Backup / Restore XP Activation

by Wayne Maples [Published on 20 April 2004 / Last Updated on 20 April 2004]

When you activate Windows XP, Microsoft stores the data in the Windows Product
Activation database files wpa.dbl and Wpa.bak in the folder %systemroot%\system32. If
you change the motherboard or make significant hardware changes, XP will require you
to reactive. But if you plan to reinstall XP on the same hardware, you can back up the
activation status and then restore it after you reinstall and avoid the activation process.
You can backup the Windows Product Activation database files to diskette. They are very
small. A directory listing from my XP Pro workstation:
C:\WINDOWS\system32>dir wp*
Volume in drive C has no label.
Volume Serial Number is 8447-0571
Directory of C:\WINDOWS\system32
10/24/2001
01/14/2002

08:28 PM
09:05 AM

12,584 wpa.bak
12,642 wpa.dbl

After you reinstall XP, to restore the Windows Product Activation database files:

Start XP to Minimal Safe mode

Change directory to the \%systemroot%\system32 folder

Rename the newly created wpa.dbl to wpa.nonactivated and wpa.bak, if it exists,

to wpabak.nonactivated.

Copy your backed up wpa.dbl and wpb.bak files to the system32 folder

Reboot

This should work if you want to avoid activating XP after a reinstall or restore on the same
or very similar hardware. It will not work if the hardware is significantly different from that
in place when the Windows Product Activation database files were created. This is not a
hack to avoid activating installations.