Windows Reinstalling a registered WinXP OS Qs

I've been pissing around tweaking the crap out of WinXP Home. I've kinda got it the way I want it after the 4th clean install (props to Black Viper are in order). Once I've got it nailed (maybe another install ) and taken a disc image of the C: drive I'll register it.

But what complications may arise if (for whatever reason) I have to reinstall WinXP after registration?

For the most part Ghost and a C: drive image will resolve most problems if I bugger the OS. I'm talking like if the HD with C: goes bang or something else catastrophic.

Also, I'm now thinking that 15Gb for C: is a little excessive (10Gb is way more than enough). If I use the WinXP CD to trash my first HD (with C: and another partition D: for games) before reinstalling will the drive letters be C: and D: after a clean reinstall and WinXP boot up? I've noticed that the WinXP partitioning has a habit of lettering the drives higher up the alphabet if you have a second HD that's already partitioned.

 

If you've got the normal full or upgrade copies no problem re-registering, I gather MS get cautious if you try more than 4 times per year, but otherwise online registration should work.

OEM copies it's more tricky, if you change hardware significantly XP will deactivate and you won't get a new code. A new graphics card or drive won't hurt, but a new mobo and processor will.

There are a couple of files that contain details of your hardware, it's as well to keep recent copies and transfer them back after a clean install, in which case you can type in your activation code. Another legal trick to minimise hardware changes is to give the OS partition the same label after a format, more info here and here.

 

I don't know if XP does it any different, but if you format a second drive with FDISK, setting a partition as a primary DOS type will letter it as D:, even if you have more than one partition on the boot drive. This also applies if you buy a new drive and fit your old boot drive as slave. For a second drive, it saves confusion if you make it one extended partition with logical drives in it.

 

as for the drive lettering:

install XP with only the boot drive connected, then after setting xp up, connect the 2nd hdd. That should keep the lettering straight.