Access Key To Windows..

[Weeeman]

Installed XP 2 weeks ago or so [And activated it] I recently had to reformat my harddrive and it wants me to activate it again, and ofcourse, my key is in use by my old windows installment.. any way to solve this and get my key back?

 

[yankeesfan]

call microsoft, tell them your situation

 

[BFG10K]

Ring the toll free number. Also AFAIK if you ring after-hours you'll get an automated service which can give you the key you need without talking to anyone.

 

[n0cmonkey]

If you are activating it on the same machine, there shouldn't be an issue. You can try over the internet, but if that doesn't work you'll have to call. It's a toll free number in N. America, and from what I've heard it doesn't take long.

 

[Navid]

Originally posted by: Weeeman
Installed XP 2 weeks ago or so [And activated it] I recently had to reformat my harddrive and it wants me to activate it again, and ofcourse, my key is in use by my old windows installment.. any way to solve this and get my key back?

This is not clear!
You will have to activate every time you install. There is nothing to get around! What key do you want to get?
Your product ID is on your CD. If it is an OEM, it is on your computer case. That is all you need. Install and when asked enter the product ID. It will activate online.

Are you saying that you reformated a hard drive, other than the one with XP on it, and the old XP installation is asking you to re-activate?
This cannot be. You will have to make more than one change for XP to require re-activation.

 

[Weeeman]

I reformatted the drive with XP on it, thus needing to reinstall xp, but yet it reads that the old activation key is still in use

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
If you are activating it on the same machine, there shouldn't be an issue. You can try over the internet, but if that doesn't work you'll have to call. It's a toll free number in N. America, and from what I've heard it doesn't take long.

nope, it sure doesn't. i've had to call them before, have 2 xp keys and can never keep track of which computer is using which. took about 5 minutes.

as long as the hardware is the same then you can keep activating windows every single day. you can change a piece of hardware once a month, and i think it resets in 6 months. activation is more to keep people from doing mass installations using the same key

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Weeeman
I reformatted the drive with XP on it, thus needing to reinstall xp, but yet it reads that the old activation key is still in use

when you hit the 'lets activate windows' bit, use the call-in option and they'll give you a key

 

[Modeps]

I'm confused, they now say that the key is in use?? I've reinstalled WinXP several times and after the 4th time it simply told me to call them up and get an activation code. I've NEVER seen that message before. That's more or less something you'd probably see if you were playing a game and someone else had the same code as you.

 

[Weeeman]

I did call them up earlier, it said my first code was invalid so I had to talk to tech support. Which ofcourse, is in india. I couldnt very well understand many my tech support person, and ended up using a friends XP activation key

 

[Triforceofcourage]

Once had to call Microsoft about the activation key and they were more than helpful. Just took a few minutes and it worked out fine. Atleast it seems they are trying to make this actication key crap as painless as possible.

 

[tart666]

Originally posted by: Weeeman
I did call them up earlier, it said my first code was invalid so I had to talk to tech support. Which ofcourse, is in india. I couldnt very well understand many my tech support person, and ended up using a friends XP activation key

what "first code" ? every time it happened to me, I had to call the activation center in Buffalo and tell them "HD crash" and then type the new bloody 435-character code.

 

[kamper]

Originally posted by: BFG10K
if you ring after-hours you'll get an automated service which can give you the key you need without talking to anyone.

Spoken like true computer geek!

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
If you are activating it on the same machine, there shouldn't be an issue. You can try over the internet, but if that doesn't work you'll have to call. It's a toll free number in N. America, and from what I've heard it doesn't take long.

nope, it sure doesn't. i've had to call them before, have 2 xp keys and can never keep track of which computer is using which. took about 5 minutes.

as long as the hardware is the same then you can keep activating windows every single day. you can change a piece of hardware once a month, and i think it resets in 6 months. activation is more to keep people from doing mass installations using the same key

I've redone 2k3 a half dozen times without having to call. Of course, I didn't change hardware, I bought the right stuff the first time. 😉