How to bypass WGA and put put an XP retail installation on a slightly changed motherboard?
I have 2 machines here and both are almost identical. They each have the same exact Intel chip set, same motherboard type, etc. The only differences between them, as far as WGA is concerned, might be BIOS signature and perhaps the MAC address of their built in ethernet connection. As far as I know.
One motherboard is failing and won't accept more than 1 GB of RAM and becomes erratic after being on for 2+ hours. So, I want to take its hard drive and install it on its sister motherboard here, the one with the same exact chip set, same video adapter, same sound card, same hard drive serial number, etc.
The operating system is XP Pro retail upgrade version (not OEM). It would seem to me that I should be able to transfer this hard drive's XP installation to this 2nd machine, intact, without having to re-install XP, get it activated, get updates, get SP3, etc.
If I try to do this what will happen? And/or, if MS gives me the option to activate via telephone what do I tell the operator? Could it get by with saying I re-flashed the BIOS to accept more RAM? How about the MAC address of the built in ethernet card. Does WGA see its MAC address or does WGA see the MAC address in the router?
Sorry to be so long winded but I hope you guys will chime in and give me some good advice on this before I fire up the XP Pro install in this 2nd machine and try to start it.
Thanks..........
Dick |
