My XP Pro just expired...after 4+ years??

[yerk5]

Thats right. I went to log into one of my PC's and got the message
that XP was expired and it wants me to go through the "Lets Activate
Windows" wizard.

Everything I read on the web suggests an un-activated copy of XP only
lasts 30 days. Why is mine drying up after over 4 years??

This PC was a gift from my dad, and he originally loaded XP on it. Is
it possible he reused the same cd/product key elsewhere just recently
and that could be the source of my woes?

Furthermore, I have since acquired my own legit XP cd. Is there some
way I can make use of it to get past this wizard, short of losing all
my C:\documents and settings\?

On the Activation wizard, I tried to activate over the internet, but
it fails every time even though the machine should have internet
access (I plugged it directly into my cable modem for this purpose).

So then I tried clicking on Telephone, then "Change Product Key" and
entered the Product Key from the cd I since got. But it just comes
back as an invalid product key (I dont know how this is possible since
I used that cd to install XP on another pc of mine).

Anyway, if I boot to my XP CD, can I just run a windows repair to get
past this wizard (in other words, will this replace the product ID
with that from my cd, and then boot up normally? Or am I going to get
stuck having to do a full windows install and having to salvage my
data first and then start all over?)

 

[Mike Hall - MVP]

Thats right. I went to log into one of my PC's and got the message
that XP was expired and it wants me to go through the "Lets Activate
Windows" wizard.

Everything I read on the web suggests an un-activated copy of XP only
lasts 30 days. Why is mine drying up after over 4 years??

This PC was a gift from my dad, and he originally loaded XP on it. Is
it possible he reused the same cd/product key elsewhere just recently
and that could be the source of my woes?

Furthermore, I have since acquired my own legit XP cd. Is there some
way I can make use of it to get past this wizard, short of losing all
my C:\documents and settings\?

On the Activation wizard, I tried to activate over the internet, but
it fails every time even though the machine should have internet
access (I plugged it directly into my cable modem for this purpose).

So then I tried clicking on Telephone, then "Change Product Key" and
entered the Product Key from the cd I since got. But it just comes
back as an invalid product key (I dont know how this is possible since
I used that cd to install XP on another pc of mine).

Anyway, if I boot to my XP CD, can I just run a windows repair to get
past this wizard (in other words, will this replace the product ID
with that from my cd, and then boot up normally? Or am I going to get
stuck having to do a full windows install and having to salvage my
data first and then start all over?)

It is probably a glitch, unless somebody has used the keycode on another
computer.

The keycode is not tied to one XP CD. Keycodes are tied to the type of CD,
as in OEM, Retail, Home, Pro and any variation in between..

To activate by phone, follow the instructions on this website..

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307890


--
Mike Hall - MVP
How to construct a good post..
http://dts-l.com/goodpost.htm
How to use the Microsoft Product Support Newsgroups..
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=newswhelp&style=toc
Mike's Window - My Blog..
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/default.aspx

 

[db ´¯`·.. >]

no, a repair won't work
after the o.s. is set for
activation.

further, if you do have a
new cd, then you would
still need to activate that
o.s. if you installed it over
the older o.s.

-------------

each time windows loads
up, it performs 10 checks of
the hardware that was initially
audited and cataloged at the
time of installation.

if 6 checks fail because
they no longer matches the
original configuration, then
the o.s. considers your system
to be different and re activation
is required.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb457054.aspx


however, there are other scenerios
that will induce a reactivation.

for example if the registry hive
crashes (in some cases), or the
hard drive is moved into a totally
different system or the system had
components replaced that are not
similar to the original or if a highly
integrated program like microsoft's
steady state was uninstalled.

in any case, there is a method to
restore/rollback the wpa file. but
it is easier just to call 1-800-india
and get a new activation code.


--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces

 

[Mick Murphy]

"So then I tried clicking on Telephone, then "Change Product Key" and
entered the Product Key from the cd I since got. But it just comes
back as an invalid product key (I dont know how this is possible since
I used that cd to install XP on another pc of mine)."

If OEM copy, you can only ever install that product Key on the 1st computer
it is run on. THe XP licence dies with that computer.

If Retail, you have to uninstall it from the 1st computer it was installed on.
One licence, one install at a time.
"