*** Excerpt from official Microsoft documentation ***Frequently asked questions about how to activate and how to troubleshoot activation issues for Flight Simulator XArticle ID: 927007Last Review: October 26, 2006Revision: 1.2[...]Q3: What is the Installation ID?A3: Activation is associated with the specific hardware installation ID. During activation, the Activation Wizard creates a unique hardware identification that represents the configuration of the computer at the time of activation. The hardware identification does not include any personal information, any information about software or data that may reside on the computer, or any information about the specific make or model of the computer. The hardware identification identifies only the computer, only for activation.The installation ID is unique for every computer. If you install certain Microsoft Windows updates, change or upgrade hardware components and then reinstall the game, the Installation ID will change. This change creates an error message that states that you have exceeded the number of activations.Q4: How many times can I activate the product?A4: You can activate games for Windows two times. Removing and then reinstalling the game will not affect the game activation quota as long as you have not changed any hardware components on the computer.[...]Q7: How do I activate my Microsoft Game for Windows?A7: When you start the game for the first time, you are prompted to click Activate or to click Remind me later. If you click Activate, you must enter the product key. If you do not to activate the product, the game will run in the reduced functionality mode. You can run the game without activating it as long as you want. However, in the reduced functionally mode the game will run for only 30 minutes. Additionally, some features such as the multiplayer feature will be unavailable in the game. To continue to use all the features of the product, you must activate the product.[...]*** ***To see the entire document: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927007/en-usShould the end user be obliged to pay for a FSX licence with only two chances to upgrade his hardware or to reinstall the operating system?An example? I've installed and activated FSX (activation counter = 1) only to realize that I have to change my hardware (motherboard, processor, RAM and video card) because performances with my current configuration are absoluterly inadequate. Consequently I will have to make a new installation of Windows XP in the new hardware (activation counter = 2). Then, at the beginning of 2007, when Windows Vista will be available, I will have to make a new installation of Windows Vista in the same (new) hardware (oops... activation counter = 3) and... will I have to pay for a new FSX Product Key?No commentAndrea

Once again, just as in this mornings thread, I'll again print you the answer, from Hal at Microsoft.We've been looking at the licensing / activation policy all along, especially, of course, since FSX hit the shelves. What we haven't done a good job communicating, IMO, is the fact that the 2-license limit resets periodically, and, if you've "used up" your two, then run out and buy a new 8Ghz box so you can set the sliders at 75% (sorry...), you may not be able to activate online automatically, but you *will* be able to call in and answer a few questions and activate that way. Yes, a lot of our support infrastructure wasn't quite where we wanted it to be when we launched - I cringe every time I read about 110 minute hold times and customers needing activation codes being told to reboot, etc. Thankfully, these sorts of problems are dminishing dramatically, every single day. And, yes, Flight Sim users tend to upgrade their machines or build new ones a lot more frequently than, say, my word-processing web-surfing dad. Nobody on this thread is saying this, but I'm in the mood to make a dramatic pronouncement, so here you go, on general principles: WE HAVE NO INTENTION OF PUNISHING ANYONE FOR BUYING NEW HARDWAREPlease remember that. If it means that we need to make adjustments to our activation policies to accomodate our customers, we will. The good news is that any changes we might make can all be done on the back end, without the resource costs and risks associated with updating or patching the core product. I'm sure most of you would rather we focus on other issues in FSX ...Thanks -HalHal Bryanedit: this comes from a quote in a Policy thread thats on page 5 of this forum.

>WE HAVE NO INTENTION OF PUNISHING ANYONE FOR BUYING NEW HARDWARE....I would not mind if I thought I could activate it by phone in, say, 1 to 3 minutes....but there is a problem here with the activation center with people that cannot even speak fluent English

>I would not mind if I thought I could activate it by phone in,>say, 1 to 3 minutes....>>but there is a problem here with the activation center with>people that cannot even speak fluent EnglishLOL, that is ANY tech support thanks to damaging outsourcing!Regards, MichaelKDFW

Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe nForce4 SLI-x16 / AMD

>>WE HAVE NO INTENTION OF PUNISHING ANYONE FOR BUYING NEW>HARDWARE>....>>>I would not mind if I thought I could activate it by phone in,>say, 1 to 3 minutes....>>but there is a problem here with the activation center with>people that cannot even speak fluent EnglishUnless you run into very unusual circumstances, you won't even talk to a "live operator" at all. You are dealing only with an automated voice system...

I am fed up with Mickysoft!:~P

Oh for Pete's sakes... just give them a call if and when you need to. Until then, stop blaming Microsoft for trying to protect its product. Trust me, I have been around the block several times with other development companies, MS doesn't even come near the atrocities that Sony has committed against my system.

Ok.Its Microsoft did not know Micky had his own OS. Maybe your getting Pluto support.:) The activation has been painless for me. And 1000's of others. Its even been posted how easy the phone activation is if you have to go that way.Its automated just get a new code like if you have to redo Windows Xp. If you have every done that you will see its not that bad.:)

>thanks to damaging outsourcing!>Absolutely damaging! But, if everyone didn't feel entitled to make six-figure salaries, we wouldn't have this problem...but I digress, this is hardly an FS topic. :)RhettAMD 3700+ (@2.5 ghz), eVGA 7800GT 256 (94.47), ASUS A8N-E, PC Power 510 SLI, 2 GB Corsair XMS 3-3-3-8, WD 250 gig 7200 rpm SATA2, CoolerMaster Praetorian

Dear ,don't you think that it's too much convenient for Microsoft to write officially one thing and to say unofficially another thing? Have we to depend on the first "official position" or have we to depend on Microsoft's kindness? There shouldn't be any chance, and the official position of Microsoft should be more clear and transaprent.Andrea

I have finally managed to track down an exclusive photo of the Support Centre

hahahahahahaha, thanks Ozzie.Jeff

>hahahahahahaha, thanks Ozzie.>>JeffNo worries Jeff

>I have finally managed to track down an exclusive photo of>the Support Centre>>That is hillarious.. He is at the beach with the computer? I thought there is offices.