Hi --

I've been going around in circles for going on five hours with this, and I
need to get this machine back up.

I replaced the hard drive on a Windows XP Pro SP3 computer. The hard drive
was cloned with Symantec Ghost, and the new drive was installed in place of
the old one.

When the PC rebooted and I attempted to log in, I was informed that "This
copy of Windows must be activated with Microsoft before you can log in." I
clicked on the Yes button, and I spent the next 15 minutes staring at a
blank desktop with just wallpaper. No icons, no taskbar, just the wallpaper
and the mouse pointer.

I rebooted the PC and tried this four more times. If I clicked on "Yes" at
the activation question, I wound up with the empty desktop. If clicked on
"No", I was taken back to the login screen.

I can log in and work on the PC (to a point) if I boot the PC in Safe Mode.
But if I try to run the Activation Wizard in Safe Mode, I get an error that
the program cannot be run in Safe Mode.

I've already performed two Repair installations on this machine, using the
SP2 CD with which the PC was originally installed. In both cases, the
installation key was accepted when I was asked to enter it, and the repair
installation went without a hitch. But after the PC rebooted, as soon as I
tried to log in I was told that Windows had to be activated -- and I was
back at the same blank desktop.

I have even installed SP3 from an installation image I have locally, with
the PC in Safe Mode. So the computer shows that it is running Windows XP Pro
SP3 (which is what it was running before the hard drive was replaced).

I know the PC has a usable network connection. Not only is its DHCP lease
showing up on the server, but I can connect to it from any other PC via
mstsc. If I try to connect to the PC with the TS client, I get the same
"This copy of Windows must be activated" nonsense.

After getting nowhere with this I called PSS. The agent who took the call
transferred me to the Activation department. The rep at the Activation
department told me that this was a support issue and transferred me to Tech
Support -- where I was transferred back to the Activation queue.

I need to get this machine back up and runnning (it is, in a way ...), and I
cannot afford the massive amount of time it would take to get this PC back
up if I have to perform a clean install of Windows. I don't know why a
simple hard drive replacement has resulted in this mess, or why online
searches for "this copy of Windows must be activated" result in dozens and
dozens of hits but no apparent resolution.

How do I get his PC back up and running?

Thanks,
CL

Hi Chuck,

Try to use the change Product Key option:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949384

Regards,

Jitesh Biswas
http://jiteshbiswas.tripod.com

"Chuck Lavin" wrote:

> Hi --
>
> I've been going around in circles for going on five hours with this, and I
> need to get this machine back up.
>
> I replaced the hard drive on a Windows XP Pro SP3 computer. The hard drive
> was cloned with Symantec Ghost, and the new drive was installed in place of
> the old one.
>
> When the PC rebooted and I attempted to log in, I was informed that "This
> copy of Windows must be activated with Microsoft before you can log in." I
> clicked on the Yes button, and I spent the next 15 minutes staring at a
> blank desktop with just wallpaper. No icons, no taskbar, just the wallpaper
> and the mouse pointer.
>
> I rebooted the PC and tried this four more times. If I clicked on "Yes" at
> the activation question, I wound up with the empty desktop. If clicked on
> "No", I was taken back to the login screen.
>
> I can log in and work on the PC (to a point) if I boot the PC in Safe Mode.
> But if I try to run the Activation Wizard in Safe Mode, I get an error that
> the program cannot be run in Safe Mode.
>
> I've already performed two Repair installations on this machine, using the
> SP2 CD with which the PC was originally installed. In both cases, the
> installation key was accepted when I was asked to enter it, and the repair
> installation went without a hitch. But after the PC rebooted, as soon as I
> tried to log in I was told that Windows had to be activated -- and I was
> back at the same blank desktop.
>
> I have even installed SP3 from an installation image I have locally, with
> the PC in Safe Mode. So the computer shows that it is running Windows XP Pro
> SP3 (which is what it was running before the hard drive was replaced).
>
> I know the PC has a usable network connection. Not only is its DHCP lease
> showing up on the server, but I can connect to it from any other PC via
> mstsc. If I try to connect to the PC with the TS client, I get the same
> "This copy of Windows must be activated" nonsense.
>
> After getting nowhere with this I called PSS. The agent who took the call
> transferred me to the Activation department. The rep at the Activation
> department told me that this was a support issue and transferred me to Tech
> Support -- where I was transferred back to the Activation queue.
>
> I need to get this machine back up and runnning (it is, in a way ...), and I
> cannot afford the massive amount of time it would take to get this PC back
> up if I have to perform a clean install of Windows. I don't know why a
> simple hard drive replacement has resulted in this mess, or why online
> searches for "this copy of Windows must be activated" result in dozens and
> dozens of hits but no apparent resolution.
>
> How do I get his PC back up and running?
>
> Thanks,
> CL
>
> .
>

