Activation Hell

  • Thread starter Thread starter Hooter
  • Start date Start date
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Hooter

Microsoft appears to be so concerned about protecting their precious
software that the consumer be damned. I purchased a boxed copy of WindowsXP
Home upgrade at a nationwide retail store and installed it as an upgrade
from Windows 98. Keyed in activation and all went well. In the meantime I
am building a new computer and decided to swap the graphics card from my old
computer with a new one from the computer I am building. The swap went well
and WindowsXP recognized my new ATI 9550 in lieu of the ATI 9800 which had
been installed. It then asked me to reactivate within 3 days. I went
online as in the previous installation and attempted to activate. I got an
error message that the software had been activated 5 times and I needed to
activate by phone. I called the number given and spent an inordinate length
of time giving the confirmation code to the operator. She then advised me
that she could not activate and would connect me with a tech rep who would
assist me. The tech rep first wanted to know if I had installed the
software on another computer. I carefully explained to him that I had only
installed on this computer and that I had received the message that it had
already been activated 5 times. I also explained that it was a recent
purchase from a large chain and had only been activated one time. He
replied that someone else had probably activated it for some other computer
the other times. Big Mystery!! He then gave me a series of numbers to
activate and after inputting these numbers it activated successfully. I
explained that sometime in the next week or so I would be moving one of the
hard drives and the DVD/CD write drive to the new computer and he indicated
that I would have to through the same procedure all over again. I don't
know anything about the software having been installed previously but it
would seem that Microsoft or Best Buy should have some responsibility for
selling a software product as brand new when it obviously was not. I
shudder to think of the problems I may have in the future as I change out
components in the two machines I have at my home. Anyone has any comments
on this matter that would be helpful to me would be greatly appreciated.
 
Comments? You have to do what you have to do.

As to why? It could be that someone used a key generator to get a install
key (illegal by the way). The key generated happens to be the same as the
one supplied with your purchase.

You should be mad at the people who thieve from software companies and not
at the software company itself. All Microsoft knows is that the key was
activated five different times, although you say you activated the O/S only
once. So, you go with the flow and do what is necessary to get your system
in working condition.

When once your system is as you want it to be, do yourself a favor and
create a disk image so you can restore the system to the working/validated
condition in the future.
--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
 
Hooter said:
Microsoft appears to be so concerned about protecting their precious
software that the consumer be damned. I purchased a boxed copy of WindowsXP
Home upgrade at a nationwide retail store and installed it as an upgrade
from Windows 98. Keyed in activation and all went well. In the meantime I
am building a new computer and decided to swap the graphics card from my old
computer with a new one from the computer I am building. The swap went well
and WindowsXP recognized my new ATI 9550 in lieu of the ATI 9800 which had
been installed. It then asked me to reactivate within 3 days. I went
online as in the previous installation and attempted to activate. I got an
error message that the software had been activated 5 times and I needed to
activate by phone. I called the number given and spent an inordinate length
of time giving the confirmation code to the operator. She then advised me
that she could not activate and would connect me with a tech rep who would
assist me. The tech rep first wanted to know if I had installed the
software on another computer. I carefully explained to him that I had only
installed on this computer and that I had received the message that it had
already been activated 5 times. I also explained that it was a recent
purchase from a large chain and had only been activated one time. He
replied that someone else had probably activated it for some other computer
the other times. Big Mystery!! He then gave me a series of numbers to
activate and after inputting these numbers it activated successfully. I
explained that sometime in the next week or so I would be moving one of the
hard drives and the DVD/CD write drive to the new computer and he indicated
that I would have to through the same procedure all over again. I don't
know anything about the software having been installed previously but it
would seem that Microsoft or Best Buy should have some responsibility for
selling a software product as brand new when it obviously was not. I
shudder to think of the problems I may have in the future as I change out
components in the two machines I have at my home. Anyone has any comments
on this matter that would be helpful to me would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

I hear you.

