Alright, time to clear the air up on the difference between
"activation" and "registration". Please be sure to use the correct
word depending on what you are referring to.
There is a BIG difference between windows xp registration and windows xp
activation.
Registration can be done either over phone or over internet. Same
as Activation. The similarities stop here.
Registration is OPTIONAL. Activation is COMPULSORY, unless your
copy of Win XP is provided on a so-called system restore CD from
your computer manufacturer which you got free when you bought your
comp, in which case it has already been activated, or unless your
copy of Windows is bought under "volume licensing" agreement with
microsoft (see the last paragraph).
Registration process will ask you for personal info. Activation
does not, you will only need your activation code which is
somewhere with your Win XP packaging.
If you don't register Win XP, your comp WILL NOT stop working after
any period. If you don't activate, your comp WILL stop working
after 30 days until you activate XP.
Activation makes sure that one copy of windows XP will be
permanently installed on only one computer in the world. The only
people who do not need to activate Win XP are companies who have
signed volume licensing agreements with microsoft. They get to
install XP on multiple computers using a volume license product key
that tells windows to skip product activation.
Details here
and here.
