This article describes how to activate Microsoft Windows XP using an unattended installation.

Note Before the automatic activation of Windows XP can occur, you must first establish an Internet connection.

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To activate Windows XP by using an unattended installation, add the following information to the Unattend.txt file:

•	In the Unattended section, type: AutoActivate = Yes
•	Under the UserData section, type: ProductID = yourProductID (Your Product ID is located on the Certificate of Authenticity (COA) sticker.) Note Every Windows XP retail installation must have a unique Product ID for activation.

If the Internet connection is through a proxy server, specify the proxy settings in the Unattend.txt file:

•	In the Unattended section, type: ActivateProxy=Proxy
•	Type your computer's proxy settings in the Proxy section.

For information about how to customize unattended installations, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

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For additional information, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

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