Reactivate Windows???

[Guest]

I have had Windows XP Home installed for well over a year, and now I get the
following message EVERY TIME I turn on my computer:

"Since Windows was first activated on this computer, the hardware on the
computer has changed significantly. Due to these changes, Windows must be
reactivated within 3 days.
Do you want to reactivate Windows now?"

Well, naturally, I clicked NO. However, this insidious message kept
recurring. I have
even been threatened to have Windows inoperable if I don't "reactivate"
within the
3-day time limit.

I eventually tried to cooperate with "big brother". However, for some reason
known
only to my computer, this script cannot connect to the internet (even though
I
have no trouble doing it myself). I then tried the phone connection, only to
receive
a busy signal every time I try it.

Is this really true? Can I have Windows disappear in three more days if I
don't
agree to this blackmail?

I received Windows XP when I bought my computer, and activated it at that
time.
How can it be taken away from me after over a year without my consent???

Something is definitely wrong here.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Obviously something happened to cause this error.

Start/Run
Type "oobe/msoobe /a" ENTER
Follow the prompts

If that fails:
Reboot to Safe Mode:
Reboot tapping F8 each second.
Select Safe Mode at the menu
Start/Run
Type "regsvr32.exe regwizc.dll" ENTER
Type "regsvr32.exe licdll.dll" ENTER
Reboot.
Activate again
Reboot

 

[David Sanders]

I have had Windows XP Home installed for well over a year, and now I get the
following message EVERY TIME I turn on my computer:

"Since Windows was first activated on this computer, the hardware on the
computer has changed significantly. Due to these changes, Windows must be
reactivated within 3 days.
Do you want to reactivate Windows now?"

Well, naturally, I clicked NO. However, this insidious message kept
recurring. I have
even been threatened to have Windows inoperable if I don't "reactivate"
within the
3-day time limit.

I eventually tried to cooperate with "big brother". However, for some reason
known
only to my computer, this script cannot connect to the internet (even though
I
have no trouble doing it myself). I then tried the phone connection, only to
receive
a busy signal every time I try it.

Is this really true? Can I have Windows disappear in three more days if I
don't
agree to this blackmail?

I received Windows XP when I bought my computer, and activated it at that
time.
How can it be taken away from me after over a year without my consent???

Something is definitely wrong here.

It is routine to have to reactivate after major changes in hardware.
Just follow through with it and everything will be fine.

 

[kurttrail]

It is routine to have to reactivate after major changes in hardware.

But the OP didn't say he made any changes.

Just follow through with it and everything will be fine.

He tried that already, and everthing wasn't fine.

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei"

 

[kurttrail]

I have had Windows XP Home installed for well over a year, and now I
get the following message EVERY TIME I turn on my computer:

"Since Windows was first activated on this computer, the hardware on
the computer has changed significantly. Due to these changes, Windows
must be reactivated within 3 days.
Do you want to reactivate Windows now?"

Well, naturally, I clicked NO. However, this insidious message kept
recurring. I have
even been threatened to have Windows inoperable if I don't
"reactivate" within the
3-day time limit.

I eventually tried to cooperate with "big brother". However, for some
reason known
only to my computer, this script cannot connect to the internet (even
though I
have no trouble doing it myself). I then tried the phone connection,
only to receive
a busy signal every time I try it.

Is this really true? Can I have Windows disappear in three more days
if I don't
agree to this blackmail?

I received Windows XP when I bought my computer, and activated it at
that time.
How can it be taken away from me after over a year without my
consent???

Something is definitely wrong here.

MicroGreed at its worst.

PA doesn't stop piracy. PA is absolutely useless to the end user, but
MS doesn't care if people like you get screwed. They got your money
already, and they may trick an unsuspecting person into buying another
copy of it, when PA screws them over.

That their phones are busy, is the worst part of it. How dare they not
have enough phone lines with all the billions of dollars that they made
selling their software!

And MS wonders why people download XP with PA disabled!

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei"

 

[?]

And MS wonders why people download XP with PA disabled!


Amen....... That's why my "Bought Version" is sitting on the self!

 

[Yves Leclerc]

Changing drivers and spywares that modify Registry key can trigger this
re-activate request. It is not a big problem to re-activate with MS, even
by phone.

 

[kurttrail]

Changing drivers

Drivers aren't suppose to be counted as changes to the hardware. Though
I agree, in reality, it sometimes does.

and spywares that modify Registry key can trigger
this re-activate request.

That sounds more like a problem of MS not securing that registry key
properly.

It is not a big problem to re-activate
with MS, even by phone.

Obviously this isn't the case for the OP. Please reread his post.

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei"

 

[Yves Leclerc]

Then MS has a problem with PA. I experienced the driver knocking out my
activation and I was successful with the the phone activation, but that was
early last year (2004). Maybe an update knocks activation out.

 

[kurttrail]

Then MS has a problem with PA. I experienced the driver knocking out
my activation and I was successful with the the phone activation, but
that was early last year (2004). Maybe an update knocks activation
out.

Yeah, I remember you mentioning that last year. PA has its flaws, and
personally I think it is irresponsible to impose it on people, many of
whom that have no conception about how it is supposed to work. Hell,
most home computer users can't keep spyware off their systems, how in
the world are they supposed to understand what to do when PA screws up.

