Can changing the MAC-address make any problems?

Can changing the MAC-address make any problems?

And how could I do it best? Is there any (portable) program doing such?

I want to register with Google for an account, gmail, without giving Google my telephone number it asks for.

A MAC address is a fixed property of a piece of hardware.
- Changing hardware on a Windows computer can affect Windows' activation status, depending on which piece of hardware is changed.
- Changing the MAC address of a piece of hardware makes Windows think that the hardware has been changed and so activation might be affected.
- Personally, I do not know of anything that will change a MAC address.

I do not understand how this relates to setting up a GMail account. If Google insists on a phone number then give them a number or ask them if they accept an alternative method of contact [for login validations, I imagine].

Denis

- Changing hardware on a Windows computer can affect Windows' activation status, depending on which piece of hardware is changed.- Ch
anging the MAC address of a piece of hardware makes Windows think that the hardware has been changed and so activation might be affected.

So that means my Win might not be updated anymore. Or deactivatet, if that is possible? That does not sound very good.

I do not understand how this relates to setting up a GMail account.

Well, Google identifies one's device(s) and descides whether to ask for the telephone number or not. If Google already knows a device it might ask for the number, if it does not it might not ask.

If Google insists on a phone number then give them a number

My own number?

or ask them if they accept an alternative method of contact [for login validations, I imagine].

How / where would you ask?

There are not shown any alternatives for registering to me.

changing it can have had effects some ISP use it so they could cut internet and you could get things for the correct address.

So those providers might stop the access to the Internet for that user?

and you could get things for the correct address.

Sorry, what does that mean? What things?

Google will know location by IP anyway

When using a dynamic IP? Actually I would not think so. How could it be?

Your online digital activation record on MS's activation servers is for the hardware "signature" of your computer. There is no definitive list of which bits of hardware contribute to that signature but you could search TenForums for activation and hardware changes or similar for explanations. Changing a hard drive, for example, does not affect activation. So if you found what you are looking for you might wreck your activation.

MS's Outlook ISP quite annoyingly demands validation from me every few months [even though I am using the same device & the same email application in the same location] and I have to confirm the registered phone number so they can send me a code that I then enter to confirm that it is me trying to log in. I have only had this happen for my GMail account 4 times in the last 5 years and they might all have been when I used it while travelling abroad or using a new device.

"my own number?" - if it not your own number then you will not receive a code in order to complete the confirmation procedure. If there are no alternatives offered then perhaps there are none.
- However, I have kept some notes and [last year] Google sent me an email to my 'registered' alternative email address and all I had to do was click on a link in that email [which is much more convenient than MS's Outlook annoying procedure [[added later - I have now found a similar email about my Outlook email account as well so perhaps I can avoid the phone stage with Outlook as well but merely failed to understand that at the time.]]
- Perhaps Google still allows an email address to be provided instead of a phone number [I did it as well as my phone number rather than instead of].

I have not experienced, "Well, Google identifies one's device(s) and descides whether to ask for the telephone number or not. If Google already knows a device it might ask for the number, if it does not it might not ask.". The opposite has been my experience - I think that the special email was sent to me only because I had logged in from a new device / gone abroad.

Your online digital activation record on MS's activation servers is for the hardware "signature" of your computer. There is no definitive list of which bits of hardware contribute to that signature but you could search TenForums for activation and hardware changes or similar for explanations. Changing a hard drive, for example, does not affect activation. So if you found what you are looking for you might wreck your activation.

There are so many combinations the identifying might work, "fingerprints" of the hardware (like fingerprints of softwre) in combination with those MACs, activation records and whatever. So even if I find - and I guess I will find many - explanations here, there are too many variants / combinations of characteristics that it were not possible to recognize a pattern or such to use it. "Changing a hard drive, for example, does not affect activation." But does it in any case? Or may be in combination with other changes? If too much were changed? But, yes, I replaced my SSD with another one, no problems. (besides of Google asking for the number. But one does not know if this [solely] is the reason.)

I am not sure, I assume one could - after changing a MAC and registering or failing - switch to the default MAC. But trying this with my computer seems to risky, I do not want to lose the Win activation.

MS's Outlook ISP quite annoyingly demands validation from me every few months [even though I am using the same device & the same email application in the same location] and I have to confirm the registered phone number so they can send me a code that I then enter to confirm that it is me trying to log in. I have only had this happen for my GMail account 4 times in the last 5 years and they might all have been when I used it while travelling abroad or using a new device.

Yes, a combination of different characteristics and Outlook, Google, whoever want the number. Or may be a malfunction somewhere in that process or else.

"my own number?" - if it not your own number then you will not receive a code in order to complete the confirmation procedure.

Yes, or such a disposable / one way phone number offered on the Internet (of course that [almost never] won't work with Google).

- Perhaps Google still allows an email address to be provided instead of a phone number [I did it as well as my phone number rather than instead of].

Yes, yes, it does, but it does not instead of, additiionally it requires the number. But even if it wouldn't (very much) sooner or later it suddenly might ask for the number when trying to log in (sometime after your registration).

I have not experienced, "Well, Google identifies one's device(s) and descides whether to ask for the telephone number or not. If Google already knows a device it might ask for the number, if it does not it might not ask.". The opposite has been my experience - I think that the special email was sent to me only because I had logged in from a new device / gone abroad.

Yes, I could imagine, respectively assume, there is a bunch / combination of characteristics (and also single characteristics) effecting if Google wants the number or not. So being on a new device and / or gone abroad might be a single (double) characteristic causing Google to require the number. May be there are some more characteristics in that combination and in that case we will never know.

Sorry, I cannot understand you.