge my growing progess, just i am saying what does not represent any legal issue.

I hope that all of them who reads this commentary, take reason of this thread, and if something gets offended, solve this discrepancies verifying the points for and against.

[sdfox7]

For internet activation you'll likely need to have Service Pack 3 installed. I suggested this in another thread a few months ago and it worked (https://www.computing.net/answers/windo ... 03835.html)

Microsoft removed the links for SP3 a while ago. If you need Service Pack 3 you can get it from the Internet Archive (aka Wayback Machine) or from my FTP:

https://web.archive.org/web/20140119014 ... 86-ENU.exe

or

http://sdfox7.com/xp/sp3/windowsxp-kb93 ... 86-enu.exe

[SistemaRayoXP]

I would higly reccomend to use VLK versions of Windows XP (Aka. Corporate versions) since they are much better than the OEM or RETAIL in the activation thing, as they're VLK, they just need a valid serial number, and will never ask for activation even when hardware change (Not as the OEM and RETAIL versions, that deactivate if you add a hard disk, a GPU or even if you just change the RAM, with this I meant internal hardware changes, not plugging and unplugging an USB).

Offtopic Comment

The exception to VLK is Windows XP MCE, since there's no VLK version of Windows XP MCE, but there's VLK for Tablet PC (Which is actually weird, because who would open those tablets to modify them? Maybe not the average user, but a desktop is upgraded more times than a tablet, which doesn't makes sense for the VLK version of Windows XP Tablet PC)

[WATERMELONS10]

Activation will still work after End-of-Life for Windows XP. For the x86_64 (64-bit) version of Windows XP Professional, I would go with the volume license version if I were you as the keys are plentiful on the internet and there is no online activation that you have to go through and there is no WGA validation or notification. That also applies for volume license versions of Windows Server 2003, 2003 x86_64 (64-bit), 2003 R2, and 2003 R2 x86_64 (64-bit). Actually, there is no WGA validation for Retail, OEM, and Volume builds of the before mentioned operating systems. As for the x86 (32-bit) volume license version of Windows XP Professional, it has no online activation, but when you go to retrieve updates, you have to go through WGA validation. Most of the leaked volume license keys for the x86 (32-bit) version of Windows XP Professional have been blocked by Microsoft and will fail WGA validation for updates. You will still be able to use the OS in general, but will have to be relegated to critical security updates only or have to manually download them yourself. There are ways around WGA, but posting instructions on how to crack software is against the forum rules. For Home Edition, your only options are Retail or OEM with online activation and WGA validation. Media Center Edition is only available as an OEM version with online activation and WGA validation. Both those editions are only available in the x86 (32-bit) architecture. I heard the Tablet PC Edition has not only OEM, but a Volume License version as well. I do not know much about that so I cannot provide much advice on that. (P.S. This post is in no way an endorsement of software piracy or copyright/patent infringement.)

[pa_petabyteag]

The activation on Windows XP nowadays can be questionable. What I've found is that none of my copies of Windows XP (Professional/Home Edition) want to even be recognized as a "valid product" on phone activation. However, Windows XP still seems to activate over the internet.

[DOS]

Microsoft removed the links for SP3 a while ago. If you need Service Pack 3 you can get it from the Internet Archive (aka Wayback Machine) or from my FTP:

One can probably also find it amongst all the TechNet and MSDN discs on the FTP.

[WATERMELONS10]

Actually you can download Service Pack 3 from the Microsoft Update Catalog. Here is the link: https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.co ... (KB936929).

[AlexRulesVGCP]

For some reason, you can't activate because it's a beta.