[Golden Eagle]

I seriously doubt there's any way you'd have to re-register your windows if you had to replace your motherboard. atomdevil is creating hype and must be refering to a motherboard upgrade or system overhaul.

[Citizen of the Savage Nation]

I seriously doubt there's any way you'd have to re-register your windows if you had to replace your motherboard. atomdevil is creating hype and must be refering to a motherboard upgrade or system overhaul.

Who replaces their MB, unless its DOA? Most upgrade, and that requires re-authorization, which is not too much of a pain with XP, hopefully Vista will be no worse.

[antiRepublicrat]

I seriously doubt there's any way you'd have to re-register your windows if you had to replace your motherboard.

Microsoft's product activation takes a snapshot of major hardware components on your system. It looks at the following at least:

• Serial number of system volume
• NIC MAC address
• CDROM
• graphics adapter
• CPU
• hard drive
• SCSI adapter
• IDE controller
• processor model
• RAM size

Changing any three or more triggers reactivation (XP thinks it's on a new system). The normal motherboard has the IDE controller and CPU (plus processor model, if you switch). Add to that the average mobo has an onboard NIC, and that people usually upgrade RAM during a switch, replacing a mobo will most likely count as a new system.