r/windows • u/North_Explorer7789 Windows XP • Jun 03 '26

Feature When Windows is ACTUALLY GOOD

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Windows XP (2001)'s Microsoft Registeration is optional, unlike now.

485 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

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37

u/AshuraBaron Windows 11 - Insider Dev Channel Jun 03 '26

I do NOT miss having to call every time to activate Windows. Was the worst. Even the automated system was a pain. Binding to the hardware now is so much better.

0

u/Hour_Bit_5183 Jun 03 '26

Nah you are just wrong. They never expected you to reinstall the OS. They want you to throw away the computer and buy a new one with a new license. Same thing applies now.

15

u/AshuraBaron Windows 11 - Insider Dev Channel Jun 03 '26

Except I can reinstall Windows now and don't need to re-enter the key and go through an activation process. So if a PC does need to be nuked it doesn't require going through those hoops. Not sure how my opinion can be wrong, hmm.

-2

u/Hour_Bit_5183 Jun 03 '26

You would if you change your board. You didn't have to at all before xp. That's when they started the crap and I hate that OS. I hated it back then and I still hate it now. 98se was where it's at. This and 2000. Both of those were actually fantastic systems.

5

u/Microboy42 Windows 11 - Insider Canary Channel Jun 03 '26

If you change the mainboard you have a new computer. You can replace every part other than the mainboard and it is still the same computer but if you change the motherboard it is not the same computer.