eternal activation

[Paul Gray]

Ok, here's the sequence of events:

1. Client's Sony Vaio PC w/XP Media Center Edition gets stuck on wallpaper
(no icons) after login to any profile. Safe mode same thing. Will permit
task execution from task manager.

2. Ran Control Panel Add/Remove Programs from command line and uninstalled
all suspected culprit programs. Problem remains.

3. Client can't find OEM OS CD's, so I used a new OEM XP Pro CD to try to
repair Windows.

4. Would not take product code that came with CD, but did take product code
from sticker on PC.

5. First boot after repair hung on activation screen.

6. Next boot, activation came up and asked for product code again. I gave
it the original code that came with PC. It took it.

7. Next reboot, activation came up again and failed. Made me go through
the phone gyration. Everything looks OK now.

8. Every subsequent reboot, activation comes up but it tells me it's
already been activated and throws me back to logon.

Anybody have an idea?

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

You'll need to contact Sony support and request a replacement
of the original Sony CD, then use that CD and the PC's
original Product Key to perform a "Repair Install. Otherwise,
you'll never get it to activate. You should not have used
the Sony Product key with a different installation CD.

Welcome to Sony Support
http://ciscdb.sel.sony.com/cgi-bin/select-software.pl

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Michael Stevens]

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

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


| Ok, here's the sequence of events:
|
| 1. Client's Sony Vaio PC w/XP Media Center Edition gets stuck on wallpaper
| (no icons) after login to any profile. Safe mode same thing. Will permit
| task execution from task manager.
|
| 2. Ran Control Panel Add/Remove Programs from command line and uninstalled
| all suspected culprit programs. Problem remains.
|
| 3. Client can't find OEM OS CD's, so I used a new OEM XP Pro CD to try to
| repair Windows.
|
| 4. Would not take product code that came with CD, but did take product code
| from sticker on PC.
|
| 5. First boot after repair hung on activation screen.
|
| 6. Next boot, activation came up and asked for product code again. I gave
| it the original code that came with PC. It took it.
|
| 7. Next reboot, activation came up again and failed. Made me go through
| the phone gyration. Everything looks OK now.
|
| 8. Every subsequent reboot, activation comes up but it tells me it's
| already been activated and throws me back to logon.
|
| Anybody have an idea?
|
|