MPA+Microsoft+Product+Activation

MPA Microsoft Product Activation

Thereʹs still a lot of confusion about Microsoft Product Activation (MPA), which is required when you install Windows XP, Office XP and above (including individual Office programs), and later versions of Frontpage, Visio, and Project.

The below is an almost verbatim quote from Microsoft

Microsoft Product Activation (MPA) is an anti‐piracy technology that is designed to help verify that the product is valid.


 * Which Microsoft products include MPA?**

MPA is included in several versions of Microsoft products, including Microsoft Office XP (and single programs such as Word 2002), Windows XP, Microsoft Visio 2002, Microsoft FrontPage 2002, and Microsoft Project 2002.

Product activation is required in retail packaged products and in new computers that have been purchased from a computer manufacturer.

Product activation is not required for licenses that customers acquire through one of the Microsoft volume licensing programs, such as Open License or Select License.


 * Which customers have to activate?**

All customers who purchase retail packaged products or a new computer from an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) have to activate the product.

The products on a new computer that was purchased from an OEM may be activated in the factory.

Product activation is not required for licenses that customers acquire through one of the Microsoft Volume Licensing programs, such as Open License or Select License.

Volume Licensing programs can be scaled to even the smallest businesses, and customers can qualify for the Microsoft Open License program by acquiring as few as five product licenses.


 * How does MPA work?**

MPA validates that the productʹs Product Key, which is required as part of product installation, has not been used on more computers than the productʹs end‐user license agreement (EULA) allows.

Generally, Windows XP can be installed on one computer, and Office XP can be installed on one computer and that computer userʹs portable computer.

The Product Key information, which the Product ID contains, is sent with a ʺhardware hashʺ (a number that the computerʹs hardware configuration generates) to the Microsoft activation system during activation.

In Windows XP SP1, the Product Key is also sent.

Activation is completed either directly by using the Internet or by making a telephone call to a customer service representative.

If you install Windows XP on the same computer by using the same Product Key, the number of activations is not limited.

MPA discourages piracy by limiting the number of times that a Product Key can be activated on different computers.

Can a product (for example, Windows XP or Office XP) be turned off remotely by using MPA?

No, the product cannot be turned off remotely by using MPA.


 * Why does Microsoft require customers to activate their products?**

MPA was designed as a simple way to verify the product license and to help reduce the spread of software piracy.

People who use pirated software contribute to a problem that can adversely affect job creation locally and regionally in the software industry and related businesses.

Software piracy is an enormous drain on the global economy, according to the 2000 BSA Software Piracy Report.

The report estimates that worldwide losses from software piracy in 2000 were almost $12 billion.

Software piracy also has a significant effect on the high‐tech industry, and the results are lost jobs, reduced innovation, and increased costs to consumers.


 * How does MPA help reduce piracy?**

MPA helps reduce casual copying by making sure that the copy of the product that is being installed is valid and that it has been installed on the computer in accordance with the productʹs EULA.

Installations that are not compliant with the EULA are not activated.


 * Have companies tried to implement anti‐piracy technologies?**

Anti‐piracy technologies have been used in the past, but they have not been easy for customers to use.

These technologies were generally not acceptable to customers or to the industry.

For example, some early computer products required specialized hardware components or disks that were cumbersome for the user.

MPA is a breakthrough technology because it makes activation a part of installing the product and helps avoid the problems of previous anti‐piracy methods.


 * How does the customer benefit from this approach?**

Over time, the result of reduced piracy is that the software industry can invest more in product development, quality, and support.

This leads to better products and more innovation for customers.

Ultimately, customers benefit from the economic effect of reduced piracy through more jobs and increased wages.

Customers also receive the added value for their software investment by receiving product updates and other product information.

MPA also helps prevent unsuspecting customers from purchasing counterfeit products.

Customers who purchase counterfeit products may find that they are missing key elements, such as user manuals, Product Keys, certificates of authenticity, and even software code.

They may also find that the counterfeit product contains viruses or does not work well.

This is particularly true of some BitTorrent, or Peer to Peer sites