New Windows Updates, losing control of computer....

[soccerballtux]

Now, my firewall is turned off and I can't turn it back on. "For my security, some settings are controlled by group policy." My firewall is off and I'm unable to turn it back on. Whats up with that? The selection boxes for On, Don't allow exceptions, and Off, are all greyed out.

And I think the Windows Activation is getting cranked up a notch with these new updates. For example, two days ago I upgraded my motherboard and processor. After booting up Windows (no problems; yes I uninstalled all the drivers) Microsoft demanded that I activate my copy of Windows right then and there. There was no longer a "No, remind me later. Instead it was "No, log me off." So if I refused to activate Windows at that moment, I was logged off and unable to use my computer. My problem with this was twofold:

1). I couldn't install my network drivers! It wouldn't let me do anything until I had activated my product. But I couldn't activate Windows over the internet, because I didn't have LAN. My only choice was to dial in via modem (not an option, as my modem also requires me to install drivers), or to call Microsoft and spend minutes getting my Windows validated again.

2). So I had to call Microsoft and read my activation code out to them, a process which took me 11 minutes. 11 MINUTES! It was a complete waste of time. Ok ok, 11 minutes, I can deal with that. However....my larger concern with this has to do with the upgrade. What if I had installed something incorrectly? Bios won't tell you very much about your computer, but temperature monitors along with running Prime95 tests in Windows will. As we know I couldn't get to that. Would Microsoft have reimbursed me had my computer gone up in smoke? I doubt it.


I'm really getting annoyed by this. They don't have a right or a need to get in my way like this. I've got a legit copy of Windows, now let me keep it secure and use it, dangit. I just hope Linux and the UI integration is completely bug-free when this activation garbage becomes a roadblock.

 

[mechBgon]

If your system is a member of a domain, then the domain controllers are calling the shots on Group Policy and override your system's local policy. This is teh normals. If you don't like their domain policy, disjoin the system from their domain. If your system has not been joined to a domain then my best guess would be that your system got pwned by worms. More situation details...?

A three-day reactivation window is normal for an established (not fresh) install of Windows that detects major hardware changes. I'm not counting the "locked" versions like Dell, HP, etc are using, which never trip based on hardware changes as long as they see their special motherboard at the foundation of the system.

 

[stash]

My firewall is off and I'm unable to turn it back on. Whats up with that? The selection boxes for On, Don't allow exceptions, and Off, are all greyed out.

Do you have Windows OneCare installed?

And I think the Windows Activation is getting cranked up a notch with these new updates. For example, two days ago I upgraded my motherboard and processor

Uh, no. Replacing the motherboard and processor is essentially building an entirely new computer as far as Windows Activation is concerned. It has always been this way.

What if I had installed something incorrectly? Bios won't tell you very much about your computer, but temperature monitors along with running Prime95 tests in Windows will

I haven't seen a BIOS in a good 4 or 5 years that didn't have a CPU temperature monitor at a minimum. And if you really did install something wrong, you would probably know it long before you were able to install software temp monitors and Prime95.

 

[soccerballtux]

Originally posted by: stash

My firewall is off and I'm unable to turn it back on. Whats up with that? The selection boxes for On, Don't allow exceptions, and Off, are all greyed out.

Do you have Windows OneCare installed?

And I think the Windows Activation is getting cranked up a notch with these new updates. For example, two days ago I upgraded my motherboard and processor

Uh, no. Replacing the motherboard and processor is essentially building an entirely new computer as far as Windows Activation is concerned. It has always been this way.

What if I had installed something incorrectly? Bios won't tell you very much about your computer, but temperature monitors along with running Prime95 tests in Windows will

I haven't seen a BIOS in a good 4 or 5 years that didn't have a CPU temperature monitor at a minimum. And if you really did install something wrong, you would probably know it long before you were able to install software temp monitors and Prime95.

No, I don't have Windows Onecare installed.
You seem to be missing my point about the motherboard/processor. I'll leave it up to you go read my post again, and, if you care, pay attention this time.

As for your last comment, I already had everything installed. The only think keeping me from checking my temperatures (*gasp* there are other temps to check besides your processor temperature!) was this activation. A wire that I thought I had moved out of the way could have been caught in my videocard fan, or I could have plugged something in wrong but not known it. In these cases it is foolish to assume a software check would not have been helpful.

Shouldn't you be replying in a slightly more coherent manner? I mean, you do work at Microsoft and all. Oh wait, maybe thats why...

 

[mechBgon]

As for your last comment, I already had everything installed. The only think keeping me from checking my temperatures (*gasp* there are other temps to check besides your processor temperature!) was this activation. A wire that I thought I had moved out of the way could have been caught in my videocard fan, or I could have plugged something in wrong but not known it. In these cases it is foolish to assume a software check would not have been helpful.

