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WinXP activation (grrrr)

Washoe

Washoe

Senior member
Just upgraded my box with new mobo cpu and memory.

Installed WinXP Pro on formatted hdd.

After approximately 10 re-starts from installing updates and drivers, I got hit with a "Windows must activate now in order for you to log in".

Well guess what - I just happened to be updating a LAN driver upon that particular reboot when I was confronted with the activation message, so I'm not on the internet now. I try to activate, and I just can't - I'm not online now. So I get logged off over and over.

Is there anything I can do?
 
Yes, activate by phone, it'll take less than 5 minutes. Just choose the "Activate by Phone" option in the Activation Wizard" screen and it'll give you an 800 number to call.
 
Last time I activated by phone it took much longer than 5 minutes. More like 15. But, if they insist on making people wait on the phone just to be able to use their software, then ... well we know what M$ is about don't we. I'll call 'em.

If only I could rid myself of EverQuest addiction then I would leave XP altogether. (wishful thinking)
 
Oh another thing - since when did it take 10 reboots for the Activation Wall to impose itself on users? Previously I've had 30 days to activate. This is something new with MS?
 
I'm not really defending them, I'm just saying that you can't expect a for-profit company to intentially do things that won't have some positive affect on their revenue stream because that is after all why the company was created. Microsoft felt activation would lower the number of pirated copies of XP and be fairly unintrusive, so it made sense for them to use it, if you don't like it then your only option is to stop supporting them and stop using their products.
 
Originally posted by: Washoe
Oh another thing - since when did it take 10 reboots for the Activation Wall to impose itself on users? Previously I've had 30 days to activate. This is something new with MS?
Click to expand...

The date and time in your BIOS was changed, somehow.
 
Originally posted by: Nothinman
well we know what M$ is about don't we
Click to expand...

They're about making money, that's what for-profit businesses do. Did you think they were in this to make you feel good?
Click to expand...
Here's a phrase to add to your business vocabulary:
customer satisfaction


😉 😛

 
customer satisfaction becomes pretty unimportant.
Click to expand...

No, it just becomes another phrase to add to your business vocabulary:
Customer Resource Management.

Thats what happens when you have to justify the cost of your help desk, or figure out some way for it to
turn a profit.

Otherwise you have to show (in concrete terms) how that customer satisfaction is a benefit to the
bottom line.
 
Actually the majority of Windows users have either machines that come with XP and dont require activation (Dell, Compaq/HP, etc.) or are covered under some form of volume licensing.

The people who even have to activate it are the minority; once more the portion of them who have a problem with activation is an even smaller group.

I dont think the handfull of people who've had to wait on the phone 10min. to activate Windows XP complaining for a few days are really going to make a big differance in their general customer satisfaction.

Besides they have bigger fish to fry when it comes to customer satisfaction such as SP2.
Once you work your way up to a monopoly, customer satisfaction becomes pretty unimportant.
Click to expand...
I disagree to some extent; I think when a company gets really big it's just that the defenition of customer satisfaction changes. Just look at General Mills, General Electric, General Motors and Walmart 😉
 
I don't know of any '10-reboots' rule for activation. For me it was always 30 days. And after the first time I installed XP, the activation took about 15 seconds and compleatly in the background to go through, hassle free. The one thing I didn't like is if I changed aroung the guts too much I had 3 days to reactivate.

There are really only 2 solutions:
1) Reinstall XP again and pray
2) Like said above, just get a crack for activation. Its not like your stealing anyting, you do own a licence. I don't find that to be morally wrong.
 
As far as activation cracks go I'd be impressed if using one will permit you to install service packs afterwards. As to the activation process the only time I've had it force activation on me is because I forgot to set the right time and date in the bios so once the clock got updated a hell of lot more than 30days had actually went by between the dates entered between install and the present one 😉 Then I just phoned it in and did it with the CS computer. Occassionally I'll have to do another activation due to hardware upgrades in a matter of weeks at which point I have to actually talk to a human CS rep to activate. In the final analysis though I've had zero problems getting it activated and the minor inconvience is certainly not worthy of all the anti-MS bullsh*t idiots continue to spew
rolleye.gif
These a$$clowns act like your first born is required or something= get a life and stop sweating the little things :light:

 
I've rolled one particular key code copy of XP Pro at least 8 times with hardware, motherboard, Cpu, and other upgrades
or let the pooch run too far and it came back screwed - Big 'C' chord - CHUNG!

