Windows Product Activation - Will expire in 'x' days BUT this is with a NEW XPe image!

[martin.tolan]

Hi all,
Using XPe SP2 with Feature Pack 2007 Build 2 (Oct 2006).
1 * 2GB CF card partitioned with primary (C drive set to 1465 MB and
the D: drive set to 390MB. The remainder is left unpartitioned so EWF
will use it. I have the CF card marked as Fixed and not removable!

Problem:
I am experiencing problems with the runtime image after FBA has
completed successfully where XPe is giving me a message box with title
"Windows Product Activation" with message " The evaluation period for
this product will expire in x days. Please upgrade this version to the
retail product", where 'x' is counting down every day.
I know that an image should run for Approx 120 days after the image is
built (or is it when FBA is run?) but the problem I have is that this
is a brand new image! I have not entered anything in the "Product
Identification Key (PID)" entry as I am still in development but the
documentation states that leaving this blank will create a 120 day
image.
I have read through this group and have found lots of posts WRT
windows not being able to read the activation codes and failing but
none similar to my problem!
My partition size in TD is exactly the same as that in my primary
partition. I have the PID text box empty before building. No errors or
warnings when I run "Check Dependencies". I make sure the target
directory is cleared (even though TD does it before building) before I
build.

Any ideas? This is wreaking my head!
Thanks and regards,
M.

 

[KM]

Martin,

I can't seem to remember the message you are referring to showing up on XPe at all.
But anyway, if the 'x' you mentioned started for you from 120 why this is surprising you?

Please also make sure you set proper boot partition size in TD: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/embedded/aa731204.aspx

Btw, you want to move to the latest (RTM) of the FP2007. Don't stick with the CTP2 build (if this is what you meant by Build 2).
There were some important updates and fixes in RTM for the feature pack.

 

[martin.tolan]

Hi KM,
Thx for the reply. Promlem is the message box starting appearing at
day 12. This is now counting down towards day 0 (zero), even though I
have created a new image and run FBA on that image it make no
differance. Every time the machine boots after FBA has completed the
message box appears and the number of days until the image experies
continues from where it was before the new image was deployed!
This is what is confusing me - I should have 120 days after the image
is created but this is not the case! After deployment (FBA completes)
I am not at 120 days left but I am at low number of days, i.e. 1 days
left to register...

Thanks and regards,
Martin.

 

[KM]

Martin,

That's indeed strange.

Any chance you are changing the system time (manually or automatically) on the device during of after FBA?

 

[martin.tolan]

Hi KM,
I have a temporary workaround for this problem - I have put the time
on both the build machine and the target back by two months, now when
i build an image and deploy it and FBA has completed I have no more
problems with the Product Activation forcing BSOD. Of course this will
only surrive until the target once again times out.
This leads me to believe that the Timestamp that is applied to mark
the begining of evaluation is not actually applied when I build the
image, but seems to be when I build the SLD file for the target in TD!
Anyone have an oponion on this? To me it would seem logical that the
timestapm should be applied when eitheer the image is created or when
the target boots for the first time after FBA has completed, I guess
not though.

FYI - My proper solution is to purchase a single runtime license so
this problem should never pop up again.

Thanks for your help,
Martin.

 

[KM]

Martin,

I have a temporary workaround for this problem - I have put the time
on both the build machine and the target back by two months, now when
i build an image and deploy it and FBA has completed I have no more
problems with the Product Activation forcing BSOD. Of course this will
only surrive until the target once again times out.

Are you saying you just changed the time back by two month and the countdown starts with > 60 now?
I am confused. The only possible explanation I see is that there are some other apps on your image that either:
- changing system time
- or initiate windows or their own activation check.

This leads me to believe that the Timestamp that is applied to mark
the begining of evaluation is not actually applied when I build the
image, but seems to be when I build the SLD file for the target in TD!

No way. It should "start" the expiration timer when FBA completes. Every tiem my eval image expires, all I have to do is to re-run
pre-FBA image on the device and I get 120 days again.

Anyone have an oponion on this? To me it would seem logical that the
timestapm should be applied when eitheer the image is created or when
the target boots for the first time after FBA has completed, I guess
not though.

FYI - My proper solution is to purchase a single runtime license so
this problem should never pop up again.

Indeed.

 

[martin.tolan]

Hi,

Are you saying you just changed the time back by two month and the countdown starts with > 60 now?
I am confused. The only possible explanation I see is that there are some other apps on your image that either:
- changing system time
- or initiate windows or their own activation check.

Nothing that i have included in the build is changing the System Time.
Also please note that the system is completly stand alone with no
connection to the outside world so it cant be syncing to any external
timeCheck facility! I realise that is seems crazy what i'm seeing but
thats why its so flustrating!

No way. It should "start" the expiration timer when FBA completes. Every tiem my eval image expires, all I have to do is to re-run
pre-FBA image on the device and I get 120 days again

This is what I first thought but what i'm seeing now seems to suggest
otherwise!

Anyways, I'm out of the wood for the mean time until my runtime
license gets sorted.
Cheers,
Martin.

 

[KM]

Martin,

I'd sugegst you to file a bug to MS Product Team and attach your SLX there so that they can repro the problem on thier end.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/embedded/community/community/feedback/feedxp/default.aspx