Live with it or don't use Windows. It's very likely not going to change.
Sorry, but there's nothing we can do about it.

Steve N.
 
I had a similar problem, I installed my upgrade onto an old computer with
windows 98 and activated it. It then ceased to work a little later. Decided
to build a new computer. Activated it. Then I installed my tv card on it.
Windows somehow required me to reactivate because the hardware profile had
changed so much. Had to do it by phone and explain why. I got it working
though. Anyway, I have heard good things about Macs and will consider that
when my hardware becomes outdated. I've tried Linux, but feel that it is too
much effort to learn, and is last to support new hardware. In the meantime
I'll keep XP, but somehow I suspect that Macs are less buggy, and less hassle
after you get used to them.
 
In said:
Microsoft appears to be so concerned about protecting their
precious
software that the consumer be damned. I purchased a boxed
copy of WindowsXP
Home upgrade at a nationwide retail store and installed it as
an upgrade
from Windows 98. Keyed in activation and all went well. In
the meantime I
am building a new computer and decided to swap the graphics
card from my old
computer with a new one from the computer I am building. The
swap went well
and WindowsXP recognized my new ATI 9550 in lieu of the ATI
9800 which had
been installed. It then asked me to reactivate within 3
days. I went
online as in the previous installation and attempted to
activate. I got an
error message that the software had been activated 5 times
and I needed to
activate by phone. I called the number given and spent an
inordinate length
of time giving the confirmation code to the operator. She
then advised me
that she could not activate and would connect me with a tech
rep who would
assist me. The tech rep first wanted to know if I had
installed the
software on another computer. I carefully explained to him
that I had only
installed on this computer and that I had received the
message that it had
already been activated 5 times. I also explained that it was
a recent
purchase from a large chain and had only been activated one
time. He
replied that someone else had probably activated it for some
other computer
the other times. Big Mystery!! He then gave me a series of
numbers to
activate and after inputting these numbers it activated
successfully. I
explained that sometime in the next week or so I would be
moving one of the
hard drives and the DVD/CD write drive to the new computer
and he indicated
that I would have to through the same procedure all over
again. I don't
know anything about the software having been installed
previously but it
would seem that Microsoft or Best Buy should have some
responsibility for
selling a software product as brand new when it obviously was
not. I
shudder to think of the problems I may have in the future as
I change out
components in the two machines I have at my home. Anyone has
any comments
on this matter that would be helpful to me would be greatly
appreciated.
Click to expand...

So what did Best Buy say when you contacted them? It sure
sounds as if either another customer or one of their employees
used the CD key several times. They sold you a used product.

If you're concerned about future activation issues, I'd suggest
returning the copy you purchased and shopping elsewhere.

Microsoft North American Retail Product Refund Guidelines
http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/productrefund/refund.asp

Good luck

Nepatsfan
 
Richard said:
When once your system is as you want it to be, do yourself a favor and
create a disk image so you can restore the system to the working/validated
condition in the future.
Click to expand...

Um, wasn't activation prompted by a graphics card change, not a
reinstall? How would an image help that?

Again, WPA and WGA only inconveniences the honest, paying customers. Had
the OP had a cracked version, he wouldn't have had the problem.

Alias

Use the Reply to Sender feature of your news reader program to email me.
Utiliza Responder al Remitente para mandarme un mail.
 
Richard said:
I can vouch for using an image - plus it is much faster restoring your
system.
Click to expand...

The reactivation was triggered by a hardware -- not a software -- change.
 
I think they should go back to the "Dongle" thingy where your proof of purchase was a little thing-a-majig that you put in the (then parallel now could be USB) port. That way you can only run Windows on one machine at a time, But install it wherever you want it. After all - if I install windows on my laptop I can use it at work as well as home - so why not install it on both my work and home computer, but be able to run it on only machine at a time.
 
