Windows XP Registration and activation

Per MS:

Activate Windows XP Right Away
If you have not activated Windows XP, you will be reminded each time you log in and at common intervals until the end of the activation grace period of 30 days. If you have not activated Windows XP within this timeframe, you will need to do so to continue using it.

If you choose to activate your product over the Internet, upon your submission the activation wizard will detect your Internet connection and connect to a secure server to transfer your installation ID to Microsoft. A confirmation ID is passed back to your computer, automatically activating Windows XP. This process normally takes just a few seconds to complete. No personally identifiable information is required to activate Windows XP.

To activate Windows XP over the telephone, you can simply call a toll-free* number displayed on your screen. A customer service representative will ask for the installation ID number displayed on the same screen, enter that number into a secure database, and return a confirmation ID to you. Once you have typed the confirmation ID, the activation process is complete.

Product Registration
Product activation is not the same as product registration. As discussed above, product activation isrequired and is completely anonymous. Product registration, on the other hand, is completely optional. You may opt to provide personal information, such as your e-mail address, for product registration purposes. Registration entitles you to receive information about product updates and special offers directly from Microsoft. All registration information provided is stored securely and no information is ever loaned or sold to third parties.

Hope this helps!

When you boot the machine, you should get a message stating that your product needs to be activated, and there should be prompts to do it either over the Internet or by phone.

If you installed XP Pro using a volume license key, the product is already activated and you will not get the message.

You can accomplish registration (if you wish) and activiation in one operation.

Registration is not a requirement to us Windows XP. Activation is.

Probably about the second time you start it up, you will start being prompted to activate your installation. The wizard will also accomplish regristration if you want to do this. Registration will consist of answering all the standard questions (who you are, where you live, what are your computing habits, etc.).

The activation part of the procedure is very easy. You indicate what country you live in (this is the only personal information you must supply for activation). The wizard than uses an algorithm to compute a hash of your software product key and major components of your computer to create an activation number.

If you can connect to the Internet, this activation number will automatically be sent to Microsoft. If not the wizard will provide you with the activation number and prompt you to call Microsoft. If you activate over the Internet, Microsoft sends an activation key back to the computer to finalize activation and prevent any further prompts. If you activate over the phone, the Microsoft rep will give you and activation key that you must enter to accomplish the same thing.

Activation must occur within 30 days of the time you load the software or it will cease to function.

If the Activation Wizard does not automatically appear, there is also a shortcut on the Start menu (can't tell you exactly where - not on my computer - it disappears once you activate).

If you purchase XP in bulk through one of the Microsoft licensing programs, you receive a product key that does away with the need to activate each computer XP is installed on.