Windows XP Key blacklisted

[Raincity]

This morning I went to reload Win XP Pro and failed product activation. I was given the run around by MS suppor on the phone this morning. My copy is a legit OEM purchased from Newegg in 2001. In the last few years I always had to reactivate over the phone since internet activation was a no go. Now MS support blacklisted the key claiming over use of a total of 19 activations since 2001.
They gave me an email address to basically appeal the blacklist but it’s not worth my time and I will just reinstall using a TechNet key from my account. Anybody else experiencing this bull sh@t from MS.

 

[Rvenger]

This is exactly why I hate reinstalling Windows. I have already reinstalled Windows 7 on my machine 3 times in the past 2 months. (Due to upgrading and hardware failures) and I hope they don't black list mine.

 

[Nothinman]

If you've really activated it 19 times since 2001 I would be suspicious as well. And are you still using that license on the same PC? Because technically the license is tied to that motherboard.

 

[Raincity]

If you've really activated it 19 times since 2001 I would be suspicious as well. And are you still using that license on the same PC? Because technically the license is tied to that motherboard.

Yep. its a old P-4 rig that I use to play my old games and surf the net. I found a similer thread like mine over at Toms. It seems that MS just wants XP to just go away.

 

[Nothinman]

Yep. its a old P-4 rig that I use to play my old games and surf the net. I found a similer thread like mine over at Toms. It seems that MS just wants XP to just go away.

And I concur 100% with them...

 

[VirtualLarry]

Now MS support blacklisted the key claiming over use of a total of 19 activations since 2001.

19 activations, on the same hardware? Or 19 unique activations?

After 19 unique activations, on an OEM key that is only supposed to see one unique activation, I could easily see them blacklisting.

If you change hardware, buy a new OS disc. That's how it works.

 

[Raincity]

19 activations, on the same hardware? Or 19 unique activations?

After 19 unique activations, on an OEM key that is only supposed to see one unique activation, I could easily see them blacklisting.

If you change hardware, buy a new OS disc. That's how it works.

There was some hardware changes over the years like video cards and harddrives and faster ram. But the motherboard CPU
was never was changed. In the Toms thread, The poster got the MS service rep to claim that this was new policy to try to force upgrades to Win 7. Seems funny when the last time I activaited Win XP. Win 7 was not far from release. Now they pull the piug and deny me phone activiations.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

19 times over the top. I've always had good luck with MS support reactivating OS keys after 4 or 5 times.

 

[tommo123]

doesn't matter how many times he does it. as long as he doesnt break the licence agreement.

 

[Nothinman]

doesn't matter how many times he does it. as long as he doesnt break the licence agreement.

Technically true, but XP is almost completely abandoned at this point so I can't blame them for not wanting to help you.

 

[alkemyst]

Yep. its a old P-4 rig that I use to play my old games and surf the net. I found a similer thread like mine over at Toms. It seems that MS just wants XP to just go away.

They do want it to go away...it's into EoL.

my biggest question would be why 19 re-activations if you are using the same machine?

That's more than 1 per year.

 

[tommo123]

Technically true, but XP is almost completely abandoned at this point so I can't blame them for not wanting to help you.

shouldn't be their choice though. they decided to have the activation method, their problem.

it's not a good method though, it's punishing your customers. if it was me, i'd have gone the dodgy route and found a version that doesn't need to "phone home" by now. yet again with DRM it only punished the legit user - as well as pushing them towards piracy

 

[jackofalltrades]

I have easily reinstalled 19 times on the same machine, it was my daughters machine and she would download a virus or a maliciousware type file and it was easier to reinstall then to repair. I have never had a problem with the registering but if I did, I have a fix for that!

Winxp is an older system but it is still very usable, I run both at home on lower end equipment it runs better.

 

[HeXen]

you should upgrade to w7 anyway. But for people who have such serious problems with needing to reinstall so much due to viruses or whatever. You may want to check into acronis true image or even DeepFreeze.

Image utilities and hard drives are not that expensive, you buy them once, your protected for life against further reinstalls and reactivations. seriously, theres no excuse to activate 19 times. just image that fcker, make multiple images for gods sake, put some on a backup drive, then burn some to dvd for further backup or usb stick. some layered security and routine maintanence never hurts either.

