Bob

As I have too much time on my hands I do a lot of guinea pigging ( testing
for others ) and I have changed many a motherboard and cpu while running both
XP pro and Vista and this is what I have found based on genuine Intel MoBo's
not other makes or rebadged boards.
1. If you have to replace you MoBo and you do it with the same board you
don't have to re activate. If you upgrade the board you do naturally.
2. You can change your CPU to whatever you want without having to re activate.
3. You can add or remove any card or memory without having to re activate.
4. I have done numerous BIOS updates without it effecting Windows ( whatever )
5. I have also done Intel hardware updates without any effect to activation.

I have found this to be true for both OEM and Original copies of the O/S.

Now I don't know if this answers questions or creates more, but 3 cpu's and
5 MoBo's should be enough changes to make this statement.

"Richard Urban" wrote:

> YOU understand wrong. Microsoft never modifies bios code.
>
> --
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Richard Urban
> Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
> (For email, remove the obvious from my address)
>
> Quote from George Ankner:
> If you knew as much as you think you know,
> You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
>
> "Robert Robinson" <robbiex@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
> news:uJCGZ3vkHHA.1624@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> > It is my understanding that Microsoft modifies a motherboard's BIOS code
> > as part of the activation process. I installed a factory recommended BIOS
> > update and Windows Server 2007 now wants to be re-activated.
> > Modifying BIOS code is a risky process. Any failure, as from a power
> > outage, floppy read error or software glitch, can result in an inoperable
> > BIOS. Correcting this problem requires either a new EEPROM IC or "factory"
> > re-programming of the existing IC. In the interim, the computer is
> > completely disabled.
> > Microsoft's modification of BIOS code is an unwarranted, hazardous
> > intrusion of customer owned hardware.
>
>