How to restore XP activation status after a reformat

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 3 Jul 2007 2:39 am

Just got this from the Windows XP newsletter. This can be used if you do a "clean" reinstall (reformat the hard drive and reinstall everything) on an XP or Vista machine.

How to restore XP activation status information after a reformat

1.Double-click My Computer, then double-click on the "C" drive.

2.Navigate to the C:\Windows\System32 folder.

3.Locate the files named "wpa.dbl" and "wpa.bak" and copy them to a safe location such as a USB key or CD.

4.Reformat your disk and reinstall Windows XP on your reformatted hard drive, click "No" when asked if you want to activate Windows.

5.Reboot your computer into SafeMode (press F8 as Windows is booting up to see the Windows Advanced Options menu and select SAFEBOOT_OPTION=Minimal)

6.Double-click My Computer, then double-click on the "C" drive again.

7.Navigate to the C:\Windows\System32 folder again.

8.Locate the files named "wpa.dbl" and "wpa.bak" (if it exists) and rename them to "wpadbl.new" and "wpabak.new"

9.Copy your original "wpa.dbl" and "wpa.bak" files from your USB key, CD or DVD or other location into the C:\Windows\System32 folder

10.Restart your system

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 3 Jul 2007 9:19 am

I always make a backup of the wpa.dbl file after activating Windows XP on my, or a client's computer and save it to either a cd, floppy, or thumbdrive. This is best done right after a clean install, or when you first take your new computer home. You never know when you'll need to reinstall because of file corruption, or more likely, because of rootkit infections (except for people running with reduced user privileges.

Gary Shepherd · Post by **Gary Shepherd** » 13 Jul 2007 9:58 am

What does wpa.dbl do for me? Is that the file that Windows looks at for registration info? If I back up this file, reinstall Windows, and replace the new wpa.dbl with the one I backed up will I avoid having to activate Windows for the new installation?

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 13 Jul 2007 12:45 pm

According to the article that's what the procedure I listed will do. When you reinstall XP, you copy those files to the location noted and supposedly you won't have to reactivate.

I haven't tried it. Just posted the procedure from the WinXP newsletter.

Gary Shepherd · Post by **Gary Shepherd** » 13 Jul 2007 12:50 pm

I guess I should have read the first post in this thread, eh?

Jim Peters · Post by **Jim Peters** » 13 Jul 2007 1:50 pm

Why not just reactivate? Only takes a minute. JP

Gary Shepherd · Post by **Gary Shepherd** » 13 Jul 2007 1:53 pm

Windows will only let you reactivate so many times. Around 5 depending on which version you have. Of course, you can usually call Microsoft and they'll help you past the 5 activations. But why have to bother with all that?

Some of use reinstall Windows quite often. Having to call MS and beg for another activation is irritating. Of course, I have a corporate edition now that requires no activation so it's not really an issue for me anymore. I just never knew about that one file so that point was interesting.

Rather than reinstall from the Windows CD, I normally reinstall from a backup that I made of a fresh Windows installation.

Jim Peters · Post by **Jim Peters** » 13 Jul 2007 8:38 pm

That makes sense, I've reinstalled mine at least 4 times, no problem with activation, not yet anyway. JP