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Geekery with Windows XP
In a recent article on the website "The Register" they mentioned a hack that would activate Windows XP without using the Internet (that method is defunct anyways) or by calling a phone number and getting a really long string of numbers to insert into the right place.
I read the article and said, "I've got to try this."
I had to do a little digging to find the program - it was a tiny thing - and download it. Then with two different Windows XP Professional disks (pulled from a dumpster) I successfully installed and activated Windows XP Pro on two machines that originally had XP installed on them.
No, I'm *not* connecting them to the Internet.
XP gave you a 30 day grace period to activate Windows. If after 31 days machines still boot without issue then I'll know the hack worked.
I would *not* recommend this unless you have ancient software and/or hardware that *only* works on Windows XP. I understand there are machine systems that interface with XP *only* or are no longer supported by the original manufacturers or coders. Some of this equipment is critical so some businesses. Me? I *could* install some hardware that I doubt works with Windows 7 or 10 (and does *not* work in Linux) and play with it but I mostly did it just to see if I could do it.
XP was around for a really long time and some people have fond memories of it. I switched to Linux just before XP was released so I only used it in at work so I don't have fond memories of it. But honestly, after Microsoft worked the bugs out it had some serious legs. Windows 7 was better. Windows 10 is annoying and Window 11/12 promises to be AI driven. No. No way I'm using them.
But it was fun to see the old wallpaper with that great green hill again.
-m
I read the article and said, "I've got to try this."
I had to do a little digging to find the program - it was a tiny thing - and download it. Then with two different Windows XP Professional disks (pulled from a dumpster) I successfully installed and activated Windows XP Pro on two machines that originally had XP installed on them.
No, I'm *not* connecting them to the Internet.
XP gave you a 30 day grace period to activate Windows. If after 31 days machines still boot without issue then I'll know the hack worked.
I would *not* recommend this unless you have ancient software and/or hardware that *only* works on Windows XP. I understand there are machine systems that interface with XP *only* or are no longer supported by the original manufacturers or coders. Some of this equipment is critical so some businesses. Me? I *could* install some hardware that I doubt works with Windows 7 or 10 (and does *not* work in Linux) and play with it but I mostly did it just to see if I could do it.
XP was around for a really long time and some people have fond memories of it. I switched to Linux just before XP was released so I only used it in at work so I don't have fond memories of it. But honestly, after Microsoft worked the bugs out it had some serious legs. Windows 7 was better. Windows 10 is annoying and Window 11/12 promises to be AI driven. No. No way I'm using them.
But it was fun to see the old wallpaper with that great green hill again.
-m