Isn't this a little rediculous?

[Guest]

Windows activation needing to activate twice on the account of a new hardware being added to a computer

Why? I already activated the software. Why the hell do I have to activate twice because I felt the need to have more RAM, a better Video Card and an extra hard drive to save client files? (All components were added to the PC over a generous amount of time before the next component was added) This is -seriously- intrusive. It doesn't make any sense as to why they need to do this. I activated the software. I'm still using the same hard drive, mobo, etc. We're talking about add-on components here

I was recently on a business trip and didn't even -have- internet access. I would have been locked out of my own computer if I hadn't activated it within a certain period of time, (I'm on the third day now) and most likely could have ruined the entire business trip. I also disabled my network connection before hand because it takes longer to load if it's on. In reality if I hadn't activated my copy of Windows in time, I would have been stuck out of work and a computer (maybe permanently) because I wouldn't have been able to -get- into Windows to enable the Network Connection again so it could access the Windows servers. I don't know. I'm not that knowledgable. But then again I wouldn't have been able to study this situation more in depth if I wasn't able to access the internet if my computer became locked up

To say that I'm a little frustrated is an understatement. Fix this Microsoft, I'm perfectly capable of migrating to Linux and already have computers using it. Our company uses several Windows machines. You screw this up you're going to lose a lot more business than just myself. But then again, a huge corporation like yourself doesn't give to ---ts about small business. Only your wallet and your paranoia that your current faithful customers are going to pirate your software. Get real. No one in a small business is even going to -want- to have that chance of getting caught with pirated software, if they know your software is going to increase productivity. It's a team game here

A very irate customer
~Eric C.

 

[8Man]

Windows activation needing to activate twice on the account of a new

hardware being added to a computer:

Why? I already activated the software. Why the hell do I have to activate

twice because I felt the need to have more RAM, a better Video Card and an
extra hard drive to save client files? (All components were added to the PC
over a generous amount of time before the next component was added) This
is -seriously- intrusive. It doesn't make any sense as to why they need to
do this. I activated the software. I'm still using the same hard drive,
mobo, etc. We're talking about add-on components here.

I was recently on a business trip and didn't even -have- internet access.

I would have been locked out of my own computer if I hadn't activated it
within a certain period of time, (I'm on the third day now) and most likely
could have ruined the entire business trip. I also disabled my network
connection before hand because it takes longer to load if it's on. In
reality if I hadn't activated my copy of Windows in time, I would have been
stuck out of work and a computer (maybe permanently) because I wouldn't have
been able to -get- into Windows to enable the Network Connection again so
it could access the Windows servers. I don't know. I'm not that
knowledgable. But then again I wouldn't have been able to study this
situation more in depth if I wasn't able to access the internet if my
computer became locked up.

To say that I'm a little frustrated is an understatement. Fix this

Microsoft, I'm perfectly capable of migrating to Linux and already have
computers using it. Our company uses several Windows machines. You screw
this up you're going to lose a lot more business than just myself. But then
again, a huge corporation like yourself doesn't give to ---ts about small
business. Only your wallet and your paranoia that your current faithful
customers are going to pirate your software. Get real. No one in a small
business is even going to -want- to have that chance of getting caught with
pirated software, if they know your software is going to increase
productivity. It's a team game here.

A very irate customer,
~Eric C.

I've found Microsoft activation people are quite accomodating and helpful in
these circumstances. Just select 'Register by phone' and they'll talk you
through it.

 

[Jim Macklin]

Lot of pirates out there copy and sell MS Windows OS to
unsuspecting honest businesses. This has been a very real
problem and MS developed the activation system as the "best"
way to handle this.

More RAM probably did not trigger activation, the new video
card didn't either. But your new hard drive, if you
installed the OS there or ghosted the old drive over did.