 

[Nothinman]

shouldn't be their choice though. they decided to have the activation method, their problem.

it's not a good method though, it's punishing your customers. if it was me, i'd have gone the dodgy route and found a version that doesn't need to "phone home" by now. yet again with DRM it only punished the legit user - as well as pushing them towards piracy

MS has been punishing their users for years now in various ways and people just sit back and take it for reasons I can't understand. If people really cared about things like this they would've moved away from Windows already.

And IMO still using XP is a worse form of punishment that you're doing to yourself.

 

[tommo123]

well, i'm on win 7 so not punishing myself with xp

as for moving away from windows there's no other option mate. linux is not ready for prime time yet - ubuntu wasn't even close (think you posted in a thread a while back where i asked about moving over to ubuntu) and the mac os isn't even something i'll consider.

 

[alkemyst]

shouldn't be their choice though. they decided to have the activation method, their problem.

it's not a good method though, it's punishing your customers. if it was me, i'd have gone the dodgy route and found a version that doesn't need to "phone home" by now. yet again with DRM it only punished the legit user - as well as pushing them towards piracy

dude, read the TOS before you click accept.

That activation service was due to almost all windows installs at the time being pirated.

I will admit I am strict on piracy. I will test out a game or two 'illegally', but if I like it (meaning I spend more than 15 mins on it) I go and buy it.

On an O/S, pay for it, or suck up *nix and deal with it.

I have paid for all my Windows licenses since day 1. I have ran Linux and MacOS too (paying for the later).

 

[alkemyst]

well, i'm on win 7 so not punishing myself with xp

as for moving away from windows there's no other option mate. linux is not ready for prime time yet - ubuntu wasn't even close (think you posted in a thread a while back where i asked about moving over to ubuntu) and the mac os isn't even something i'll consider.

If you can afford the hardware, a Parallels/VM MBP in covergance mode with Win7/Snow Leopard is impossible to beat.

My daily carry laptop has Parallels and Snow Leopard. I have Office for Mac and Windows Visio installed along with Internet Explorer on Windows.

There is nothing I can't open and run that I need to.

 

[Raincity]

I did not start this thread to get the consensus from the peanut gallery on the acceptable amount of installs or be told I need to upgrade to Win 7. lets stay on topic please.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I did not start this thread to get the consensus from the peanut gallery on the acceptable amount of installs or be told I need to upgrade to Win 7. lets stay on topic please.

On topic: the "bull sh@t" you experienced is not from MS but, from you. I don't believe any reasonable person would expect reactivation after 19 times when their stated allowance is 3 times.

 

[OS]

it's BS if they were all legitimate reinstalls.
The older OSes are more likely to get hosed more often, necessitating more reinstalls.

If that happened to me i would probably switch to ubuntu or something.

 

[Raincity]

On topic: the "bull sh@t" you experienced is not from MS but, from you. I don't believe any reasonable person would expect reactivation after 19 times when their stated allowance is 3 times.

I guess I did not read the fine print if your correct with only three allowed activations. Are you happy now you big net bully.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I guess I did not read the fine print if your correct with only three allowed activations. Are you happy now you big net bully.

I am by no means a MS fanboy, even when I worked for them. I do believe in educating yourself about the programs we use. Windows is without a doubt the default OS for the world. Many people have problems with the current trend of gaming companies "renting" their games although OS programs have always been worded that way in their EULA. Notably, even the free ones. MS has however been extremely lenient in their 3 activations clause and I have always had good luck getting an OS reactivated. I think in your case, you just exceeded what they were willing to overlook. I'm sorry if I came off as a bully. ()

 

[alkemyst]

I guess I did not read the fine print if your correct with only three allowed activations. Are you happy now you big net bully.

lolz, at being a bully after explaining what you agreed too.

 

[HeXen]

as for moving away from windows there's no other option mate. linux is not ready for prime time yet - ubuntu wasn't even close (think you posted in a thread a while back where i asked about moving over to ubuntu) and the mac os isn't even something i'll consider.

just curious but why wont you consider mac? OSX and linux can do pretty much about anything except game. Linux is more of a matter of setting it up which can be a pain, but technically you can do anything on it you can in windows, even run windows apps and games, though the latter is iffy at best.
but Mac's are good systems to own unless your more of a gamer type.