Victimhood much?

 

[nweaver]

Originally posted by: mechBgon

As for your last comment, I already had everything installed. The only think keeping me from checking my temperatures (*gasp* there are other temps to check besides your processor temperature!) was this activation. A wire that I thought I had moved out of the way could have been caught in my videocard fan, or I could have plugged something in wrong but not known it. In these cases it is foolish to assume a software check would not have been helpful.

Victimhood much?

lol

 

[n0cmonkey]

If you don't like it, use consumer friendly software.

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
If you don't like it, use consumer friendly software.

Yeah, WinXP licenses do allow downgrade rights to Win2000, don't they? Good suggestion :laugh:

Seriously though, OP, it's pretty late in the game to be complaining about how WinXP has worked ever since it was released. This isn't a new development, you've just never run up against it 'til now. If you don't like product activation, Microsoft's not the only company that belongs on your hit list, but as n0cmonkey said, you can always vote with your dollars and try something besides Windows.

 

[stash]

You seem to be missing my point about the motherboard/processor

Quite possibly because you don't have one. You essentially forklifted an existing XP install onto an entirely new computer and are bitching that you had to reactivate. That this will happen is common knowledge.

The only think keeping me from checking my temperatures (*gasp* there are other temps to check besides your processor temperature!)

CPU temp is the only one that really matters.

A wire that I thought I had moved out of the way could have been caught in my videocard fan

You most likely would've heard this.

or I could have plugged something in wrong but not known it

If you plugged something in wrong, your machine would either not POST, or it would be something non-critical, like not plugging in the DVD drive. Why any of this is Windows' fault is beyond me. Maybe you should be more careful and take your time while building a computer?

Shouldn't you be replying in a slightly more coherent manner? I mean, you do work at Microsoft and all. Oh wait, maybe thats why...

Screw you troll. You post a rant about a black and white activation issue and then get defensive when you don't hear what you want to hear? Where I work is irrelevant to this discussion. Try bolstering your argument with something other than attacks and other nonsense.

 

[bruceb]

If that was a Retail Copy of XP then that should not have happened
Now if it wa an OEM copy, that's another story

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: bruceb
If that was a Retail Copy of XP then that should not have happened
Now if it wa an OEM copy, that's another story

I'm pretty sure that a motherboard replacement will trigger activation regardless of which license you are using. The only difference is that with an OEM copy, a motherboard change will invalidate your license.

 

[ProviaFan]

Originally posted by: MrChad

Originally posted by: bruceb
If that was a Retail Copy of XP then that should not have happened
Now if it wa an OEM copy, that's another story

I'm pretty sure that a motherboard replacement will trigger activation regardless of which license you are using. The only difference is that with an OEM copy, a motherboard change will invalidate your license.

So even if you have to "crossgrade" to something that's different enough to trigger reactivation, in response to a hardware failure, will MS still refuse to let you activate because your license is "invalid"? Regardless of my opinion on the BS-ness of this if they do refuse to let you activate, I really would like to know.

 

[oupei]

The activation happened to me before. I upgraded mobo/proc and at the same time forgot to set the date/clock, so winxp was not very happy and locked me out. I had to activate over the phone, which should work for you too.

 

[stash]

Originally posted by: bruceb
If that was a Retail Copy of XP then that should not have happened
Now if it wa an OEM copy, that's another story

Doesn't matter. It would be the same as you taking the hard drive out of one computer and putting it in another. To Windows, the motherboard IS the computer.

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: ProviaFan

Originally posted by: MrChad

Originally posted by: bruceb
If that was a Retail Copy of XP then that should not have happened
Now if it wa an OEM copy, that's another story

I'm pretty sure that a motherboard replacement will trigger activation regardless of which license you are using. The only difference is that with an OEM copy, a motherboard change will invalidate your license.

So even if you have to "crossgrade" to something that's different enough to trigger reactivation, in response to a hardware failure, will MS still refuse to let you activate because your license is "invalid"? Regardless of my opinion on the BS-ness of this if they do refuse to let you activate, I really would like to know.

No.

OEM licenses are tied to the machine they are purchased with (or the machine they are originally installed on). I believe that it states within the OEM license agreement that if the motherboard of this original machine changes, the machine itself has changed, and therefore that license is no longer valid for the "new" machine. Motherboard upgrades are unique in this regard. You can upgrade other hardware (sound card, video card, etc.), and while you may be forced to reactivate Windows, your license will still be valid for that machine.

That said, I don't think there's any tie between OEM license validity and activation. If you upgrade your motherboard and are forced to reactivate, you may need to call Microsoft to get a new activation code. Even though your OEM license is invalid, they may give you an activation code anyway (I honestly don't know, but I hear that they try and make the process as painless as possible).