Colin-uk Veteran Posted July 13, 2004 Veteran Share Posted July 13, 2004 Backup Windows Product Activation (WPA) Have you ever wanted to reinstall windows XP on a particular computer but chose not to because you went sure what you'd encounter when it came to windows product activation (WPA)? Well, there?s no need to be concerned because information about the current activation is stored in an encrypted database file named Wpa.dbl, which you can backup and then restore once you've reinstalled XP. Keep in mind this technique allows you only to reinstall XP on the same computer -it isn?t a hack to pirate the OS Here?s how to backup your Wpa.dbl file: 1. Insert a blank, formatted disk into the floppy disk drive. 2. Using windows explorer, navigate to the C:\Windows\System32 folder. 3. Right click on the Wpa.dbl file and select Send to > 3 1.2 Floppy. 4. You can then reform the hard disk and reinstall XP, once the installation procedure is complete, follow these steps to restore the Wpa.dbl file: 5. Restart the computer. 6. Press [F8] when you see the message ?Please select the operating system to start?. 7. From the bootup menu, select safe mode. 8. Then using windows explorer, navigate to the C:\Windows\System32 folder. 9. Rename the new Wpa.dbl to Wpa.new. 10. Insert the disk that contains the backup into the floppy disk drive. 11. Copy the Wpa.dbl file from the floppy disk to the C:\windows\system32 folder. 12. Restart the computer. Since you?re using the exact copy of XP that was previously installed the original Wpa.dbl will be accepted and you won?t have to go through all the hassle of re-activation.<:) /> :) Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/189757-backup-windows-product-activation/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
CuteBear Posted July 14, 2004 Share Posted July 14, 2004 Work around for windows product activation (WPA)9. Rename the new Wpa.dbl to Wpa.new. may i have one question:How to deal with the renamed file" Wpa.new",delete it ?leave it? i am confused... :no: Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/189757-backup-windows-product-activation/#findComment-2484908 Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldeCrow Posted July 14, 2004 Share Posted July 14, 2004 this little tip will save your install happy sanity ! and its a lot smaller than making a disk image ;) Im a little supprised this hasnt been posted in the guide section before .. like back in july of 2001 or so cuz it was one of the first really usefull tips for making your life easier in xp .. still its better late than never :) Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/189757-backup-windows-product-activation/#findComment-2485770 Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiff~meister Posted July 15, 2004 Share Posted July 15, 2004 Thanks M8 stiff Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/189757-backup-windows-product-activation/#findComment-2490630 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mstx Posted July 15, 2004 Share Posted July 15, 2004 may i have one question:How to deal with the renamed file" Wpa.new",delete it ?leave it?i am confused... :no: I think you should leave it in case you mess up or something. Good guide, Colin-uk (Y) Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/189757-backup-windows-product-activation/#findComment-2490653 Share on other sites More sharing options...
CuteBear Posted July 15, 2004 Share Posted July 15, 2004 thx mstx. good work,Colin-uk . Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/189757-backup-windows-product-activation/#findComment-2491124 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borbus Posted July 15, 2004 Share Posted July 15, 2004 may i have one question:How to deal with the renamed file" Wpa.new",delete it ?leave it?i am confused... :no: Leave it if you want, it wont do anything except use a tiny ammount of hard disk space. You can delete if but it might come in handy if you ever need to replace the new one for whatever reason. The point is that the file wpa.new does not mean anything to windows, you could rename it to wpa.old if you want or (probably) anything else. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/189757-backup-windows-product-activation/#findComment-2491219 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin-uk Veteran Posted July 15, 2004 Author Veteran Share Posted July 15, 2004 Thanks to all those who liked my guide :happy: Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/189757-backup-windows-product-activation/#findComment-2491537 Share on other sites More sharing options...
harleydog Posted July 15, 2004 Share Posted July 15, 2004 Thank you. This is exactly what I have been needing! Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/189757-backup-windows-product-activation/#findComment-2491557 Share on other sites More sharing options...
