Recurring Activation

[Guest]

After running Vista Home Premium with no major glitches, over the weekend I
was presented with a warning that I would need to activate windows in two
days, then one, etc. Since I activated immediately after installation, and
had made no changes in hardware, and no significant changes in software, I
was somewhat concerned. I was even more concerned when activation on-line
failed with an error that the product code was in use. I became even more
worried when I tried to go on-line for trobule shooting and received the
error message that my product code was incorrect or corrupt. When I call the
phone in activiation the codes presented by the activation screen were also
not recognized. That raised my level of concern to even higher levels.

When I actually talked to a customer service rep, while the activation went
fine, she told me that Microsoft had now adopted a policy of requiring
reactivation every 30 days!!!

Although she assured me this is Moicrosoft's new policy, to deal with
piracy, I'm wondering if anyone else has gotten this information. It doesn't
seem to make sense that billions of installs would need reactivation every 30
days. The cusomter service requiremetns to handle all those contacts would
choke even a company like Microsoft. I didn't provide any personal data, nor
even the Vista COA number, but I'm now wondering if I've somehow been
phished. Has anyone else had this experience?

 

[Alias]

When I actually talked to a customer service rep, while the activation went
fine, she told me that Microsoft had now adopted a policy of requiring
reactivation every 30 days!!!

Did you get her name and employee ID number? If true, it's the end of
Microsoft. People will put up with Windows Activation, Windows Genuine
Advantage but few will put up with it every 30 days.

Tired of this crap? Try Open Source. I recommend Linux Ubuntu which has
no activation, no Windows Genuine Advantage, etc., and you can install
it on as many computers as you like. Not only that, it's FREE and comes
with hundreds of programs, also FREE.

Check it out at http://www.ubuntu.com/

Alias

 

[JockoBailey]

After running Vista Home Premium with no major glitches, over the weekend I
was presented with a warning that I would need to activate windows in two
days, then one, etc. Since I activated immediately after installation, and
had made no changes in hardware, and no significant changes in software, I
was somewhat concerned. I was even more concerned when activation on-line
failed with an error that the product code was in use. I became even more
worried when I tried to go on-line for trobule shooting and received the
error message that my product code was incorrect or corrupt. When I call the
phone in activiation the codes presented by the activation screen were also
not recognized. That raised my level of concern to even higher levels.

When I actually talked to a customer service rep, while the activation went
fine, she told me that Microsoft had now adopted a policy of requiring
reactivation every 30 days!!!

Although she assured me this is Moicrosoft's new policy, to deal with
piracy, I'm wondering if anyone else has gotten this information. It doesn't
seem to make sense that billions of installs would need reactivation every 30
days. The cusomter service requiremetns to handle all those contacts would
choke even a company like Microsoft. I didn't provide any personal data, nor
even the Vista COA number, but I'm now wondering if I've somehow been
phished. Has anyone else had this experience?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/931573

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

Len

What happened was a glitch in the system. See the following article for
details.

You may be prompted to activate Windows Vista on a computer on which Windows
Vista was already activated by a Volume License or OEM installation:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/931573

The reason that you received the message that the product code was already
in use when you tried to activate on-line is simply because 'You' had
already used that key to activate.

I think you misunderstood customer service rep. There is no new policy that
any version of Vista will require reactivation every 30 days. The only 30
day requirement is that a new install must be activated within 30 days.

 

[Guest]

"misunderstood customer service rep" ??? Maybe he was on the phone with the
same one I had recently. It would be easier to understand the chatterings of
a dolphin, IMO.

 

[Guest]

I certainly hope you are correct. Admittedly, her command of English was not
the best, but I did confirm that she intended to say every 30 days.

Thanks.

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

Len

You can rest assured that this will not happen since it would violate
Microsofts own license agreement. The license for all versions of Windows is
perpetual as long as the EULA is not violated.