[krizzy]

Win XP is based on the NT / 2000 OS. Now I have used this trick with NT and 2000 but I have not tried it on XP.

Open regedit 23
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
- SYSTEM
- CurrentControlSet
(delete) the "Enum" key

When the OS starts the first time, it has no record of any hardware and goes through the process of installing all your hardware.

with XP wou will have to call Microsoft and buy a new key.

If you have never played with REGEDIT32 use this only as a last resort. One wrong keystroke and you will be re installing the OS.

[John Lenin]

Get XP Coprorate, no activation required. :-)

[CFC__VRWC]

Thanks for the tip. I installed my desktop copy of XP on my laptop, and of course had to go through the activation process. Microsoft didn't charge me for that, but who knows what they'll do in the future?

If they get too greedy, I'll give it a try.

[goldstategop]

Get Goback. Its better than Windows XP's built-in restore utility and even lets you reboot into Windows from a boot up menu with no boot up disks or complicated commands to input if one day your OS should go south. Its the restore feature Microsoft who have equipped Windows XP with but didn't and after having to reinstall Windows the hard way its worth every penny.