Holy crap I hate Micro$oft

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Goosemaster

Lifer
Apr 10, 2001
48,775
3
81
It always takes me about 5min:confused:

I don't like doing it, but it ain't usually that bad....


now getting locked out of your PC fvkign sucks though..then I'll get fvking rilled up
 

Shadowknight

Diamond Member
May 4, 2001
3,959
3
81
Originally posted by: us3rnotfound
Originally posted by: Shadowknight
I've been putting off upgrading from Windows 2000 for as long as possible. When I absolutely HAVE TO, to run newer programs, I'll only buy Vista/XP/whatever once I find a crack for it that gets rid of the activation. That's just because if I shell out $200 for a piece of software, I should'nt be forced to ask permission to use it whenever I change something :|

BAN

.... WHY? When I upgrade, I SAID I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY *PAY* FOR IT. I NEVER said that I intend to pirate it. I just refuse to let Microsoft tell me that I have to ask their permission to use it if I upgrade several pieces of hardware at once. Hence a desire for a crack, i.e. something that bypasses Microsoft "activation" crap.

Yeesh.
 

herbiehancock

Senior member
May 11, 2006
789
0
0
Let's see........just did a complete upgrade on my computer last week and had to call in to reactivate....had to because I reinstalled the OS two months ago and wasn't to the 180 day "free" activation time.

Odd that you spend 55 minutes to reactivate.......and I'll call shens on that, btw....I was on and off the phone, including typing in all the damn numbers, in less than 5 minutes. I've never been on hold longer than a minute no matter what time of the day I've had to call.

I got it yesterday, too, on my wife's computer. Upgraded hers, reloaded the OS, activated online no problem. But forgot to load the chipset drivers before I activated, so naturally, when I loaded the drivers on her DS3, the OS wanted to activate again, but this time not online. Had to call in......did it in the middle of the afternoon, when you'd expect peak load for them. Nope, on and off phone in under 5 minutes, again. Not a problem at all.

Then, I open MS Word yesterday. Forgot I'd activated the office suite at the same time as the OS a couple of months ago and had to call in to reactivate. Again, on and off phone under 5 minutes and hold time under 30 sec. I honestly don't believe an 8 minute hold for one second......in the years I've had XP....and the innumerable amount of times I've reactivated our OS's, I've never had a hold time over a minute, and usually the phone is answered by a live person in less than 20 sec.

True, the off-shore CSR's and their accents are a pain, but if you ask nicely to have them speak a bit louder and slower, it's very painless and quick.

Instead, pissed off at the start is no way to go through life. Doesn't get you anywhere.
 

grrl

Diamond Member
Jun 21, 2001
6,204
1
0
Originally posted by: FilmCamera
Originally posted by: preslove
Buy a mac, you won't have to deal with activation... or upgrading your sound card :p

Yup. When you need a new sound card, you just have to go buy a whole new Mac computer. That just makes it simple.

QFT
 

Shawn

Lifer
Apr 20, 2003
32,236
53
91
Originally posted by: tfinch2
I never have to jump through these activation hoops you speak of. :confused:

Me neither. Microsoft must have flagged your key for suspicious activity.
 

SparkyJJO

Lifer
May 16, 2002
13,357
7
81
I've changed CPUs, added a sound card, added a hard drive, and it never asked to reactivate.

I'll bet the problem is caused by that stupid 'genuine advantage notification' - I read somewhere that it was causing people to have to reactivate over stupid things. I think a new version of it is going through the windows updates which is supposed to fix this. Supposedly.
 

Sukhoi

Elite Member
Dec 5, 1999
15,350
106
106
Originally posted by: herbiehancock
Let's see........just did a complete upgrade on my computer last week and had to call in to reactivate....had to because I reinstalled the OS two months ago and wasn't to the 180 day "free" activation time.

Odd that you spend 55 minutes to reactivate.......and I'll call shens on that, btw....I was on and off the phone, including typing in all the damn numbers, in less than 5 minutes. I've never been on hold longer than a minute no matter what time of the day I've had to call.

I got it yesterday, too, on my wife's computer. Upgraded hers, reloaded the OS, activated online no problem. But forgot to load the chipset drivers before I activated, so naturally, when I loaded the drivers on her DS3, the OS wanted to activate again, but this time not online. Had to call in......did it in the middle of the afternoon, when you'd expect peak load for them. Nope, on and off phone in under 5 minutes, again. Not a problem at all.

Then, I open MS Word yesterday. Forgot I'd activated the office suite at the same time as the OS a couple of months ago and had to call in to reactivate. Again, on and off phone under 5 minutes and hold time under 30 sec. I honestly don't believe an 8 minute hold for one second......in the years I've had XP....and the innumerable amount of times I've reactivated our OS's, I've never had a hold time over a minute, and usually the phone is answered by a live person in less than 20 sec.

True, the off-shore CSR's and their accents are a pain, but if you ask nicely to have them speak a bit louder and slower, it's very painless and quick.

Instead, pissed off at the start is no way to go through life. Doesn't get you anywhere.

