If you want a passively cooled Intel based PC, then look for Sandy Bridge or Ivy Bridge Pentiums or i3-s from the T series. Those have only 35W TDP and something like an Arctic Cooling Alpine 12 can keep them cool.

You can also get a passive GT740 GDDR5. It has about the same performance as a GTS250, sometimes close to GTX260 which are fairly fast XP era cards.

Though without a case fan even these might get warm.

ncmark wrote on 2021-07-26, 10:20:

Is it confirmed that internet activation has been shut down?

Earlier this year I tried activating WinXP "over the Internet" with no success, and that copy was a retail box. 🙄 Turned my head towards an OEM "system restore disc" copy instead.

Phone activation should be still working, but eh, too much hassle for unsupported OS.

You can still find Volume Licence iso's on the web if you look hard enough which don't have any activation.
I think if you own a XP licence of some sort then it's fine to use. Probably wouldn't stand up in court but then doubt the activation hacks would either if MS were going to be pri*ks about it

ncmark wrote on 2021-06-11, 20:31:

Just thinking here. I have a copy of Windows XP running on an A7v400 (or was it the 600?) It sat in the closet for a long time; […]
Show full quote

Just thinking here. I have a copy of Windows XP running on an A7v400 (or was it the 600?) It sat in the closet for a long time; then for the longest time I wiped and reinstalled every 30 days rather than activate it - I didn't want to "commit" that copy of windows XP to that hardware.

I would like to keep XP but I keep thinking about better hardware. I would want intel for sure, something more modern, like with real SATA ports so I an use a newer hard drive. Also, something where I could use a fanless heatpipe cooler would be a huge plus. If I could get something like that for socket A I would but it doesn't seem like it exists.

That was actually the last system I built; am not at all up on the latest boards. (I know, I wouldn't be getting a "latest" board but I could get something newer). I have browsed ebay for a long time, gravitated towards something like p5k or p5ql.

Any suggestions? Or just forget it / not worth it?

Integrate driverpacks you got hardware support for tech up to 2014.
Same goes for 2000 if anyone wants to use that but no exfat on them.
Use nlite to integrate an unofficial post sp3 update packs (excluding pos for pentium III below compatability)
You have post xp sp3 with every textmode driver for SCSI SATA RAID PATA, GPU ,LAN, WIFI, BLUETOOTH ,CAMERA ,etc
a little slower to install but no install wizards after for dot net dirext x etc
If anything make the 30 day ritual more deluxe

I have posted a retail and a home version on archive couple years ago but they are tollerated that I don't share keys, or bundle hacks and mods.
So the best way to share is vanilla codebase, no keys, no hacks and advise against online use without virtual machine.
If activation is 100% dead I will consider a corporate post of home and pro but without keys.
oem backups are the go though but i hate oem style cooking without its matched pc. Its a pain.
I would like to see a pack for windows xp from microsoft that will disable internet support explicitly and keep LAN stuff working basically remove internet stack so as to keep the retro door open but keep the nasties out unless in a virtual machine that is qualified to integrate the stack from the host. I mean lets face it apart from FTP AND IRC internet is too heavy for xp browser with kernelex it has issues. FPROT goes out of support this year owners say they only want buisness customers for other services, apart from clam av they are the last option for virus protection but spubot 1 is still up. Spybot anti malware isn't good enough anymore because I have been hijacked with it. IPV6 is the initial release they didn't make a final release for its support on xp built in wifi control is on XP X64
At least there is mirc versions that don't expire once a year 🤣
Unlike media player for win2k and win 9x; xp mplayer 11 supports 320k mp3 ripping.

Well - I guess I had to see it for myself
Reinstalled XP, complete with SP3 - "unable to connect to activation server"
And THIS is why so many people protested the activation nonsense
End of an era

Just call the 800 number you can activate over the phone

chrismeyer6 wrote on 2021-07-31, 18:33:

Just call the 800 number you can activate over the phone

My current residence has no landline (not that I don't want one; the landlord uninstalled it), so I have to choose between calling with my cell phone (not to mention the carrier signal is very weak and the 800 number wouldn't be free then), or I have to look for a public payphone. 🙄

I wonder how much money Microsoft could "save" by closing down activation servers for WinXP.

dormcat wrote on 2021-08-01, 04:22:

chrismeyer6 wrote on 2021-07-31, 18:33:

Just call the 800 number you can activate over the phone

My current residence has no landline (not that I don't want one; the landlord uninstalled it), so I have to choose between calling with my cell phone (not to mention the carrier signal is very weak and the 800 number wouldn't be free then), or I have to look for a public payphone. 🙄

I wonder how much money Microsoft could "save" by closing down activation servers for WinXP.