|
message
| | > Windows activation needing to activate twice on the
account of a new
| hardware being added to a computer:
| >
| > Why? I already activated the software. Why the hell do I
have to activate
| twice because I felt the need to have more RAM, a better
Video Card and an
| extra hard drive to save client files? (All components
were added to the PC
| over a generous amount of time before the next component
was added) This
| is -seriously- intrusive. It doesn't make any sense as to
why they need to
| do this. I activated the software. I'm still using the
same hard drive,
| mobo, etc. We're talking about add-on components here.
| >
| > I was recently on a business trip and didn't even -have-
internet access.
| I would have been locked out of my own computer if I
hadn't activated it
| within a certain period of time, (I'm on the third day
now) and most likely
| could have ruined the entire business trip. I also
disabled my network
| connection before hand because it takes longer to load if
it's on. In
| reality if I hadn't activated my copy of Windows in time,
I would have been
| stuck out of work and a computer (maybe permanently)
because I wouldn't have
| been able to -get- into Windows to enable the Network
Connection again so
| it could access the Windows servers. I don't know. I'm not
that
| knowledgable. But then again I wouldn't have been able to
study this
| situation more in depth if I wasn't able to access the
internet if my
| computer became locked up.
| >
| > To say that I'm a little frustrated is an
understatement. Fix this
| Microsoft, I'm perfectly capable of migrating to Linux and
already have
| computers using it. Our company uses several Windows
machines. You screw
| this up you're going to lose a lot more business than just
myself. But then
| again, a huge corporation like yourself doesn't give
to ---ts about small
| business. Only your wallet and your paranoia that your
current faithful
| customers are going to pirate your software. Get real. No
one in a small
| business is even going to -want- to have that chance of
getting caught with
| pirated software, if they know your software is going to
increase
| productivity. It's a team game here.
| >
| > A very irate customer,
| > ~Eric C.
|
| I've found Microsoft activation people are quite
accomodating and helpful in
| these circumstances. Just select 'Register by phone' and
they'll talk you
| through it.
|
|

 

[PCEngWork]

I thought the "Official" reasoning that Microsoft used for Product
Activation was what they called "Casual Copying". Individual
users giving their OS disk to a friend who gives it to several of
his friends, etc...

 

[Jim Macklin]

In either case, it is still wrong. It is true that the
"professional pirate" can get around anything MS does, but
the casual copier doesn't have the skill or time to do so.

If you have a computer that you are changing all the time,
activation might be a problem or inconvenient, but
ultimately, the cost of theft is passed on to all users,
whether the theft is shoplifting at the store or pirated
software.


| I thought the "Official" reasoning that Microsoft used for
Product
| Activation was what they called "Casual Copying".
Individual
| users giving their OS disk to a friend who gives it to
several of
| his friends, etc...
|
in message
| | > Lot of pirates out there copy and sell MS Windows OS to
| > unsuspecting honest businesses. This has been a very
real
| > problem and MS developed the activation system as the
"best"
| > way to handle this.
| >
| > More RAM probably did not trigger activation, the new
video
| > card didn't either. But your new hard drive, if you
| > installed the OS there or ghosted the old drive over
did.
| >
| >
| > | > |
in
| > message
| > |
| > | > Windows activation needing to activate twice on the
| > account of a new
| > | hardware being added to a computer:
| > | >
| > | > Why? I already activated the software. Why the hell
do I
| > have to activate
| > | twice because I felt the need to have more RAM, a
better
| > Video Card and an
| > | extra hard drive to save client files? (All components
| > were added to the PC
| > | over a generous amount of time before the next
component
| > was added) This
| > | is -seriously- intrusive. It doesn't make any sense as
to
| > why they need to
| > | do this. I activated the software. I'm still using the
| > same hard drive,
| > | mobo, etc. We're talking about add-on components here.
| > | >
| > | > I was recently on a business trip and didn't
even -have-
| > internet access.
| > | I would have been locked out of my own computer if I
| > hadn't activated it
| > | within a certain period of time, (I'm on the third day
| > now) and most likely
| > | could have ruined the entire business trip. I also
| > disabled my network
| > | connection before hand because it takes longer to load
if
| > it's on. In
| > | reality if I hadn't activated my copy of Windows in
time,
| > I would have been
| > | stuck out of work and a computer (maybe permanently)
| > because I wouldn't have
| > | been able to -get- into Windows to enable the Network
| > Connection again so
| > | it could access the Windows servers. I don't know. I'm
not
| > that
| > | knowledgable. But then again I wouldn't have been able
to
| > study this
| > | situation more in depth if I wasn't able to access the
| > internet if my
| > | computer became locked up.
| > | >
| > | > To say that I'm a little frustrated is an
| > understatement. Fix this
| > | Microsoft, I'm perfectly capable of migrating to Linux
and
| > already have
| > | computers using it. Our company uses several Windows
| > machines. You screw
| > | this up you're going to lose a lot more business than
just
| > myself. But then
| > | again, a huge corporation like yourself doesn't give
| > to ---ts about small
| > | business. Only your wallet and your paranoia that your
| > current faithful
| > | customers are going to pirate your software. Get real.
No
| > one in a small
| > | business is even going to -want- to have that chance
of
| > getting caught with
| > | pirated software, if they know your software is going
to
| > increase
| > | productivity. It's a team game here.
| > | >
| > | > A very irate customer,
| > | > ~Eric C.
| > |
| > | I've found Microsoft activation people are quite
| > accomodating and helpful in
| > | these circumstances. Just select 'Register by phone'
and
| > they'll talk you
| > | through it.
| > |
| > |
| >
| >
|
|

