Odd type of back up question

[ButchN]

I hope I'm wording this right.

Are there files that can be backed up & reinstalled so one doesn't have to go through the activation / validation process every time you change hardware or reinstall XP?

[jcarle]

Do not double post.

[ButchN]

Do not double post.

If you can't answer the question properly, please do not answer.

For your information I did not double post.

Fizban, you locked the other post for no reason.

I posted in the Vista & XP sections because I have 2 notebooks, one with each OS & I posted in each section asking about that sections OS, so how is that considered a double post?

Re-read each & you'll see that each is in their prospective section with the XP one clearly asking about XP & the one in Vista clearly asking about Vista.

So that is not a double post even though each is worded nearly the same with just the last word being different.

A double post would be posting the same exact thing, verbatim, which I did not do.

So Fizban, please open the Vista one as I do not know if the procedure is the same or not, if there is one, for each OS.

[Zxian]

A quick search on the Unattended guide found this.

There's a LOT of information out there - but please please please search for it. This is at least the 10th time that I've seen this exact question asked. You probably could have found your answer by searching for "Activation backup" in the Google bar at the top of the page, or "Windows XP Activation Backup" in Google itself. See what "I'm feeling Lucky" brought. I found all of this within 2 minutes... and that didn't require any vast prior knowledge.

And jcarle can answer the question properly (I've yet to find a question he can't answer), but it seems like you did absolutely no research on your own, and he didn't want to help you out.

[ButchN]

jcarle can answer the question properly (I've yet to find a question he can't answer), but it seems like you did absolutely no research on your own, and he didn't want to help you out.

Your right, I didn't search, not because I didn't want to, but in the short time I've been here I've been reading & trying to take in as much info as I can and far as this topic went, I wasn't exactly sure how to word my search which is why I asked for help.

Far as jcarle, I posted 2 different things in 2 different forums & did not double post, which was my beef with his "do not double post" comment.

Far as not helping out, not good in anyones eye for any reason.

Far as unattended goes, I appreciate the link but I had not read enough or learned enough to know what exactly unattended is about & did not want to look really stupid asking.

I'm still new here & looking to learn, am a mod on some auto forums & I know how to use search but I am a bit "lost" here with the new wealth of PC info so please don't beat me up too bad.

We are all new at one time where ever we go.

In time I'll be a great member & contributor here.

Thanks.

[severach]

It sounds like you are trying to reinstall Windows and preserve activation. If the laptops are a big brand name then they preactivate so there is no need to preserve anything. The complete instructions for making a preactivated CD for Windows XP are here:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=63258

Vista is a work in progress so is more difficult but there is a topic here that can help:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=91961