Questions About Microcsoft Validation tool

Hello!
I have not reinstalled XP for sometime, but was in the process of rebuilding my system tonight, with a new copy (legitimate-store bought), with SP2 (my old copy had SP1-had to download SP2), and ran into the validation thing.
Since I have a lot of stuff to install and tweak, restarts, etc., I like to use and older drive to do a 'dummy' run of all my software and hardware, so I can experiment with the best way to install drivers, updates, etc. I make notes, then go back and do it from my notes, and make an image. That way my system is cleaner because there is less trial and error.
Only thing , I prefer to activate after I install the drive I am going to use, so I do not run into problems activating later. So, tonight, I go to do the 'dummy' run, and run into this validation thing. Essentially it appears that I am unable to experiment with updates without the activation process, which is the reason given to why validation is not completed. My questions are:
1.) How long has validation been going on? Is there anyway around it. Again, I have a legit copy, I just don't want to activate yet. I mean-come on-activation, now validation-geeze.....
2.) Is it a one time process, or is it something you run into every time you do windows updates. (I always do custom manual updates)
3.) In the FAQ, it indicates one can download essential security updates, without validating, so I assume, without activating. I went to the download center, but do not see anything resembling the update site which identifies updates needed for your system.

Would Appreciate any feedback

Thanks

 

Arie,
I was not looking for a hack around the validation permanently, just wanted to run the critical updates before I activated. Thanks everyone for the feedback.

Milt

 

You can activate Windows now and once you have finished testing all of the updates go to C:\WINDOWS\system32 and backup the file called wpa.dbl. When you have formatted your computer and reinstalled windows, boot into safe mode and put this file back in C:\WINDOWS\system32. Restart and you will have an activated version of windows .

wpa.dbl is an encrypted database containing details about your computer that are required for activation.

 

why? what diff does it make as it pertains to activation? i can't see any reason to not activate it immediately. if u've gotta reinstall and u'r product is legit, u'll have no problems.

i can't fathom why u'd need to 'test' on an old drive. it just makes no sense to me but ... many things don't make much sense to me

and u could create u'r own sp2 disk w/ all updates to current and use it to install. see xpcreate or such.

 

milt--Following up on what a60wattfish suggested, here are some details on avoiding frequent reactivation
http://www.theeldergeek.com/activation_workaround.htm
http://www.pcworld.com/howto/article/0,aid,122115,00.asp

 

Skeet, I am rebuilding a system. I am not just referring to Windows updates. There is a lot of new software, and a new drive. There is considerable time involved in downloading updates to all the software, testing stuff out, etc., It involves lots of restarts, trial and error, seeing what works and doesn't. When I do so, I like to know what I am doing with all the software, and make an image. When I have it all figured out, I will install the new drive, activate, and go through the rebuild from my notes. That way I have a clean system, less prone to error, and less wear and tear on the new drive. Activating on one drive, and then reactivating on another, it seems, would cause a flag in the activation process.

I think what was bugging me about the validation tool, is that it effectively nullifies the 30 day trial you have with XP prior to activation, since there are so many updates, both critical and optional, that are essential to really test the product, and to test it with other software, and to make it fully functional and safe. For instance, you can't download Direct X 9.0c without validation (which requires activation), which is a requirement for some other software I have.

Milt

 

Wellshjim & Wattfish,

That is some great information for reinstalling Windows which I can use-Thanks. However, I am sure it would not work for reinstalling on the new drive after I have gone through all the testing on the old drive. I simply wanted to install XP on an old drive, check out all the updates, critcial and non critical, tweak the OS (services, etc.), install all the software, check out the updates, etc. Then, from my notes on the above, I would install a new drive, install XP and activate, and proceed to rebuild from my notes. From some of the posts, it looks like that would be possible at least with the critcial updates. But that sure would be time consuming to download them all. Prior to validation, you could do all this within the 30 day trial period.
As I said above, it seems as though the validation tool effectively nullifies full use of that trial period as it restricts downloads and updates.

BTW, If you leave auto-updates on (I have always had it off), will XP download critical updates without requesting validation if it is not activated?

Milt

 

Christopher,
I have been imaging for about 5 years, and would not want to compute without it. The time I put into building the software in a system pays-off as I image in stages along the way, and usually have some base I can come back to without reloading windows again. When I was using Win98-I ended up not having to reinstall for 4-5 years.
Anyway, I will take your idea under advisment. Two questions:
1.) Are you pretty confident of the 'critical updates' list you have, and are some of these installed in cumulative updates if you are doing it online (I assume so).
2.) What about some of the non-critical updates like I mentioned-i.e DX9.0c? I will need to check, but I do not think it is bundled. It does require validation, and therefore activation. I can do it later when I activate, but I generally do that early one.


Milt

 

Christoph...ur...Christer (hehheh-sorry)
Well good then. One other question: Does the list you created assume SP2 is installed, and build on that (I assume it does). I ask because I have another system that is based on a Pro disc with SP1-SP2 has to be downloaded separately. If I needed to rebuild that system in the same manner, using that version of XP, would I be able to download SP2 prior to validating, then use your list. I assume SP2 contains many critical updates in itself.

Also, since you image a lot (BTW-which imager do you use?), do you ever have any problems restoring an image with an activated Windows XP on it, and not having to reactivate? An interesting thing: I ounce made a base image of the other version of XP I have (SP1) prior to activating-restored the image, and the same amount of time showed for the grace period, as when I made the image-although some time had passed. Not so with SP2-restoring the image shows the accurate amount of grace period left from when I had installed XP. Maybe something MS fixed in SP2 so people would not just restore the image over and over prior to the 30 days. I am pretty sure if you ghosted an activated XP system, put in a new HD and attempted to restore the activated image onto that HD, there would be a problem? What do you think?

Milt

 

Christer,
I too use Ghost 03 and also have Drive Image 2000 (+vs 7 which I do not use because it is GUI based). Ditto on the floppies-I never create or restore from within windows-I just don't see how you can create an accurate image that way. I like the interface of Drive Image better, but lately have been using Ghost since it can write to DVD. I also have an older logical based program called EZ-Image, which was primarily disigned for Win98-used it for years. Since it is logical based, not physcial based, and does not recreate a partition, I can restore an image created by it anywhere. It is not designed for XP, but one of my systems is a dual boot, and can create an image of XP from the floppies in DOS, that were created in Win98.

BTW, the other night when I created an image from within Ghost, I was prompted to mark the drive-since the floppies were created from an install of Norton on another HD. Do you know what this means? Seemed to related to liscences in some way.

Anyway, thanks for the info on the Slipstreaming-I checked the article, and will create a CD for the other non SP1 Pro.

Milt