XP Product Activation: replacing 3 to 4GB RAM

If I replace 2GB+1GB Cas 6 Single-Channel RAM with 2x2GB Cas 4 Dual-Channel RAM, different brand but otherwise everything else is the same, will Win XP 32-bit Product Activation count that as one hardware change?

As far as XP concerns, the amount of RAM doesn't change right since it can only use 3 out of 4GB? So, it shouldn't count it as a hardware change but will XP Product Activation be intrusive enough to find out how the RAM actually consist of?

 

I don't think a RAM upgrade will give you any issues.

 

It did on my case. My system is on the precipice of re-activation that I don't really like to do unless absolutely necessary. I know this because when I removed one of the RAM stick or add one with a different capacity, XP asked me to reactivate within 3 days.

I have a bad experience activating my other copy of XP in a different of computer. I had to call them to activate and the customer service representative gave me a hard time.

 

is your xp license retail/consumer or corporate vlk?

 

It's Academic License.

 

Honestly, it should be fine. Generally, only a motherboard change will warrant Windows to do this, or if you have changed out A LOT of other parts.

 

Actually, I did change a lot of parts although not directly and that is the problem. I installed fresh XP in a new hard drive. Since my laptop came after XP was released, there were quite a few components that XP didn't recognize and came up with yellow question marks. Those components need their own drivers that didn't come with XP. Before installing any driver, I activated XP immediately and then installed the drivers and that was the mistake.

Now, when I installed drivers for those components with question marks, XP counted them as changes. For example: my ATI Video Card was marked as generic VGA by Device Manager. When I installed ATI Driver, XP marked it as one change. Same thing with my Network Card. XP didn't even recognize it as a network card until I installed the driver. That count as yet another change. Same thing happened with my Wireless Card, Blu-ray Drive, and other components with yellow question marks.

I should have installed the drivers first then activated it. But it's too late now. Now whenever I add more RAM or even install a virtual optical drive, XP ask me to reactivate in 3 days. I had to get rid of the OS and restore from my last image file because I don't really like to reactivate unless absolutely necessary.

 

On my old laptop I changed RAM twice - (replacing each module one at a time) - and it wasn't a problem.