Will Microsoft turn off the Windows XP activations servers ?

[humble3d]

Will Microsoft turn off the Windows XP activations servers after official support ends in April 2014??

September 17, 2013 Richard Hay All Posts, Windows 10 comments

Last week I wrote a story about how all the discussion leading up to the official end of support for Windows XP in April 2014 reminded me a lot of the final months of 1999 as the year 2000 approached.

That story, thanks to being featured in last weeks PC Pitstop newsletter, has created quite a discussion over the last few days.

This post has come about because of one of the comments on that story:

What I most want to know is, will Microsoft also be stopping the auto validation system for when I have a full cleanup and want to reinstall from my fully bought and paid-for retail version of XP SP2 ?

A reply to that comment asked a similar question:

This is an excellent point. It didn’t even occur to me that MS might yank the plug on re-installation, although it would be great if someone could speak authoritatively to this point. I see is nothing on MS’s lifecycle page (windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/products/lifecycle) concerning perpetual re-installation.

That got me wondering and I think it is a valid question so I contacted a rep at Microsoft and posed it to the Windows team.

This is the reply I got back from a Microsoft spokesperson:

After XP End Of Support, Windows XP will remain on MSDN and TechNet for customers who still need to activate and re-activate XP (there aren’t new retail copies). We don’t have a date to share around when activation will be shut off, but it will be on for the foreseeable future.

Keep in mind that Windows XP was the first version of Windows that required activation within 30 days of installation in order to be able to continue using the OS. That means this is the first time an OS requiring activation will hit the end of official support. It is understandable that it would be a concern for those who simply do not want to move off Windows XP for whatever reason.

To give you an example of a typical time frame used for continued online server support lets look at Electronic Arts. When they release an updated version of Madden or most of their other games the TOS only guarantees on-line support for that title for two years after release. That does not mean it cuts off at two years – it just means that it is not guaranteed after that point.

Now I know that is not a firm answer as to when the ability to activate Windows XP after a fresh install will be turned off however, we at least know it is not going to be shut off on the same date that official support ends in April 2014.

How long would you like to see the Windows XP activation servers stay online after support ends in April 2014?

This post first appeared on WindowsObserver DOT com ...

_http://www.windowsobserver.com/2013/09/17/will-microsoft-turn-off-the-windows-xp-activations-servers-after-official-support-ends-in-april-2014/

[sirri]

shutting down the server won't affect us here since we already activated. Beside,many pre-activated or fully integrated patch XP SP3 around net including here @nsane.

cheers :wub:

[humble3d]

Many thanks for the heads up... I still like win98; w2k and XP :)

[bwop]

Won't matter I suppose. Combine pre-activated iso's out there, with no monthly patches to check for these things, I'd imagine XP will be easier than ever to pirate.

[CODYQX4]

.

Edited April 28, 2019 by CODYQX4

[NomNom]

The sooner they shut down the servers the better, will help kill off this OS once and for all.

Edited September 21, 2013 by NomNom

[davmil]

I think my full retail copy should be available to use until 2020 anyway. I know XP's dated, but I've got old hardware that's too gutless for Win 8 hanging around that I'd like to be able to use it on. I paid for the privilege of being able to (re)install as time goes by, they should honor their end of the bargain without me having to resort to 'other methods' of authentication.

[LiLmEgZ]

The sooner they shut down the servers the better, will help kill off this OS once and for all.

I agree... people just need to learn to move the fuck on.....

XP's technology is so old that you CANNOT play any newer games... due to the big reason being that it cant support DirectX 10+

[LiLmEgZ]

I think my full retail copy should be available to use until 2020 anyway. I know XP's dated, but I've got old hardware that's too gutless for Win 8 hanging around that I'd like to be able to use it on. I paid for the privilege of being able to (re)install as time goes by, they should honor their end of the bargain without me having to resort to 'other methods' of authentication.

Who said you had to use Windows 8 on this hardware you got? Just move up to Windows 7... should work just fine n dandy there as long as you check it with the Upgrade Advisor first :)

[viggen66]

The sooner they shut down the servers the better, will help kill off this OS once and for all.

I agree... people just need to learn to move the fuck on.....

XP's technology is so old that you CANNOT play any newer games... due to the big reason being that it cant support DirectX 10+

[LiLmEgZ]

The sooner they shut down the servers the better, will help kill off this OS once and for all.

I agree... people just need to learn to move the fuck on.....

XP's technology is so old that you CANNOT play any newer games... due to the big reason being that it cant support DirectX 10+

The reason XP doesn't support newer directx versions has to be to the fact that Microsoft is on a desperate way for users for buying newer operating systems, because there is an unofficial way of XP supporting directx 10, concerning the activation, just prepare your own XP with SLP strings of the bios of your motherboard, and you have a pre activated XP installation.

Its best to not use unofficial stuff to support DX10 on XP... easier to move on to Windows 7 and at LEAST that will still be supported til like 2020 anyhow :)

[viggen66]

Lilmegz, you are right, but not having support it doesn't mean is not safe, for instance Windows 2000 has no support, and very little attacks have being made to this OS, since very few used it, so the attackers will be targeting Windows 7 upwards, from this day forward, but XP is still the second most used OS in the world, for some reason it's still the best OS, Win 7 is full of bloatware for me.