 

[Mike]

Yes , it is. I understand Microsoft's rationle. All of
their customers are theives.

Naturally this is sort of insulting to about 80% of them.

The primary reason Microsoft beleives no one possesses
any ethics is that they themselves possess none. I
beleive it is a psychological phenomeon known
as "transferance".
For those of you thinlk I am overstating see:

United States v. Microsoft.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Yes, your unwarranted over-reaction _is_ ridiculous.

The automated Internet activation takes only seconds and is in no
way intrusive. The rare 5-minute phone call needed for telephone
activation is a bit more inconvenient, but hardly a bit deal.

Oh, and if you find activation inconvenient, just wait till you
try finding all the necessary device drivers and applications Linux
will need to meet your clients' needs. (Iow, your very threat
underlines your inexperience with Linux.)


Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH

Windows activation needing to activate twice on the account of a new

hardware being added to a computer:

Why? I already activated the software. Why the hell do I have to

activate twice because I felt the need to have more RAM, a better
Video Card and an extra hard drive to save client files? (All
components were added to the PC over a generous amount of time before
the next component was added) This is -seriously- intrusive. It
doesn't make any sense as to why they need to do this. I activated the
software. I'm still using the same hard drive, mobo, etc. We're
talking about add-on components here.

I was recently on a business trip and didn't even -have- internet

access. I would have been locked out of my own computer if I hadn't
activated it within a certain period of time, (I'm on the third day
now) and most likely could have ruined the entire business trip. I
also disabled my network connection before hand because it takes
longer to load if it's on. In reality if I hadn't activated my copy of
Windows in time, I would have been stuck out of work and a computer
(maybe permanently) because I wouldn't have been able to -get- into
Windows to enable the Network Connection again so it could access the
Windows servers. I don't know. I'm not that knowledgable. But then
again I wouldn't have been able to study this situation more in depth
if I wasn't able to access the internet if my computer became locked
up.

To say that I'm a little frustrated is an understatement. Fix this

Microsoft, I'm perfectly capable of migrating to Linux and already
have computers using it. Our company uses several Windows machines.
You screw this up you're going to lose a lot more business than just
myself. But then again, a huge corporation like yourself doesn't give
to ---ts about small business. Only your wallet and your paranoia that
your current faithful customers are going to pirate your software. Get
real. No one in a small business is even going to -want- to have that
chance of getting caught with pirated software, if they know your
software is going to increase productivity. It's a team game here.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Yes , it is. I understand Microsoft's rationle. All of
their customers are theives.

Naturally this is sort of insulting to about 80% of them.

Do you also think that a bank which locks its doors believes that
all its customers are thieves, and is thereby insulting 80% of
them.

 

[RJK]

An interesting, (if loosely associated), analogy? There was a "study" a
year or two ago, here in the UK, that indicated that a huge percentage of
property, goods, products, etc. is nicked by employees. It was something
like 80% or more, if I remember correctly.

regards, Richard

 

[RJK]

....and seeing as it was MS that introduced dll sharing, across different
applications from different software houses, I think they should pay back a
little of the cost of the platform to the buyer, say £5, each time a dll
problem is encountered

It should be built into the platform, so that during installation, you get
prompted for your credit card no., and then when a dll error pops up, you
automatically get a fiver creidted to your account

regards, Richard

 

[Torgeir Bakken (MVP)]

More RAM probably did not trigger activation, the new video
card didn't either. But your new hard drive, if you
installed the OS there or ghosted the old drive over did.

