Activation?

[Mike C.]

I'm a fairly advanced computer user and I upgrade my PC fairly often, well
it seems that now it's gotten to the point that I cannot activate my Windows
XP without calling in. What is really annoying about this problem is this:

1. I cannot activate online.
2. The automated telephone activation will not work.
3. Talking to someone DOES work.

Why do I have to actually speak to someone to activate my Windows? If
Windows activates just fine when I speak to someone, then what's the
necessity to have it not activate for the first 2 ways?

I don't mind activation as a way to prevent rampant piracy but there comes a
point when it starts to annoy us legitimate customers who simply have too
much money for our own good.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I'm a fairly advanced computer user and I upgrade my PC fairly
often, well it seems that now it's gotten to the point that I
cannot activate my Windows XP without calling in. What is really
annoying about this problem is this:
1. I cannot activate online.
2. The automated telephone activation will not work.
3. Talking to someone DOES work.

Why do I have to actually speak to someone to activate my Windows?
If Windows activates just fine when I speak to someone, then what's
the necessity to have it not activate for the first 2 ways?

I don't mind activation as a way to prevent rampant piracy but
there comes a point when it starts to annoy us legitimate customers
who simply have too much money for our own good.

Is it an OEM copy? That could be why on #2...
Have you bothered, while implementing #3 - to ask these questions?
The first option will not work *if* it has been less than 120 days or so
since you last activated.

 

[JS]

Automatic is the least expensive and less time consuming.
Automated phone is in case user does not have ISP service or there is a
problem with internet activation.
Real person is in case all else fails.

The question is do you constantly require re-activation or did the phone
call work.

JS

 

[Mike C.]

No, I didn't ask these things as these people are only there to answer your
call and activate your Windows.

Either way, it's starting to annoy me and it never used to annoy me like
this before--and I've been using this same copy of Windows XP since I had a
Pentium 3 667Mhz computer. it's only recently (this year) become an
annoyance. Keep in mind I've had this copy of XP since 2002 or so.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I'm a fairly advanced computer user and I upgrade my PC fairly
often, well it seems that now it's gotten to the point that I
cannot activate my Windows XP without calling in. What is really
annoying about this problem is this:

1. I cannot activate online.
2. The automated telephone activation will not work.
3. Talking to someone DOES work.

Why do I have to actually speak to someone to activate my Windows?
If Windows activates just fine when I speak to someone, then
what's the necessity to have it not activate for the first 2 ways?

I don't mind activation as a way to prevent rampant piracy but
there comes a point when it starts to annoy us legitimate
customers who simply have too much money for our own good.

Is it an OEM copy? That could be why on #2...
Have you bothered, while implementing #3 - to ask these questions?
The first option will not work *if* it has been less than 120 days
or so since you last activated.

No, I didn't ask these things as these people are only there to
answer your call and activate your Windows.

Either way, it's starting to annoy me and it never used to annoy me
like this before--and I've been using this same copy of Windows XP
since I had a Pentium 3 667Mhz computer. it's only recently (this
year) become an annoyance. Keep in mind I've had this copy of XP
since 2002 or so.

I do not see the relevance in how long you've had the copy of Windows XP.
Windows XP Activation has not changed.
The WGA stuff did - but product activation has not for WIndows XP.

Perhaps you are installing more often...
(Falling within the 120 day period - which is more of a fixed 120 days - not
around your install date. They clear the activation database - or so it is
said - every 4 months or so. So if you activated on day 119 of that 120
period (if it is actually 120) then you could reinstall and activate on the
internet 2 days later. But if you happened to activate on day 5, you have
115 days until you can easily activate on the Internet again.)

Perhaps it was 'luck' if you were able to activate that copy of Windows XP
at the end of a cycle and activate it again a few days/weeks later - then
you happened to wait more than the days left in that cycle and do it again..
and so on...

Perhaps yor patience is less than it was 4 years ago...

So is the copy OEM or Retail or Upgrade?

 

[Mike C.]

The phone call works, it's just an absolutely annoying process.

 

[nowhereman]

I'm a fairly advanced computer user and I upgrade my PC fairly often,
well it seems that now it's gotten to the point that I cannot activate
my Windows XP without calling in. What is really annoying about this
problem is this:

1. I cannot activate online.
2. The automated telephone activation will not work.
3. Talking to someone DOES work.

Why do I have to actually speak to someone to activate my Windows? If
Windows activates just fine when I speak to someone, then what's the
necessity to have it not activate for the first 2 ways?

I don't mind activation as a way to prevent rampant piracy but there
comes a point when it starts to annoy us legitimate customers who
simply have too much money for our own good.

Hey mike c

your's is not a problem i am very familar with,

however, i took a little time to think outside the box

for a few min and maybe i have a solution ..... if you want you can

allow me to relieve you of a good bit of your "excess money" (after all

you have to much for your own good) Then you will be just like all the

rest of us and won't be able to afford to update your computer so often

that it is annoying you, and causing you all the stress and frustration.

meanwhile i'm sure i can find excellent use for your excess funds and

alas problem solved

have a great day

nwm

 

[Gordon]

According to the Representative I spoke to about a month ago, (when all
the above failed for me, re-activating on the same unchanged machine the
OS had been on for a year), MS have decided that ALL versions of XP will
only be allowed ONE Internet activation in their lifetime. Any others
must be by phone.
Linux here I come.