Hooter said:
Microsoft appears to be so concerned about protecting their precious
software that the consumer be damned. I purchased a boxed copy of
WindowsXP Home upgrade at a nationwide retail store and installed it
as an upgrade from Windows 98. Keyed in activation and all went
well. In the meantime I am building a new computer and decided to
swap the graphics card from my old computer with a new one from the
computer I am building. The swap went well and WindowsXP recognized
my new ATI 9550 in lieu of the ATI 9800 which had been installed. It
then asked me to reactivate within 3 days. I went online as in the
previous installation and attempted to activate. I got an error
message that the software had been activated 5 times and I needed to
activate by phone. I called the number given and spent an inordinate
length of time giving the confirmation code to the operator. She
then advised me that she could not activate and would connect me with
a tech rep who would assist me. The tech rep first wanted to know if
I had installed the software on another computer. I carefully
explained to him that I had only installed on this computer and that
I had received the message that it had already been activated 5
times. I also explained that it was a recent purchase from a large
chain and had only been activated one time. He replied that someone
else had probably activated it for some other computer the other
times. Big Mystery!! He then gave me a series of numbers to
activate and after inputting these numbers it activated successfully.
I explained that sometime in the next week or so I would be moving
one of the hard drives and the DVD/CD write drive to the new computer
and he indicated that I would have to through the same procedure all
over again. I don't know anything about the software having been
installed previously but it would seem that Microsoft or Best Buy
should have some responsibility for selling a software product as
brand new when it obviously was not. I shudder to think of the
problems I may have in the future as I change out components in the
two machines I have at my home. Anyone has any comments on this
matter that would be helpful to me would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

"I got an error message that the software had been activated 5 times and
I needed to activate by phone."

I want to see a screen print of that.

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com/mscommunity
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei"
 
The "2" on the keyboard is broken.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
 
Microsoft appears to be so concerned about protecting their precious
software that the consumer be damned. I purchased a boxed copy of
WindowsXP Home upgrade at a nationwide retail store and installed it as an
upgrade
from Windows 98. Keyed in activation and all went well. In the meantime
I am building a new computer and decided to swap the graphics card from my
old
computer with a new one from the computer I am building. The swap went
well and WindowsXP recognized my new ATI 9550 in lieu of the ATI 9800
which had
been installed. It then asked me to reactivate within 3 days. I went
online as in the previous installation and attempted to activate. I got
an error message that the software had been activated 5 times and I needed
to
activate by phone. I called the number given and spent an inordinate
length
of time giving the confirmation code to the operator. She then advised me
that she could not activate and would connect me with a tech rep who would
assist me. The tech rep first wanted to know if I had installed the
software on another computer. I carefully explained to him that I had
only installed on this computer and that I had received the message that
it had
already been activated 5 times. I also explained that it was a recent
purchase from a large chain and had only been activated one time. He
replied that someone else had probably activated it for some other
computer
the other times. Big Mystery!! He then gave me a series of numbers to
activate and after inputting these numbers it activated successfully. I
explained that sometime in the next week or so I would be moving one of
the hard drives and the DVD/CD write drive to the new computer and he
indicated
that I would have to through the same procedure all over again. I don't
know anything about the software having been installed previously but it
would seem that Microsoft or Best Buy should have some responsibility for
selling a software product as brand new when it obviously was not. I
shudder to think of the problems I may have in the future as I change out
components in the two machines I have at my home. Anyone has any comments
on this matter that would be helpful to me would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

Well, how does it feel to pay good money for a poor operating system and
then be treated like a thief? Does it piss you off at all? This kind of
monopolistic behavior by the largest and richest software company in the
world is driving tens of thousands of users away - and rightly so. There
are alternatives that provide one with a better, more powerful and secure
operating system than the crap that Microsoft sells. Check out some of the
options. You won't be sorry.
 
Hooter said:
Microsoft appears to be so concerned about protecting their precious
software that the consumer be damned. I purchased a boxed copy of WindowsXP
Click to expand...

One has to protect their ware.
 
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