Purchased and loaded OEM Copy of XP Pro on an employee's laptop. Thought I had
activated; maybe the activation never worked. Employee let 30-day period
expire. Now I cannot get past login screen to activate, stays in a loop. Says
I must activate, I click Yes, logs me out, lets me try logging in again,
again says I must activate. Called Microsoft, and they were no help, just
wanted me to pay $59 to try getting help. So, I tried to re-install from Safe
Mode w/command prompt. Would not allow me to update, said I had to
re-install, which I did, a 2nd copy as I did not want to lose the employee's
stuff on the computer. Also, have tried to do a Repair install, but no
change. All of the Microsoft help says to Activate from the Start Menu, but I
cannot even get past the login screen. Please help.

Hello,

this problem seems to be well-known:
http://forums.techguy.org/t363300.html

Please report if the workaround did it.

Greetings,
P. Di Stolfo

"TMurphy" <(E-Mail Removed)> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:E50C8B93-E4B4-4FD1-A7B5-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Purchased and loaded OEM Copy of XP Pro on an employee's laptop. Thought I
> had
> activated; maybe the activation never worked. Employee let 30-day period
> expire. Now I cannot get past login screen to activate, stays in a loop.
> Says
> I must activate, I click Yes, logs me out, lets me try logging in again,
> again says I must activate. Called Microsoft, and they were no help, just
> wanted me to pay $59 to try getting help. So, I tried to re-install from
> Safe
> Mode w/command prompt. Would not allow me to update, said I had to
> re-install, which I did, a 2nd copy as I did not want to lose the
> employee's
> stuff on the computer. Also, have tried to do a Repair install, but no
> change. All of the Microsoft help says to Activate from the Start Menu,
> but I
> cannot even get past the login screen. Please help.

"TMurphy" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote
> Purchased and loaded OEM Copy of XP Pro on an employee's laptop. Thought I
> had
> activated; maybe the activation never worked. Employee let 30-day period
> expire. Now I cannot get past login screen to activate, stays in a loop.
> Says
> I must activate, I click Yes, logs me out, lets me try logging in again,
> again says I must activate. Called Microsoft, and they were no help, just
> wanted me to pay $59 to try getting help. So, I tried to re-install from
> Safe
> Mode w/command prompt. Would not allow me to update, said I had to
> re-install, which I did, a 2nd copy as I did not want to lose the
> employee's
> stuff on the computer. Also, have tried to do a Repair install, but no
> change. All of the Microsoft help says to Activate from the Start Menu,
> but I
> cannot even get past the login screen. Please help.

Will it start in safe mode? If so start activation from there and do the
phone activation.

--
Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]