futb0l Posted July 17, 2004 Share Posted July 17, 2004 Thanks m8. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/189757-backup-windows-product-activation/#findComment-2503038 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Lyle Global Moderator Posted July 17, 2004 Global Moderator Share Posted July 17, 2004 (edited) good to know... but im building my new PC.. and this won't work... << snipped >> Edited July 18, 2004 by gameguy Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/189757-backup-windows-product-activation/#findComment-2506983 Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Veteran Posted July 18, 2004 Veteran Share Posted July 18, 2004 Off-topic comments removed, title changed This isn't classified as any sort of crack because it doesn't circumvent anything. While I don't recommend doing this, it certainly does not bypass activation. Now can you all please keep the "OMG crack!!!" posts out of here? ;) Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/189757-backup-windows-product-activation/#findComment-2508522 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caboose447 Posted July 28, 2004 Share Posted July 28, 2004 This is awesome! I was hoping that there was a way for me to do this so that when I install Windows XP AGAIN on my laptop after I get it back from the shop, It'll save me a little time... NOW... if I have a dual-boot OS (Windows XP Pro and SuSE Linux) will it still work? Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/189757-backup-windows-product-activation/#findComment-584253232 Share on other sites More sharing options...
4CxbqFxVnstmA Veteran Posted August 1, 2004 Veteran Share Posted August 1, 2004 Thanks, mate, for a handy guide. The only other way I knew before of avoiding activating every time I reinstalled was to activate by phone the first time and then keep all the code numbers written down. Then, when I needed to reinstall, I would say I was activating by phone and just typing all the billions of numbers in from the last time. Your way sounds much easier! Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/189757-backup-windows-product-activation/#findComment-584276154 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZalmanLeib Posted August 19, 2004 Share Posted August 19, 2004 Seems broken in SP2 oem just tried before. :angry: can anyone confirm this? Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/189757-backup-windows-product-activation/#findComment-584389265 Share on other sites More sharing options...
imtoomuch Posted August 19, 2004 Share Posted August 19, 2004 Nice tip. Thanks. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/189757-backup-windows-product-activation/#findComment-584389590 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banzai Posted August 19, 2004 Share Posted August 19, 2004 is their a way of replacing the file using a script, if so could someone post how, I want to put this on my unattended windows xp cd Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/189757-backup-windows-product-activation/#findComment-584392345 Share on other sites More sharing options...
tktino Posted August 19, 2004 Share Posted August 19, 2004 :blush: i knew this from techtv. :blink: i learn somethiing off them Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/189757-backup-windows-product-activation/#findComment-584392442 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+John Teacake MVC Posted October 6, 2004 MVC Share Posted October 6, 2004 Just what I have been looking for. Can anyone confirm this still works with SP2 ? Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/189757-backup-windows-product-activation/#findComment-584684622 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+John Teacake MVC Posted October 6, 2004 MVC Share Posted October 6, 2004 Yeah that doesnt work on my machine. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/189757-backup-windows-product-activation/#findComment-584685314 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfarley Posted December 14, 2004 Share Posted December 14, 2004 Didn't work for me as well...but perhaps somehow my configuration has changed enough not to warrant an update but to conflict with the original. Mike Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/189757-backup-windows-product-activation/#findComment-585097501 Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerryf Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 This guide/tip/whatever is horse pucky----well, sort of. It began as a tip to help people under very specialized conditions, but over time it has spread over the internet as some universal cure for activation. It does not work because product activation is not simply a snapshot of hardware, but a snapshot of hardware and specific installation.... Hate seeing this bogus thing keep popping up.... For those who care, here is an excellent article WPA and why this does not work except under very limited circumstances (windows repairs) http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/189757-backup-windows-product-activation/#findComment-585114055 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rahul Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 id rather use the vlk version i got from mah college Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/189757-backup-windows-product-activation/#findComment-585115805 Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcos2006 Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 never mind Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/189757-backup-windows-product-activation/#findComment-585702066 Share on other sites More sharing options...
vysakh Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 this doesnt work with SP2 Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/189757-backup-windows-product-activation/#findComment-585738307 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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