Windows Product Activation

(W-P-A)

A system activation feature introduced by Microsoft with Windows XP. The operating system checks certain items on the computer (either the BIOS or combinations of hardware usually) and, if changed, requires the user to contact Microsoft to obtain an authorization number in order to continue using the operating system. The purpose of WPA is supposedly to keep the operating system from being illegally copied [Note: A number of ways around WPA have already been published!] The activation information is stored in the file WPA.DBL in the System32 folder.

More Information

• Microsoft Tech Library Article