Probing the edges, found it WAS flat - and fell off.

There have been several conversations with Tusconians, Philadelphians, and maybe Plutoniums.
But the 'ET Phone Home' has never taken more than 7 minutes, even with the 'Splainin.
 
Okay, so here's a question:

I recently loaded (legit versions of) XP Pro, Office 2003, Visio 2003 on my laptop. Then sold/gave that laptop to a friend bc I was purchasing a new one. I keep the software discs. I fully expect to be able to call MS, explain the situation, and have them give me new activation codes to install the OS and sw on my new machine (at least I hope this is how it works), but I'm wondering what happens to the old machine I sold (well, traded). Will her software be cut off once I re-activate my stuff on my new box? She needs to start planning for something if that is the case.

ponjovi
 
Originally posted by: ponjovi
Okay, so here's a question:

I recently loaded (legit versions of) XP Pro, Office 2003, Visio 2003 on my laptop. Then sold/gave that laptop to a friend bc I was purchasing a new one. I keep the software discs. I fully expect to be able to call MS, explain the situation, and have them give me new activation codes to install the OS and sw on my new machine (at least I hope this is how it works), but I'm wondering what happens to the old machine I sold (well, traded). Will her software be cut off once I re-activate my stuff on my new box? She needs to start planning for something if that is the case.

ponjovi
Click to expand...

Hopefully she installed legal copies on her hardware. She does not have licenses to use them (since you kept them). Tell her to buy her own software.
 
Originally posted by: Runamile
I don't know of any '10-reboots' rule for activation. For me it was always 30 days. And after the first time I installed XP, the activation took about 15 seconds and compleatly in the background to go through, hassle free. The one thing I didn't like is if I changed aroung the guts too much I had 3 days to reactivate.

There are really only 2 solutions:
1) Reinstall XP again and pray
2) Like said above, just get a crack for activation. Its not like your stealing anyting, you do own a licence. I don't find that to be morally wrong.
Click to expand...

If you aren't going to bother to pay attention to the license, why bother paying for the software?
 
2) Like said above, just get a crack for activation. Its not like your stealing anyting, you do own a licence. I don't find that to be morally wrong
Click to expand...

Interesting logic. So the fact that said crack will also allow you to use your one license to install the OS on an unlimited number of systems--a blatant violation of the EULA--falls in line with your morals?
 
Originally posted by: STaSh
2) Like said above, just get a crack for activation. Its not like your stealing anyting, you do own a licence. I don't find that to be morally wrong
Click to expand...

Interesting logic. So the fact that said crack will also allow you to use your one license to install the OS on an unlimited number of systems--a blatant violation of the EULA--falls in line with your morals?
Click to expand...

no, but you will be legal when MS knocks on your door and counts PC's running xp and asks for the corresponding number of licences...
 
How would you be in compliance if you have one license and a cracked copy of XP running on multiple machines?
 
Originally posted by: STaSh
How would you be in compliance if you have one license and a cracked copy of XP running on multiple machines?
Click to expand...

I think they mean 1 license, 1 cracked copy of XP running on 1 machine. It's still a retarded argument on their part.
 
Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Originally posted by: STaSh
How would you be in compliance if you have one license and a cracked copy of XP running on multiple machines?
Click to expand...

I think they mean 1 license, 1 cracked copy of XP running on 1 machine. It's still a retarded argument on their part.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Why anyone would want to crack activation on a copy of XP they have a valid license for is beyond me. Activation is a 5 second, click next affair. If you are like the original poster and you change enough hardware, you make a 5 minute phone call.
 
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