30 days have past and cannot activate.

[Robert Nicholson]

often things surprise me but the very fact that Microsoft tells me
that I can activate windows over the internet but yet offers no way to
establish that connection using the dialup network configuration I
have already available astounds me.

my activation experience ends up being a complete black hole.

It's somewhat laughable how restrictive it is.

Now I'm in Asia right now but I do have a working dialup networking
profile but the activation process just won't let me used it to
establish an internet connection

 

[Robert Nicholson]

Let me ask a logical question...

Why must I activate or obtain the information needed to activate from
within the unactivated copy of windows?

For instance my XP right now has a dialup connection config that would
get XP onto the internet without any problem but XP doesn't allow you
to establish an internet connection.

Secondly,

If I just need the confirmation number and product id to do it over
the phone why aren't their chat bots/websites setup to take the
information and provide me with that I need in an OS that works and
then I can boot back and provide the activation info to XP via the
Telephone menu option.

I shouldn't have to make an international phone call from Thailand to
Singapore just to activate windows.

 

[GHalleck]

Let me ask a logical question...

Why must I activate or obtain the information needed to activate from
within the unactivated copy of windows?

For instance my XP right now has a dialup connection config that would
get XP onto the internet without any problem but XP doesn't allow you
to establish an internet connection.

Secondly,

If I just need the confirmation number and product id to do it over
the phone why aren't their chat bots/websites setup to take the
information and provide me with that I need in an OS that works and
then I can boot back and provide the activation info to XP via the
Telephone menu option.

I shouldn't have to make an international phone call from Thailand to
Singapore just to activate windows.

Well...that's the way it is. Of course, no one is forced to proceed
under such difficult situations when there are alternatives. If one
cannot activate and use Windows XP, there is still the alternative
of Windows 2000-SP4, which does not need activation and will still
be able to provide much of the capabilities found in Windows 2000-SP5,
that is also known as Windows XP.

 

[Robert Nicholson]

Actually that isn't an option for Bootcamp only Vista and XP work with
Bootcamp.

When I go thru the telephone support panels it looks like it's asking
me to provide a number or two to staff on the Telephone and they will
provide me with a number to enter.

Why must I do it using XP? Why can't I still use the tools.

I'm frustrated at having to use the telephone when I have other
bootable systems including Windows 2000

If that number I'm suppose to give over the telephone represents my
hardware configuration why can't I write
that down and provide it to some program over another internet
connection and enter in the number I get back.

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

Actually that isn't an option for Bootcamp only Vista and XP work with
Bootcamp.

When I go thru the telephone support panels it looks like it's asking
me to provide a number or two to staff on the Telephone and they will
provide me with a number to enter.
Yep.

Why must I do it using XP? Why can't I still use the tools.

See below (but note that one of the "tools" is a phone call, which you can
certainly make if you need to).

I'm frustrated at having to use the telephone when I have other
bootable systems including Windows 2000

If that number I'm suppose to give over the telephone represents my
hardware configuration why can't I write
that down and provide it to some program over another internet
connection and enter in the number I get back.

I've never tried activating over dialup, and am surprised it doesn't work -
what are your default connection settings in control panel | internet
options | connections? It would be very puzzling indeed if you had a working
dialup connection, manually established a connection in your web browser to
test it, and then couldn't activate.

That said, I understand you're frustrated, but seriously, how often are you
having to activate, anyway? If I were taking my laptop with me on a trip I'd
make sure it was ready to go before leaving, and if I had to do an emergency
reinstall during the trip I'd find a broadband connection to use if I were
actually going to be away for 30 days or more. Or I'd suck it up and make
the expensive phone call.

Come to think of it, I'd probably never truly reinstall, I'd simply reload
the Acronis image of my "known good config" that I keep handy.

 

[Mistoffolees]

Actually that isn't an option for Bootcamp only Vista and XP work with
Bootcamp.

When I go thru the telephone support panels it looks like it's asking
me to provide a number or two to staff on the Telephone and they will
provide me with a number to enter.

Why must I do it using XP? Why can't I still use the tools.

I'm frustrated at having to use the telephone when I have other
bootable systems including Windows 2000

If that number I'm suppose to give over the telephone represents my
hardware configuration why can't I write
that down and provide it to some program over another internet
connection and enter in the number I get back.

Bootcamp. This issue of activating a version of Windows XP running
in an Apple needs to be resolved by Apple. It is not a Microsoft
problem in the same sense that Microsoft considers XP in Bootcamp as
no different than XP issued by an OEM. AFAIK, and my Mac guru is away
for the Memorial Day weekend in the US, XP in Bootcamp should activate
automatically, without having to call in. Perhaps some other readers
will chime in with more information.

 

[Robert Nicholson]

you are wrong as in this case it would not have mattered if I was on a
Mac or PC.

If you're not listening then I'll try again. The point i'm making is
that if when XP was working
there was a dial networking configuration that can get me on the
internet then that connection
should be available when the 30 days runs out in order to be to
establish an internet connection
and activate over that. What I'm saying is that it doesn't appear to
be designed this way.
What does MS means when it says you can activate over the internet
after the 30 day period?

do they simply mean if you're on a LAN with access to the internet?