MS shafting new XP users Vista News Discuss MS shafting new XP users in the Windows Vista forums; System Builders: Microsoft Makes Windows XP Downgrades Tough At the Redmond, Wash., software giant's system builder summit last week in Phoenix, several channel executives criticized Microsoft's activation requirements, ...

[Snuffy]

System Builders: Microsoft Makes Windows XP Downgrades Tough

At the Redmond, Wash., software giant's system builder summit last week in Phoenix, several channel executives criticized Microsoft's activation requirements, which force partners and customers to call the company to obtain a special override key to activate Windows XP on new PCs with Windows Vista pre-installed.

The intent of activation is to reduce piracy, but requiring customers and partners to call Microsoft and get a unique key to reactivate XP on every new Vista PC purchase frustrates new PC sales and hinders customer migrations to Vista, according to system builders

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I guess my VLK for Windows XP Corp SP2 is worth lots of money.

"It's a real dilemma for Microsoft. We've heard of some customers getting a new Windows XP COA number when they call the activation line, which creates problems because then customers are basically getting two licenses for the price of one," Swank said.

There is a workaround: Technicians can install XP without a new Certificate of Authenticity using a Volume License CD. Yet system builders are concerned that such a method would look shady to customers, Swank said.

Another sticky wicket that MS has created...