This is because you have a copied installtion of windows and microsoft dont
allow that anymore as they are getting very strict
"Chuck Lavin" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi --
>
> I've been going around in circles for going on five hours with this, and I
> need to get this machine back up.
>
> I replaced the hard drive on a Windows XP Pro SP3 computer. The hard drive
> was cloned with Symantec Ghost, and the new drive was installed in place
> of the old one.
>
> When the PC rebooted and I attempted to log in, I was informed that "This
> copy of Windows must be activated with Microsoft before you can log in." I
> clicked on the Yes button, and I spent the next 15 minutes staring at a
> blank desktop with just wallpaper. No icons, no taskbar, just the
> wallpaper and the mouse pointer.
>
> I rebooted the PC and tried this four more times. If I clicked on "Yes" at
> the activation question, I wound up with the empty desktop. If clicked on
> "No", I was taken back to the login screen.
>
> I can log in and work on the PC (to a point) if I boot the PC in Safe
> Mode. But if I try to run the Activation Wizard in Safe Mode, I get an
> error that the program cannot be run in Safe Mode.
>
> I've already performed two Repair installations on this machine, using the
> SP2 CD with which the PC was originally installed. In both cases, the
> installation key was accepted when I was asked to enter it, and the repair
> installation went without a hitch. But after the PC rebooted, as soon as I
> tried to log in I was told that Windows had to be activated -- and I was
> back at the same blank desktop.
>
> I have even installed SP3 from an installation image I have locally, with
> the PC in Safe Mode. So the computer shows that it is running Windows XP
> Pro SP3 (which is what it was running before the hard drive was replaced).
>
> I know the PC has a usable network connection. Not only is its DHCP lease
> showing up on the server, but I can connect to it from any other PC via
> mstsc. If I try to connect to the PC with the TS client, I get the same
> "This copy of Windows must be activated" nonsense.
>
> After getting nowhere with this I called PSS. The agent who took the call
> transferred me to the Activation department. The rep at the Activation
> department told me that this was a support issue and transferred me to
> Tech Support -- where I was transferred back to the Activation queue.
>
> I need to get this machine back up and runnning (it is, in a way ...), and
> I cannot afford the massive amount of time it would take to get this PC
> back up if I have to perform a clean install of Windows. I don't know why
> a simple hard drive replacement has resulted in this mess, or why online
> searches for "this copy of Windows must be activated" result in dozens and
> dozens of hits but no apparent resolution.
>
> How do I get his PC back up and running?
>
> Thanks,
> CL
>

it's not a copy, it's an clone, one BIG difference!

"jack wilkinson" wrote:

> This is because you have a copied installtion of windows and microsoft dont
> allow that anymore as they are getting very strict
> "Chuck Lavin" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Hi --
> >
> > I've been going around in circles for going on five hours with this, and I
> > need to get this machine back up.
> >
> > I replaced the hard drive on a Windows XP Pro SP3 computer. The hard drive
> > was cloned with Symantec Ghost, and the new drive was installed in place
> > of the old one.
> >
> > When the PC rebooted and I attempted to log in, I was informed that "This
> > copy of Windows must be activated with Microsoft before you can log in." I
> > clicked on the Yes button, and I spent the next 15 minutes staring at a
> > blank desktop with just wallpaper. No icons, no taskbar, just the
> > wallpaper and the mouse pointer.
> >
> > I rebooted the PC and tried this four more times. If I clicked on "Yes" at
> > the activation question, I wound up with the empty desktop. If clicked on
> > "No", I was taken back to the login screen.
> >
> > I can log in and work on the PC (to a point) if I boot the PC in Safe
> > Mode. But if I try to run the Activation Wizard in Safe Mode, I get an
> > error that the program cannot be run in Safe Mode.
> >
> > I've already performed two Repair installations on this machine, using the
> > SP2 CD with which the PC was originally installed. In both cases, the
> > installation key was accepted when I was asked to enter it, and the repair
> > installation went without a hitch. But after the PC rebooted, as soon as I
> > tried to log in I was told that Windows had to be activated -- and I was
> > back at the same blank desktop.
> >
> > I have even installed SP3 from an installation image I have locally, with
> > the PC in Safe Mode. So the computer shows that it is running Windows XP
> > Pro SP3 (which is what it was running before the hard drive was replaced).
> >
> > I know the PC has a usable network connection. Not only is its DHCP lease
> > showing up on the server, but I can connect to it from any other PC via
> > mstsc. If I try to connect to the PC with the TS client, I get the same
> > "This copy of Windows must be activated" nonsense.
> >
> > After getting nowhere with this I called PSS. The agent who took the call
> > transferred me to the Activation department. The rep at the Activation
> > department told me that this was a support issue and transferred me to
> > Tech Support -- where I was transferred back to the Activation queue.
> >
> > I need to get this machine back up and runnning (it is, in a way ...), and
> > I cannot afford the massive amount of time it would take to get this PC
> > back up if I have to perform a clean install of Windows. I don't know why
> > a simple hard drive replacement has resulted in this mess, or why online
> > searches for "this copy of Windows must be activated" result in dozens and
> > dozens of hits but no apparent resolution.
> >
> > How do I get his PC back up and running?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > CL
> >
>
>
> .
>

Try validating windows at:
http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/val...displaylang=en
Also,open internet options,settings,view objects,R.click on each,one at a
time,select "update".

"Chuck Lavin" wrote:

> Hi --
>
> I've been going around in circles for going on five hours with this, and I
> need to get this machine back up.
>
> I replaced the hard drive on a Windows XP Pro SP3 computer. The hard drive
> was cloned with Symantec Ghost, and the new drive was installed in place of
> the old one.
>
> When the PC rebooted and I attempted to log in, I was informed that "This
> copy of Windows must be activated with Microsoft before you can log in." I
> clicked on the Yes button, and I spent the next 15 minutes staring at a
> blank desktop with just wallpaper. No icons, no taskbar, just the wallpaper
> and the mouse pointer.
>
> I rebooted the PC and tried this four more times. If I clicked on "Yes" at
> the activation question, I wound up with the empty desktop. If clicked on
> "No", I was taken back to the login screen.
>
> I can log in and work on the PC (to a point) if I boot the PC in Safe Mode.
> But if I try to run the Activation Wizard in Safe Mode, I get an error that
> the program cannot be run in Safe Mode.
>
> I've already performed two Repair installations on this machine, using the
> SP2 CD with which the PC was originally installed. In both cases, the
> installation key was accepted when I was asked to enter it, and the repair
> installation went without a hitch. But after the PC rebooted, as soon as I
> tried to log in I was told that Windows had to be activated -- and I was
> back at the same blank desktop.
>
> I have even installed SP3 from an installation image I have locally, with
> the PC in Safe Mode. So the computer shows that it is running Windows XP Pro
> SP3 (which is what it was running before the hard drive was replaced).
>
> I know the PC has a usable network connection. Not only is its DHCP lease
> showing up on the server, but I can connect to it from any other PC via
> mstsc. If I try to connect to the PC with the TS client, I get the same
> "This copy of Windows must be activated" nonsense.
>
> After getting nowhere with this I called PSS. The agent who took the call
> transferred me to the Activation department. The rep at the Activation
> department told me that this was a support issue and transferred me to Tech
> Support -- where I was transferred back to the Activation queue.
>
> I need to get this machine back up and runnning (it is, in a way ...), and I
> cannot afford the massive amount of time it would take to get this PC back
> up if I have to perform a clean install of Windows. I don't know why a
> simple hard drive replacement has resulted in this mess, or why online
> searches for "this copy of Windows must be activated" result in dozens and
> dozens of hits but no apparent resolution.
>
> How do I get his PC back up and running?
>
> Thanks,
> CL
>
> .
>