Take it you don't have wifi calling?

cyclone3d wrote on 2021-08-01, 04:36:

Take it you don't have wifi calling?

Now that you've mentioned it, while no such service is available in the area where I live, I guess Skype or similar services might just work. 😀

You can get yourself a Google voice number their service works quite well. We use that for when we put stuff up for sale so we don't have to give out our home or cell numbers.

I believe I remember Microsoft pledging to release a patch to remove the activation requirement, once Windows XP would be EOL. Whatever happened to that promise? Yeah, I know, they want to discourage people from running an insecure OS as their daily driver, but if they actually promised this, it's still a promise.

Jo22 wrote on 2021-07-27, 04:02:

And in case that fails at some point, older XP CDs compatible with the legendary FCK.. stuff should still be working and not requiring any activation.

I think there are better VLKs out there, still working with SP2/SP3 and not blacklisted. Preactivated OEM licenses may also work, sometimes.

Jo22 wrote on 2021-07-27, 04:02:

Also, always make sure you've got an original media and that COA sticker in the drawer.
Use whatever you want in the end, but play fair and get an original. 😀

Heh. I used to do exactly that for all my laptops that came with preinstalled XP and the COA. Installed from a pirated disk, simply to get a clean install without the OEM bloatware, which is always included on the recovery media.

I refuse to do phone activation, and not even sure that still works
Call me paranoid, but don't tell me micro$oft doesn't record the phone number, and suddenly your phone number is "out there"
I refused to check work email from home anymore because they implemented two-step authentication (as far as I am concerned, they can issue me a phone for that purpose)

ncmark wrote on 2021-07-26, 10:20:

Is it confirmed that internet activation has been shut down?

Yes. The activation shutdown is why everyone has been using cracked or volume licensed ISOs, which don't require activation. Microsoft can't activate XP anymore and my product keys are gone from my Microsoft account.

ncmark wrote on 2021-08-01, 12:49:

I refuse to do phone activation, and not even sure that still works
Call me paranoid, but don't tell me micro$oft doesn't record the phone number, and suddenly your phone number is "out there"
I refused to check work email from home anymore because they implemented two-step authentication (as far as I am concerned, they can issue me a phone for that purpose)

I did a phone activation for a XP Pro build I did for a friend about a week ago with no issues.

ncmark wrote on 2021-08-01, 12:49:

Call me paranoid, but don't tell me micro$oft doesn't record the phone number, and suddenly your phone number is "out there"

That's why I have two prepaid disposable/burner phone numbers in a feature phone (Nokia 130 2017 Dual Sim). One from a domestic service provider another from outside the country. The domestic costs me something like 0.7€ yearly the other costs nothing beyond having to make one call every half a year. These two go to all the services that require a phone number, including insurance companies, auction sites, etc. Same with other contact info. Something needs a valid address? PO box. Email? I use alias services. "Luckily" I happen to have have a very common name. Wherever I'm not required to give certain data I don't do it and If I'm not required to use valid data (or if I don't care if my account will be terminated) I lie.

I only give out my personal phone number to people I personally know. I have that number since 2004 and I have no marketing calls.

chrismeyer6 wrote on 2021-08-01, 09:23:

You can get yourself a Google voice number their service works quite well. We use that for when we put stuff up for sale so we don't have to give out our home or cell numbers.

Fired up my Android phone and searched it with Play Store.

Hangouts, Voice Access, Google Assistant, Speech Services by Google, Google Chat...... now where is Google Voice?

Tried it on my desktop computer; yes, there's a link!

Me: 🙄

I hate those regional restrictions.

You can bypass the Windows XP activation with AntiWAT, which is what I am always doing.

A while ago I've read somewhere that online activation is still up, but Microsoft switched it to TLS 1.2 which XP doesn't support, so you would need some kind of proxy to downgrade the encryption. No idea if that's true though.

Edit: Here's a user talking about it, so it seemed to be true for a while, but supposedly MS fixed the problem and you just need to update the root certificates:
https://msfn.org/board/topic/177534-how-to-ac … comment=1197875

dormcat wrote on 2021-08-01, 20:47:

Fired up my Android phone and searched it with Play Store. […]
Show full quote

chrismeyer6 wrote on 2021-08-01, 09:23:

You can get yourself a Google voice number their service works quite well. We use that for when we put stuff up for sale so we don't have to give out our home or cell numbers.

Fired up my Android phone and searched it with Play Store.

Hangouts, Voice Access, Google Assistant, Speech Services by Google, Google Chat...... now where is Google Voice?

Tried it on my desktop computer; yes, there's a link!

2021-08-02_044448.gif

Me: 🙄

I hate those regional restrictions.

What about on a computer? I don't think an app used to be required... At least not to receive calls.

I had a Google voice number years ago. I just signed up through my Gmail account I think.