I've seen with a friend's computer, where a BIOS update triggered it,
and there have been many post of the years where one hardare change has
triggered it. It seems to pop up willy nilly. And what are people to
think when it does?

Hopefully Jupiter helped the OP out so he/she can reactivate, but
calling up to activate and getting a busy signal? That should never
happen, not when MS wants their paying customers to put up with PA, that
is of absolutely no use to that customer.

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei"

 

[Al Smith]

Something is definitely wrong here.

It is routine to have to reactivate after major changes in hardware. Just follow through with it and everything will be fine.

It's routine for your hair to fall out if you get radiation
poisoning, too, but nobody needs to like it.

 

[Al Smith]

Yeah, I remember you mentioning that last year. PA has its flaws, and

personally I think it is irresponsible to impose it on people, many of
whom that have no conception about how it is supposed to work. Hell,
most home computer users can't keep spyware off their systems, how in
the world are they supposed to understand what to do when PA screws up.

Product Activation is wasting millions of man-hours around the
world, and Microsoft executives don't give a damn. Why? Because it
isn't costing Microsoft a cent. They are making money when their
poor customers get frustrated and frightened into buying new
copies of Windows that they don't really need. Does Gates care if
some woman in Peoria wastes twenty hours of her time because her
computer is down because Windows isn't working on her computer
because of Product Activation? Does he care if she gives up on her
OEM version and goes out and buys a retail version of Windows?

Until Microsoft is held legally accountable for the hours of their
customers' work time that they waste, there's no incentive for
Microsoft to change its ways.

 

[Guest]

I've already tried this. I found it in a post by S.Sengupta on 1/15/2005. It
doesn't do anything except to put a shortcut on my desktop that I don't need.

All I know is that, according to the ubiquitous popup, I now have only 2
days left before I lose the use of my computer. I try both the internet
connection and the telephone each time I boot my computer, and neither of
them works.

How can they take away Windows, when I duly paid for it and activated it and
registered it almost 2 years ago?? Isn't this illegal?

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

If nothing else works, perform a Repair Installation:
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/repaxp.htm

 

[Guest]

1) You mean I have to do a complete reinstall?? I have enough problems with
Windows and IE without going through this time-consuming and frustrating
process again. This is why I got XP in the first place - so I didn't have to
do that any more!

2) This doesn't anwer my basic question - why am I being put in this
position in the first place? I haven't done anything illegal, or even
immoral! Yet I am being threatened with losing everything on my computer.
Something is definitely wrong here!

3) That having been said (again), I can't do a reinstall because I have
another major problem right now. My Computer does not recognize either my CD
or DVD drives, so I can't use a CD at the moment. I was working on this
problem when the reinstall issue reared its head. As we say in the islands,
"That's cocobeh 'pon top of yahs !!"

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

1. If nothing else works, a Repair Installation is next.
Since it is a Repair Installation, data, settings and programs should be
safe.

2. Probably no one knows.
Changing drivers has been known to cause this.
Viruses and spyware as well.
Sometimes it just happens for no apparent reason.
Hardware changes can cause this.
Have you made any hardware or software changes in the last few weeks?
If so what?

3. Is the recognition a Windows issue or a hardware issue?
If it is a Windows issue, the Repair Installation will work, just follow the
instructions on the link in my previous post.

 

[Guest]

Well, I got it activated. Since the telephone number I was given for the US
Virgin Islands was always busy, I called the one for the United States, and
went through the dehumanizing process of talking to a machine.

The only problem now is that there appears to be no way to blow off steam at
Microsoft. If there's anybody out there who wants to start a class-action
lawsuit, please count me in!

 

[Alias]

Well, I got it activated. Since the telephone number I was given for the
US
Virgin Islands was always busy, I called the one for the United States,
and
went through the dehumanizing process of talking to a machine.

The only problem now is that there appears to be no way to blow off steam
at
Microsoft. If there's anybody out there who wants to start a class-action
lawsuit, please count me in!

What's worse it that the activation scam/folly doesn't impact the crackers
at all. It only affects users such as you and me that PAY for the product.
It makes you wonder if MS cares about their paying customers.

 

[kurttrail]

Product Activation is wasting millions of man-hours around the
world, and Microsoft executives don't give a damn. Why? Because it
isn't costing Microsoft a cent. They are making money when their
poor customers get frustrated and frightened into buying new
copies of Windows that they don't really need. Does Gates care if
some woman in Peoria wastes twenty hours of her time because her
computer is down because Windows isn't working on her computer
because of Product Activation? Does he care if she gives up on her
OEM version and goes out and buys a retail version of Windows?

Until Microsoft is held legally accountable for the hours of their
customers' work time that they waste, there's no incentive for
Microsoft to change its ways.

Yep, if MS wants customers to do things for them beyond paying for the
software, MS should take responsibility for ALL the faults in their
software, including all the security holes!

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei"

 

[kurttrail]

Well, I got it activated. Since the telephone number I was given for
the US Virgin Islands was always busy, I called the one for the
United States, and went through the dehumanizing process of talking
to a machine.

The only problem now is that there appears to be no way to blow off
steam at Microsoft. If there's anybody out there who wants to start a
class-action lawsuit, please count me in!

Glad you finally got activated, after all the frustration. The best way
to get back at them is to remember this eXPerience when MS tries to sell
you a new PA-disabled product. Don't buy it.

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei"