Andrew McLaren

"Dan Ulrich" <DanUlrich@MSN.COM> wrote ...
> I installed and configured 64bit first and have activiated the product
> using the Key on the package. When I booted into 32bit and tried to
> activate it, I get "The product key you typed is already in use".

Hi Dan,

Yes, unfortunately this is how activation works in Vista. The second
instance of Windows, installed on a separate partition, asks to be activated
after it is first started. So far, so good. But when you go to activate,
Activation calculates an unique ID for the hardware, which is derived from
several factors including the identity of the drive it was booted from. Even
though Windows is booting from the same physical box, it is booting on a
different partition; so Activation calculates a different hardware ID for
that instance of Windows. Thus it thinks that it is on a different machine;
and says, No this Windows is already in use.

Personally I think this is a poor design on Microsoft's part - you should be
able to boot any number of instances of a Windows licence on the same
physical box, without penalty. Although, in fairness to Microsoft, they
probably didn't plan it this way deliberately. I suspect the Program
Managers in the Activation team just don't realise how common it is to dual
boot; so it's a kind of unintended side-effect of anti-piracy.

You can continue to use Windows for up to 30 days, without Activation. Most
things continue to work normally during that time. So one solution would be
to simply not activate, until you've decided whether to go 32 bit or 64
bit.Less than perfect, but it may be a solution.

Hope this helps,
--
Andrew McLaren
amclar (at) optusnet dot com dot au