How does activation differ in Windows Vista compared to Windows XP?
Product activation in Windows Vista ™ is similar to that of Windows XP, and requires little to no effort on the part of our customers. Activation requires users of Microsoft software to follow a simple and anonymous process to sustain access to the software. When customers activate their software via the Internet, they provide a product identification code to generate an installation ID number (hardware identifier) to confirm Activation. No personally identifiable information is required. Activation over the Internet takes a few seconds; activation via a Microsoft customer service representative over the telephone requires a couple of minutes. The only exception is for Microsoft Volume License customers, who will utilise elements of Volume Activation 2.0 in Windows Vista, depending upon their deployment scenario.