"Chuck Lavin" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi --
>
> I've been going around in circles for going on five hours with this, and I
> need to get this machine back up.
>
> I replaced the hard drive on a Windows XP Pro SP3 computer. The hard drive
> was cloned with Symantec Ghost, and the new drive was installed in place
> of the old one.
>
> When the PC rebooted and I attempted to log in, I was informed that "This
> copy of Windows must be activated with Microsoft before you can log in." I
> clicked on the Yes button, and I spent the next 15 minutes staring at a
> blank desktop with just wallpaper. No icons, no taskbar, just the
> wallpaper and the mouse pointer.
>
> I rebooted the PC and tried this four more times. If I clicked on "Yes" at
> the activation question, I wound up with the empty desktop. If clicked on
> "No", I was taken back to the login screen.
>
> I can log in and work on the PC (to a point) if I boot the PC in Safe
> Mode. But if I try to run the Activation Wizard in Safe Mode, I get an
> error that the program cannot be run in Safe Mode.
>
> I've already performed two Repair installations on this machine, using the
> SP2 CD with which the PC was originally installed. In both cases, the
> installation key was accepted when I was asked to enter it, and the repair
> installation went without a hitch. But after the PC rebooted, as soon as I
> tried to log in I was told that Windows had to be activated -- and I was
> back at the same blank desktop.
>
> I have even installed SP3 from an installation image I have locally, with
> the PC in Safe Mode. So the computer shows that it is running Windows XP
> Pro SP3 (which is what it was running before the hard drive was replaced).
>
> I know the PC has a usable network connection. Not only is its DHCP lease
> showing up on the server, but I can connect to it from any other PC via
> mstsc. If I try to connect to the PC with the TS client, I get the same
> "This copy of Windows must be activated" nonsense.
>
> After getting nowhere with this I called PSS. The agent who took the call
> transferred me to the Activation department. The rep at the Activation
> department told me that this was a support issue and transferred me to
> Tech Support -- where I was transferred back to the Activation queue.
>
> I need to get this machine back up and runnning (it is, in a way ...), and
> I cannot afford the massive amount of time it would take to get this PC
> back up if I have to perform a clean install of Windows. I don't know why
> a simple hard drive replacement has resulted in this mess, or why online
> searches for "this copy of Windows must be activated" result in dozens and
> dozens of hits but no apparent resolution.
>
> How do I get his PC back up and running?
>
> Thanks,
> CL

Do you still have the original drive? If you pop it in, does it work
properly?

Can you try re-cloning with differnet software, such as the TrueImage trial
version?

I tried ... That program won;t run in Safe Mode either.


"Jitesh Biswas" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:8935C4E6-D831-4EBC-A931-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi Chuck,
>
> Try to use the change Product Key option:
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949384
>
> Regards,
>
> Jitesh Biswas
> http://jiteshbiswas.tripod.com
>
> "Chuck Lavin" wrote:
>
>> Hi --
>>
>> I've been going around in circles for going on five hours with this, and
>> I
>> need to get this machine back up.
>>
>> I replaced the hard drive on a Windows XP Pro SP3 computer. The hard
>> drive
>> was cloned with Symantec Ghost, and the new drive was installed in place
>> of
>> the old one.
>>
>> When the PC rebooted and I attempted to log in, I was informed that "This
>> copy of Windows must be activated with Microsoft before you can log in."
>> I
>> clicked on the Yes button, and I spent the next 15 minutes staring at a
>> blank desktop with just wallpaper. No icons, no taskbar, just the
>> wallpaper
>> and the mouse pointer.
>>
>> I rebooted the PC and tried this four more times. If I clicked on "Yes"
>> at
>> the activation question, I wound up with the empty desktop. If clicked on
>> "No", I was taken back to the login screen.
>>
>> I can log in and work on the PC (to a point) if I boot the PC in Safe
>> Mode.
>> But if I try to run the Activation Wizard in Safe Mode, I get an error
>> that
>> the program cannot be run in Safe Mode.
>>
>> I've already performed two Repair installations on this machine, using
>> the
>> SP2 CD with which the PC was originally installed. In both cases, the
>> installation key was accepted when I was asked to enter it, and the
>> repair
>> installation went without a hitch. But after the PC rebooted, as soon as
>> I
>> tried to log in I was told that Windows had to be activated -- and I was
>> back at the same blank desktop.
>>
>> I have even installed SP3 from an installation image I have locally, with
>> the PC in Safe Mode. So the computer shows that it is running Windows XP
>> Pro
>> SP3 (which is what it was running before the hard drive was replaced).
>>
>> I know the PC has a usable network connection. Not only is its DHCP lease
>> showing up on the server, but I can connect to it from any other PC via
>> mstsc. If I try to connect to the PC with the TS client, I get the same
>> "This copy of Windows must be activated" nonsense.
>>
>> After getting nowhere with this I called PSS. The agent who took the call
>> transferred me to the Activation department. The rep at the Activation
>> department told me that this was a support issue and transferred me to
>> Tech
>> Support -- where I was transferred back to the Activation queue.
>>
>> I need to get this machine back up and runnning (it is, in a way ...),
>> and I
>> cannot afford the massive amount of time it would take to get this PC
>> back
>> up if I have to perform a clean install of Windows. I don't know why a
>> simple hard drive replacement has resulted in this mess, or why online
>> searches for "this copy of Windows must be activated" result in dozens
>> and
>> dozens of hits but no apparent resolution.
>>
>> How do I get his PC back up and running?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> CL
>>
>> .
>>

