How Does Windows Product Activation Work
June 12, 2008 by Jason
Windows Product Activation (WPA) is Microsoft’s way of keeping you from installing a copy of Windows Vista on more than one computer. It basically marries the copy of Windows Vista you’ve purchased to the computer’s hardware it’s installed on.
When you enter the product key three identifiers are generated and collected:
* Hardware ID: A unique identifier that’s generated from information gathered about the computer’s hardware.
* Product ID: A 25-character unique key supplied when you purchase Windows Vista.
* Installation ID: An identifier Windows Vista creates from the hardware ID and product ID. Read More»
