XP SP3 downloaders get 30 days grace
Users who install Windows XP Service Pack 3 will not be required to enter Microsoft's product activation key before they use the operating system, according to a Microsoft whitepaper.
Instead they will get a 30-day period of grace -- the same as users of Windows Vista -- after which they will have to enter the key to prove that the product is genuine.
Problems can occur if a user legally obtains the software and, for some reason, a problem occurs with validation. By allowing a 30-day period, users have a chance to get the problem fixed while they are using the software.