Hi

From http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm

<quote>
The WPA system checks ten categories of hardware:

Display Adapter
SCSI Adapter
IDE Adapter (effectively the motherboard)
Network Adapter (NIC) and its MAC Address
RAM Amount Range (i.e., 0-64mb, 64-128mb, etc.)
Processor Type
Processor Serial Number
Hard Drive Device
Hard Drive Volume Serial Number (VSN)
CD-ROM / CD-RW / DVD-ROM
</quote>

So both the added RAM and the new video card is most likely part of it as well
as the new hard disk. But I would think what really made the activation trip
over was the disabling of the network card.

Again from http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm

<quote>
Note that it appears that if you boot with a device disabled (disabled — not
removed), the device is not found in the enumeration — so if, say, you disable
a network connection which uses the NIC and then reboot, you may be missing its
three votes and find that a new activation is needed.
</quote>

 

[Jim Macklin]

Thanks
in message | Jim Macklin wrote:
|
| > More RAM probably did not trigger activation, the new
video
| > card didn't either. But your new hard drive, if you
| > installed the OS there or ghosted the old drive over
did.
|
| Hi
|
| From http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm
|
| <quote>
| The WPA system checks ten categories of hardware:
|
| Display Adapter
| SCSI Adapter
| IDE Adapter (effectively the motherboard)
| Network Adapter (NIC) and its MAC Address
| RAM Amount Range (i.e., 0-64mb, 64-128mb, etc.)
| Processor Type
| Processor Serial Number
| Hard Drive Device
| Hard Drive Volume Serial Number (VSN)
| CD-ROM / CD-RW / DVD-ROM
| </quote>
|
| So both the added RAM and the new video card is most
likely part of it as well
| as the new hard disk. But I would think what really made
the activation trip
| over was the disabling of the network card.
|
| Again from http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm
|
| <quote>
| Note that it appears that if you boot with a device
disabled (disabled - not
| removed), the device is not found in the enumeration - so
if, say, you disable
| a network connection which uses the NIC and then reboot,
you may be missing its
| three votes and find that a new activation is needed.
| </quote>
|
| --
| torgeir
| Microsoft MVP Scripting and WMI, Porsgrunn Norway
| Administration scripting examples and an ONLINE version of
the 1328 page
| Scripting Guide:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter
|
|

 

[Guest]

I did not expect such a large response to this. I -really- appreciate all those who have given their thoughts and advice as to handle this problem in the future

I would like to reply, however, to Bruce's response as I believe it is you mis-judging the so-called inexperience with linux. Having the connection of someone who -does- have the ability to write drivers for Linux may be far and in between, but we _do_ have that connection. The problem lies in the fact that people, here in the company, are relatively inexperienced with Linux. Therefore, a large learning curve would take place. However, I am most willing to teach our employees how to use Linux, as of most of the actual actual interface (which displays orders through an internet browser, etc), and work done (email, etc), is done online. So really all we would be doing is teaching them how to open a web browser within Linux...which is just as easy to do as in Windows. But for the sake of conformity, we stick with Windows, as of current

Thank you again to all those applied. I would have appreciated your opinion, Brian, if it wasn't directed so much as to invalidate my self-worth and raise your fragile ego. That is all.

 

[mark7]

If you merely move an ethernet card from one pci slot to another it will
trigger activation. Been there, done that.

 

[cquirke (MVP Win9x)]

On Sun, 18 Jan 2004 08:18:24 -0600, "Jim Macklin"

If you have a computer that you are changing all the time,
activation might be a problem or inconvenient, but
ultimately, the cost of theft is passed on to all users,
whether the theft is shoplifting at the store or pirated
software.

Yes, it's been great to see the price of XP Home fall as WPA brought
in higher revenue returns. Not!

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

Dreams are stack dumps of the soul

 

[Star Fleet Admiral Q]

While you are venting, I just have a thought for you to consider - did MS
force you to buy XP or a PC with XP installed? If so, you have a legitimate
complaint, otherwise you could have installed in OS of your choice, of
course, when you make your choice you need to make an educated decision
which requires homework. It appears you didn't do your homework.

Windows activation needing to activate twice on the account of a new

hardware being added to a computer:

Why? I already activated the software. Why the hell do I have to activate

twice because I felt the need to have more RAM, a better Video Card and an
extra hard drive to save client files? (All components were added to the PC
over a generous amount of time before the next component was added) This
is -seriously- intrusive. It doesn't make any sense as to why they need to
do this. I activated the software. I'm still using the same hard drive,
mobo, etc. We're talking about add-on components here.

