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Assume that I have a very very bad user (trying to use nice language) who loves to format his Windows drive once in a week. It's always the same hard drive and the same user.

So, how many times can an OEM-licensed Windows be activated?

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Is he doing it maliciously or accidentally or because he thinks it's the right thing to do? – music2myear Feb 6 '12 at 19:20

2 Answers

up vote 7 down vote accepted

As the EULA States

Activation associates the use of the software with a specific computer ...

If the computer is connected to the Internet, the software may automatically connect to Microsoft for activation. You can also activate the software manually by Internet or telephone. If you do so, Internet and telephone service charges may apply. Some changes to your computer components or the software may require you to reactivate the software. The software will remind you to activate it until you do.

It will activate as many times as you activate it, on one computer, assuming you aren't breaking any other part of the EULA, such as using different hardware or more than one user or processor using the software at one time.

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up vote 3 down vote

It will allow you to activate unlimited times, because it's one user only.

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