Chuck Lavin wrote:

> I replaced the hard drive on a Windows XP Pro SP3 computer. The
> hard drive was cloned with Symantec Ghost, and the new drive was
> installed in place of the old one.
>
> When the PC rebooted and I attempted to log in, I was informed that
> "This copy of Windows must be activated with Microsoft before you
> can log in."

I've cloned many XP installations using Ghost (Ghost 2003 - where you
boot from a floppy and do a drive-to-drive clone).

Ok, here's the scoop. XP looks at the following when you install it:

- video card
- CPU type
- installed RAM
- motherboard
- CD drive
- ethernet MAC address
- Hard drive model
- Hard drive volume serial number

I think that's it. Each item gets one "vote" (except for MAC address,
which gets 3). So when you install XP on a new system for the first
time, and perform the initial on-line validation, all those items are
voting "yes" every time your system starts. That's 10 votes.

If you change any component, you will lose that vote. Changing RAM
sticks doesn't matter unless you end up with a different amount of RAM.
Also, changing the CPU from one Intel CPU to another Intel CPU might not
matter either (I'm not sure exactly what needs to change before you lose
the CPU vote). Changing the CD/DVD drive or video card with an *exact*
same type also won't matter (but flashing the bios of your video card or
DVD drive will frequently end up messing with their vote and you will
lose it). Naturally if you change your ethernet card (or disable the
on-board card and install a PCI ethernet card) you will lose 3 votes.

So over time, there are lots of hardware that can change and lead to
vote-loss. XP needs 5 votes to keep running without thinking it needs
to re-validate itself.

When you clone a drive using ghost, it will maintain the volume serial
number, but unless the clone drive is the same make and model as the
original, you will lose the "hard drive model" vote.

I run a program called "xpinfo.exe" that tells me which votes I've lost
and which ones I still have for any given system (it also tells me the
first 3 segments of the product key used by that system).

My guess is that you were on the edge with your system. You had 5
votes, but when you cloned and started the system with the clone, you
lost the hard-drive model vote, which brought you down to 4 votes, which
pooched your clone.

I don't know if you still have your original drive (with XP still on it
- untouched) but if you do, it should still boot and run ok if you
re-install it. If you do that, and then get xpinfo.exe, you will know
which hardware components are causing your clone to fail the validation
test. You might then hunt down / replace the components and try them
and see if you get their vote back.

Warning: Once a system fails validation, you can't get it back by
substituting the hardware.

I keep a supply of matching hard drives so I can clone drives and try
various things. When I lose the validation on a drive, it's no problem
because I always have a master drive I can re-clone.

And yes, I've been in that place where a drive refuses to revalidate
itself. Try the telephone technique instead of on-line. They will
usually just give you a new code to enter and it will work.

Normally, on-line revalidation works ok (any system can be revlidated,
but not more often than 120 days).

Your product key might be the problem - is it OEM, Retail, or
System-Builder version of XP?

Jitesh Biswas wrote:

> Try to use the change Product Key option:

The product-key change tool has never worked for me.

I think that the various ways to change the product key are for systems
that haven't yet been validated.

In other words, when an OEM or system builder has installed XP using the
installation method designed / created by Microsoft, then the product
key can be changed before the system is shipped and used by the owner
for the first time (at which point system validation happens).

I've never been able to change the product key on a system that is
already up and running and validated. That would be nice, because I
create a single master copy of XP, which is validated, and which I
customize and keep updated via Windows Updates, and which I clone when I
need to ship the next PC to someone.

Because I can't change the product key on the clone, I have to make sure
that the master drive never downloads any WGA updates.