 

[Rock]

According to the Representative I spoke to about a month ago, (when all
the above failed for me, re-activating on the same unchanged machine the
OS had been on for a year), MS have decided that ALL versions of XP will
only be allowed ONE Internet activation in their lifetime. Any others must
be by phone.
Linux here I come.

You're going to linux because thinking you'll need a phone activation that
may take 5-10 minutes? Good bye and good luck.

 

[Mike C.]

It's starting to become a right pain in the ass. I have to waste my time, my
5-10 minutes, to activate my PC because Microsoft thinks I'm stealing their
OS.

In reality, the criminals jump by everything anyway. The only people this
stuff actually inconveniences are the paying customers.

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

The phone call works, it's just an absolutely annoying process.

Live with it, moron.

 

[Gordon]

You're going to linux because thinking you'll need a phone activation
that may take 5-10 minutes? Good bye and good luck.

The point is, if it was a pirate version then yes I can see the reason.
But WHY oh WHY has MS decided to do this for GENUINE versions? It just
pisses off the genuine customer. The pirate doesn't give a toss....

 

[Gordon]

Live with it, moron.

So you LIKE the way MS accuses genuine paying customers of being PIRATES
then do you?

 

[Rock]

The point is, if it was a pirate version then yes I can see the reason.
But WHY oh WHY has MS decided to do this for GENUINE versions? It just
pisses off the genuine customer. The pirate doesn't give a toss....

I don't feel like I'm being accused of pirating software. But if you've
decided to go to Linux because of having to make a phone call, have fun.

 

[Gordon]

I don't feel like I'm being accused of pirating software. But if you've
decided to go to Linux because of having to make a phone call, have fun.

You've completely missed the point. It's not the "hassle" of a
five-minute free phone call, or anything like that at all. It's the
arrogance and presumption of Microsoft that customers with genuine,
paid-for software have NOT got genuine, paid-for software, and
Microsoft's complete inability to produce an infallible method of
determining that. Just look at all the hooha over WGA where MANY MANY
genuine users suddenly found that WGA was reporting that they had
non-genuine software! A complete balls-up on the part of MS. If they
can't get THAT right, then I don't want to know. And I suspect, MS will
have a shock at the small take-up of both Vista and office 2007, one of
the factors being this very one.

 

[Alias]

I don't feel like I'm being accused of pirating software.

What do you think activation is? You have to prove you are not a pirate
every time you reinstall Windows or upgrade your hard ware. So, either
you're incapable of logic or you've been brainwashed by Microsoft if you
think activation isn't accusing you of being a pirate until you prove
otherwise. In fact, if you don't prove otherwise, you can't use the
software you paid for. This will be the end of Microsoft and any other
company that uses activation, mark my words.

The fact that activation doesn't affect piracy one iota is sad. What's
sadder is scaring people into buying a copy of Windows that they don't
need, the real reason for activation.

Alias

 

[Rock]

You've completely missed the point. It's not the "hassle" of a five-minute
free phone call, or anything like that at all. It's the arrogance and
presumption of Microsoft that customers with genuine, paid-for software
have NOT got genuine, paid-for software, and Microsoft's complete
inability to produce an infallible method of determining that. Just look
at all the hooha over WGA where MANY MANY genuine users suddenly found
that WGA was reporting that they had non-genuine software! A complete
balls-up on the part of MS. If they can't get THAT right, then I don't
want to know. And I suspect, MS will have a shock at the small take-up of
both Vista and office 2007, one of the factors being this very one.

You are missing the point. MS has a right to protect their property
interests. My copy is not pirated and I don't feel like a pirate because of
their checks. If you do, I feel sorry for you.

 

[Rock]

You've completely missed the point. It's not the "hassle" of a five-minute
free phone call, or anything like that at all. It's the arrogance and
presumption of Microsoft that customers with genuine, paid-for software
have NOT got genuine, paid-for software, and Microsoft's complete
inability to produce an infallible method of determining that. Just look
at all the hooha over WGA where MANY MANY genuine users suddenly found
that WGA was reporting that they had non-genuine software! A complete
balls-up on the part of MS. If they can't get THAT right, then I don't
want to know. And I suspect, MS will have a shock at the small take-up of
both Vista and office 2007, one of the factors being this very one.

Addendum, are you going to linux? Good, have fun.

 

[Alias]

You are missing the point. MS has a right to protect their property
interests.

It doesn't have a right to force paying customers to help them. If MS
thinks someone is stealing from them, they should call the proper legal
authorities, not force paying customers to stand in the crossfire
between MS and the pirates.

My copy is not pirated and I don't feel like a pirate
because of their checks.

And you shouldn't. You should feel insulted that MS assumes you to be a
pirate.

If you do, I feel sorry for you.

You're the sorry one, jumping through every anti piracy measure that MS
throws at you.

Alias