Reactivating Windows Question

[MBony]

I just called MS and was going through the usual entering my numbers and trying to get it activated online (never works, but thats for another thread) and I got an operator on and I give him the first 6 digits like usual and then he starts asking me about my computer make and model. I said it was a Dell and he asked what model and I asked him what that had to do with activating my machine. I had already told him this was the only machine I have this copy of XP on. He said I have to give it to him to proceed. I told him I had never had that before. I asked to speak to someone else. He told me "No." I asked to speak to his manager, he said, "He will not help you get this activated." I told him I wasn't speaking to him about getting my computer activated, I would call back for that. He told me to hold and after about 2 minutes he hung up on me.

Question, what does my computer make and model have to do with him activating my copy of XP?

 

[Colt45]

absolutely nothing


edit. damn speeling

 

[AMDMaddness]

I just called in last night and no such question even for my office 2003. I have activated them atleast 5 times each so far this year (various upgrades). I wonder what he was up to? I bought an OEM copy from newegg in 2003 and have had it on every machine since then..

 

[compuwiz1]

They're trying to make sure you are not using 1 license for multiple machines.

 

[Tobolo]

f them

 

[MisterJackson]

I activate up to 5 machines a week by calling in (like you said it RARELY works online) and sometimes they ask that and sometimes they don't. They have NO way to verify the make and model so you could have just made up something, or just said it's a clone machine. I play with them sometimes, for example the last time they asked I said it was a "Scientology Xenu" and the guy just said "Thank you, I now have your 42 digit confirmation number."

I also like when they ask where I bought it from after I tell them it's a Dell.....I say "Well Dell, duh !"

So to answer your question, no you don't have to, you just got a really anal rep.

They also sometimes ask you to read off the key code. One time I didn't feel like doing and just told the guy on the end that the code was on the bottom of my laptop which was in pieces and powered on and that if I picked it up my flux capacitor would fry so I just wasn't able to read it.

He just said "Okay sir your new 42 digit activation code is...."

I did get one girl one time who said they wouldn't proceed without it and I told her I needed to speak to her supervisor to find out why on earth she would force me to "decapitate my flux capacitor"....I swear I did, and she stuttered "Well...ok ok, your code is...."

One final b1tch, I activated a Dell the other day after a fresh install, ran all my updates and such and then added ONLY a DVD burner and an additional 512mb of ram. After restarting it would not boot until I reactivated stating that "Since my last activation my hardware had significantly changed...." WTF?? I've seen that with a motherboard swap before, but not from adding ram and an optical drive.

 

[UsandThem]

You must have spoken to John A. Smith from India. He is very cranky because he is forced to live in India.

 

[Trikat]

Yea, Window's activation is a complete pain in the ass... I hate it when every freaking time I reformatt I will have to activate stupid Windows again. It is ridiculous as a pirated copy is so much easier than a stupid real version. I would've though a real version (OEM) would be someone easy to activate. Also the rep said there was no way to stop the reactivation process everytime I reformat, so for OEM users that means phone calls everytime. I wonder if retail versions have unlimited activation via online instead of the stupid phone.

 

[everman]

You can backup your activation files (2 of them) if you all you do is reformat.