Having to reActivate my Windows XP Pro for no reason?

[GoHack]

I just had my system come up and tell me that because of a
hardware change, I had to reActivate my OS. There was no
change in hardware. All I did was shut one of my
harddrives off in my m/b bios.

When I tried to reActivate, I was told that this was the
third time and that I could not use my Product Key
anymore. I was given a number to call to get a new number.
When I called, as expected, I got India. I don't like
dealing w/them because of their taking U.S. jobs, as well
as their being hard to understand.

Anyway, things got fixed, but this is the third time this
has happened. I didn't change any hardware, and even if I
did, so what? This is my system, and I have a right to
upgrade my hardware anytime I please. You people are
certainly helping us to seriously consider moving over to
Linux, and if this happens again, I'll certain really
consider it. I've got Windows 2000Pro on my other system,
and if it wasn't for the Hyperthreading feature on my P4
cpu, I'd be using it also on this system.

By the way, I did consider purchasing Office XP, but
because of the troubles I've had w/this Activation
w/Windows XP Pro, I'm not buying it. I'm still using my
Office 95, and if I can fine Office 2000, I may buy that,
because of it not having the Activation feature. Of course
there are Office clones out there that work just fine, as
well as Wordperfect.

I'm probably talking on deaf ears, but I am just damn sick
of this Reactivation for no reason, always happening.

 

[Guest]

Hi Hack:
When I activated, I registered as well, so my equipment is listed, thus
I shant have any of those problems, further, I have the written EULA right in
front of me, I see no place where it says, anything of the kind about
activation 3 times and you
have to call in, further page 2 paragraph 2 says * Manditory Activation.
THIS SOFTWARE CONTAINS TECHNOLOGICAL MEASURES THAT DESIGNED TO PREVENT
UNLICENSED OR ILLEGAL USE OF THE SOFTWARE " You can activate the SOFTWARE
through the use of the internet or telephone; toll charges may apply, many
people migrating to win xp from win 98, and SE and ME ect found out that they
had to format and reinstall quite a few times ( before firewalls, ect became
standard), cleaning your drives off from accumulated items seen or unseen is
a good idea, now as this slows down , many including myself , welcome the
idea, that having to reinstall is becoming not quite as essentail as it use
to be,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Alex Nichol]

I just had my system come up and tell me that because of a
hardware change, I had to reActivate my OS. There was no
change in hardware. All I did was shut one of my
harddrives off in my m/b bios.

That was probably the hard drive that was recorded as part of the
activation hash, and you have lost two votes (the drive itself and the
Volume Serial Number) which has in addition to other changes in the past
pushed it over the edge.

When I tried to reActivate, I was told that this was the
third time and that I could not use my Product Key
anymore. I was given a number to call to get a new number.

Who told you? And what type of System is it? If it is a retail boxed
one that is certainly wrong.

 

[gohack]

-----Original Message-----


That was probably the hard drive that was recorded as part of the
activation hash, and you have lost two votes (the drive itself and the
Volume Serial Number) which has in addition to other changes in the past
pushed it over the edge.
number.

Who told you? And what type of System is it? If it is a retail boxed
one that is certainly wrong.

When I got the reactive message, I went through the
procedure on screen, and then got the message on the
screen that this was the third time, and so my product key
was no good anymore.

It's a retail upgrade version of Windows XP Pro that I
bought in order to utilize the HyperThreading (HT) feature
on my 2.4C P4. I'm running the Distributed Computing BOINC-
ClimatePrediction w/it, which utilizes the HT feature.

The system is a homebuilt w/a 2.4c GHz P4 cpu, Abit IC-7
m/b, 2x 512 meg Corsair DDR memory, GeForce4 Ti4200 video
card, 18 gig Seagate Cheetah X15 SCSI HD, Adaptec 29160
SCSI Controler Card, Intel NIC card.

 

[Guest]

No it doesn't say it but it happens

-----Original Message-----
Hi Hack:
When I activated, I registered as well, so my equipment is listed, thus
I shant have any of those problems, further, I have the written EULA right in
front of me, I see no place where it says, anything of the kind about
activation 3 times and you
have to call in, further page 2 paragraph 2 says * Manditory Activation.
THIS SOFTWARE CONTAINS TECHNOLOGICAL MEASURES THAT DESIGNED TO PREVENT
UNLICENSED OR ILLEGAL USE OF THE SOFTWARE " You can activate the SOFTWARE
through the use of the internet or telephone; toll charges may apply, many
people migrating to win xp from win 98, and SE and ME ect found out that they
had to format and reinstall quite a few times ( before firewalls, ect became
standard), cleaning your drives off from accumulated items seen or unseen is
a good idea, now as this slows down , many including myself , welcome the
idea, that having to reinstall is becoming not quite as essentail as it use
to be,,,,,,,,,,,


.

 

[Guest]

was there a point to that spiel?

-----Original Message-----
of

When I got the reactive message, I went through the
procedure on screen, and then got the message on the
screen that this was the third time, and so my product key
was no good anymore.

It's a retail upgrade version of Windows XP Pro that I
bought in order to utilize the HyperThreading (HT) feature
on my 2.4C P4. I'm running the Distributed Computing BOINC-
ClimatePrediction w/it, which utilizes the HT feature.

The system is a homebuilt w/a 2.4c GHz P4 cpu, Abit IC-7
m/b, 2x 512 meg Corsair DDR memory, GeForce4 Ti4200 video
card, 18 gig Seagate Cheetah X15 SCSI HD, Adaptec 29160
SCSI Controler Card, Intel NIC card.
.

 

[Alex Nichol]

When I got the reactive message, I went through the
procedure on screen, and then got the message on the
screen that this was the third time, and so my product key
was no good anymore.

I think that is a misreading of the message (which is not that clear).
It means that to the automatic system this looks like a different
machine. In those circumstances you must take the 'activate by phone'
option to explain - briefly, and any reasonable explanation is
acceptable; if an operator demurs, get name and ask for supervisor) -
then read out and check back one long number, to receive and type in and
check another in exchange