I was recently on a business trip and didn't even -have- internet access.

I would have been locked out of my own computer if I hadn't activated it
within a certain period of time, (I'm on the third day now) and most likely
could have ruined the entire business trip. I also disabled my network
connection before hand because it takes longer to load if it's on. In
reality if I hadn't activated my copy of Windows in time, I would have been
stuck out of work and a computer (maybe permanently) because I wouldn't have
been able to -get- into Windows to enable the Network Connection again so
it could access the Windows servers. I don't know. I'm not that
knowledgable. But then again I wouldn't have been able to study this
situation more in depth if I wasn't able to access the internet if my
computer became locked up.

To say that I'm a little frustrated is an understatement. Fix this

Microsoft, I'm perfectly capable of migrating to Linux and already have
computers using it. Our company uses several Windows machines. You screw
this up you're going to lose a lot more business than just myself. But then
again, a huge corporation like yourself doesn't give to ---ts about small
business. Only your wallet and your paranoia that your current faithful
customers are going to pirate your software. Get real. No one in a small
business is even going to -want- to have that chance of getting caught with
pirated software, if they know your software is going to increase
productivity. It's a team game here.

 

[Ian A. White]

In either case, it is still wrong. It is true that the
"professional pirate" can get around anything MS does, but
the casual copier doesn't have the skill or time to do so.

If you have a computer that you are changing all the time,
activation might be a problem or inconvenient, but
ultimately, the cost of theft is passed on to all users,
whether the theft is shoplifting at the store or pirated
software.

That's what they say when people question product activation, only we
have product activation but NO change in the price. After all, reduced
levels of piracy should mean more money for the likes of Microsoft.

 

[Jim Macklin]

Why would you think that? You say no change in price, but
that means the price has not gone up too. And that means
that there has been an effect.

Seems to me that you just want to complain because Bill
Gates has more money than you and I do. It seems to me that
he earned it honestly, without using force.


| On Sun, 18 Jan 2004 08:18:24 -0600, "Jim Macklin"
|
| >In either case, it is still wrong. It is true that the
| >"professional pirate" can get around anything MS does,
but
| >the casual copier doesn't have the skill or time to do
so.
| >
| >If you have a computer that you are changing all the
time,
| >activation might be a problem or inconvenient, but
| >ultimately, the cost of theft is passed on to all users,
| >whether the theft is shoplifting at the store or pirated
| >software.
|
| That's what they say when people question product
activation, only we
| have product activation but NO change in the price. After
all, reduced
| levels of piracy should mean more money for the likes of
Microsoft.
|

 

[Alex Nichol]

Windows activation needing to activate twice on the account of a new hardware being added to a computer:

Why? I already activated the software. Why the hell do I have to activate twice because I felt the need to have more RAM, a better Video Card and an extra hard drive to save client files? (All components were added to the PC over a generous amount of time before the next component was added) This is -seriously- intrusive. It doesn't make any sense as to why they need to do this. I activated the software. I'm still using the same hard drive, mobo, etc. We're talking about add-on components here.

You are making a mountain from a molehill. The activation system is
there to detect if you are trying to cheat by installing as well on a
different machine. Make too many changes and it looks too different to
be seen as 'substantially the same hardware', so you are required to
spend a few minutes explaining yourself.

 

[Alex Nichol]

Lot of pirates out there copy and sell MS Windows OS to
unsuspecting honest businesses. This has been a very real
problem and MS developed the activation system as the "best"
way to handle this.

More RAM probably did not trigger activation, the new video
card didn't either. But your new hard drive, if you
installed the OS there or ghosted the old drive over did.

See how it works at www.aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm


At the time it was being discussed, before XP came out, we were told of
cases like the Law office with 15 machines, and one copy of Windows
between them. Or of a commercial company with 127 machines - and one
copy of Windows and one of Office between them. But the main target of
activation was the guy who buys a copy and thinks he may then
legitimately install it on every machine in the house, on all his
neighbors' machines, and for his grandmother's cat.

One may well feel that MSoft should provide a seriously reduced 'family
pack' with say five licenses at 3 times the single price, but they are
within their rights to bring the licensing terms home to you. No matter
what some posters here may say