Nope, the 55 mins is not a lie. It probably had some to do with me calling on New Years Day, but it was still 55 mins. The idiot on the other end of the line had me doing all sorts of stupid stuff in safe mode, and was in the process of trying to talk me into reinstalling Windows for whatever reason when I told her enough was enough. Then magically some lady comes on with a code for me to put in and I'm done.
 

Howard

Lifer
Oct 14, 1999
47,982
11
81
Not that I condone it, but if you've already legitimately obtained a copy, my conscience would allow me to simply get a version that didn't require activation.
 

Sukhoi

Elite Member
Dec 5, 1999
15,350
106
106
Originally posted by: Howard
Not that I condone it, but if you've already legitimately obtained a copy, my conscience would allow me to simply get a version that didn't require activation.

Yeah I tried but without extensive searching I couldn't find any copies that appeared to be clear of viruses and would pass whatever CD-key check SP1 or SP2 does.
 

Howard

Lifer
Oct 14, 1999
47,982
11
81
Originally posted by: Sukhoi
Originally posted by: Howard
Not that I condone it, but if you've already legitimately obtained a copy, my conscience would allow me to simply get a version that didn't require activation.

Yeah I tried but without extensive searching I couldn't find any copies that appeared to be clear of viruses and would pass whatever CD-key check SP1 or SP2 does.
Can you not get one that's the same version/type and use your own CD key?
 

brxndxn

Diamond Member
Apr 3, 2001
8,475
0
76
Originally posted by: us3rnotfound
Originally posted by: Shadowknight
I've been putting off upgrading from Windows 2000 for as long as possible. When I absolutely HAVE TO, to run newer programs, I'll only buy Vista/XP/whatever once I find a crack for it that gets rid of the activation. That's just because if I shell out $200 for a piece of software, I should'nt be forced to ask permission to use it whenever I change something :|

BAN

BAN? fvck that.. Lot's of ATOT users run cracked software. The problem with all this activation sh1t is that some of us really need to run a crack just to use LEGIT software.

If ATOT decides to ban everyone that suggests needing a 'crack' to run legit software, it stifles the spread of information and lowers the utility of these forums.

If you say you speed when you drive, should you be BANNED OMG from the forums too?
 

brandonbull

Diamond Member
May 3, 2005
6,365
1,223
126
SHENS!!!!!!

I've installed a legal copy of XP after a few 100% new hardware systems and never had to call.
 

shortylickens

No Lifer
Jul 15, 2003
80,287
17,082
136
Originally posted by: FilmCamera
Originally posted by: preslove
Buy a mac, you won't have to deal with activation... or upgrading your sound card :p

Yup. When you need a new sound card, you just have to go buy a whole new Mac computer. That just makes it simple.
Thats the American way.
Why do you think we love our own cars so much?
They cost an assload of money and last about half as long as an asian car.
 

Sukhoi

Elite Member
Dec 5, 1999
15,350
106
106
Originally posted by: Howard
Originally posted by: Sukhoi
Originally posted by: Howard
Not that I condone it, but if you've already legitimately obtained a copy, my conscience would allow me to simply get a version that didn't require activation.

Yeah I tried but without extensive searching I couldn't find any copies that appeared to be clear of viruses and would pass whatever CD-key check SP1 or SP2 does.
Can you not get one that's the same version/type and use your own CD key?

Well usually the activation-free copies use corporate keys, right? So if I tried to change it to my key wouldn't it either not work at all, or make me activate? And those old corporate keys are the ones that SP1 or SP2 catch IIRC.
 

Demon-Xanth

Lifer
Feb 15, 2000
20,551
2
81
Originally posted by: FilmCamera
Originally posted by: preslove
Buy a mac, you won't have to deal with activation... or upgrading your sound card :p

Yup. When you need a new sound card, you just have to go buy a whole new Mac computer. That just makes it simple.

True
 

Shadowknight

Diamond Member
May 4, 2001
3,959
3
81
BAN? fvck that.. Lot's of ATOT users run cracked software. The problem with all this activation sh1t is that some of us really need to run a crack just to use LEGIT software.

If ATOT decides to ban everyone that suggests needing a 'crack' to run legit software, it stifles the spread of information and lowers the utility of these forums.

If you say you speed when you drive, should you be BANNED OMG from the forums too?
Glad SOMEONE agrees with me. Crap, I BOUGHT Windows 2000 and LEGALLY OWN IT. I still ripped it to CD for installation. Why? So I could slipstream it with SP2, oh, and bypass having to put the serial number in every frigging time. Due to a problem with a hard drive in that period, I had to do it fairly often.

I have no problem buying the next generation of Windows, though I'll hold off as long as possible, but I'll put it off until someone comes out with a "crack" to bypass activation. Even 5 minutes is a waste of my time. Besides, it's just like serial keys, all it does is annoy the people who honestly buy this stuff, it doesn't actually stop pirating. I mean, if I pay $300 for a piece of software, should I have to tolerate them making my life even a LITTLE bit harder?

Oh, and to make it absolutely clear for people with no reading comprehension (us3rnotfound), I SAID I'M BUYING LIKE IN MY LAST TWO MESSAGE, alright?!