Remote Assistance does not wok if XP is not Activated?

I am trying to get remote desktop (remote assistance) working on a XP Pro computer that is not yet activated (as in "you have 30 days left to activate windows XP") I can not get remote assistance to work through windows messenger. I can send an invitation for assistance to another user, the other user accepts the invitation but then nothing happens.

I was wondering if this was because Windoes XP is not yet activated. (Remote assistance and remote desktop are both turned on in system properties.)
Anyone know?