Microsoft help & support is no help or support

[keepout]

The barns burned down, no reason to close the doors now.

What happened awhile back, my machine was acting up. I had tons of private info on the C:\ boot drive. It had to go into the shop.
I had no intention of releasing my private info to a repair shop.

I installed an old 10 gig HD in the machine, and installed the XP OS on it.

took the thing to the shop.

removed 10 gig HD, reinstalled 152 gig HD

Now every time I get the activation notice it's a PITA.
I get the message this machine has exceeded something.. hands me a phone number and says call Egypt or Korea to activate.
now I have to talk to a machine that always fails, until it notices it's failing, and forwards me to a human learning English at my expense.

Now I have to repeat a 2 page number several times until they have the number. Then they send me a 2 page number and repeat that several times until I get it.

Then they say oops wrong numbers and we repeat the above dance 1 more time.

Now the numbers been entered and the machines activated.

I just want a contact email or actual snail mail address to contact MS and get this resolved or get a NEW serial number next time I need to install the OS. Yes I'll need to re-install it again. 3rd party software without fail will crap out something and cascade to failure.
I didn't input a pirate copy. I just installed my OS to one of my backup HD's.
I need them to reset the counter or get a working number to prevent sending me off to Alice's wonderland every time it wants to activate.

I can't use email I have an OEM number. I can't use chat [see OEM], Last phone support was a worse nightmare than the now normal activation.
I'm beginning to think MS makes their money from support only. $35.00 a contact for NO HELP!

This option NG is the only affordable option and actually the only reliable one.

 

[Mistoffolees]

The barns burned down, no reason to close the doors now.

What happened awhile back, my machine was acting up. I had tons of private info on the C:\ boot drive. It had to go into the shop.
I had no intention of releasing my private info to a repair shop.

I installed an old 10 gig HD in the machine, and installed the XP OS on it.

took the thing to the shop.

removed 10 gig HD, reinstalled 152 gig HD

Now every time I get the activation notice it's a PITA.
I get the message this machine has exceeded something.. hands me a phone number and says call Egypt or Korea to activate.
now I have to talk to a machine that always fails, until it notices it's failing, and forwards me to a human learning English at my expense.

Now I have to repeat a 2 page number several times until they have the number. Then they send me a 2 page number and repeat that several times until I get it.

Then they say oops wrong numbers and we repeat the above dance 1 more time.

Now the numbers been entered and the machines activated.

I just want a contact email or actual snail mail address to contact MS and get this resolved or get a NEW serial number next time I need to install the OS. Yes I'll need to re-install it again. 3rd party software without fail will crap out something and cascade to failure.
I didn't input a pirate copy. I just installed my OS to one of my backup HD's.
I need them to reset the counter or get a working number to prevent sending me off to Alice's wonderland every time it wants to activate.

I can't use email I have an OEM number. I can't use chat [see OEM], Last phone support was a worse nightmare than the now normal activation.
I'm beginning to think MS makes their money from support only. $35.00 a contact for NO HELP!

This option NG is the only affordable option and actually the only reliable one.

Rave on. Regret that cannot help you due to the manner in which
the repair was handled. Most reputable repair shops maintain the
confidentiality of their clients. But if one insists on swapping
the HD's around, then the inevitable phone calls will happen if
the online activation fails. Of course, one can always revert to
Windows 2000-SP4.

 

[Robert Moir]

The barns burned down, no reason to close the doors now.

[snip story]

I'm beginning to think MS makes their money from support only. $35.00
a contact for NO HELP!

This option NG is the only affordable option and actually the only
reliable one.

You are so busy ranting and raving and telling a story about how the whole
world is against you and that it is a conspiracy that some people on the
planet use a different language from you that you've neglected to clearly
explain your problem, which is often very useful in solving it.

As far as I can tell:
1) You've installed Windows XP yourself from your own presumably
legitimate source.

2) You took your computer to a repair shop for some reason, and (this bit
is unintelligible so I'm guessing) rogue alien elves or something upgraded
your hard disk and installed some kind of rogue alien pirated version of
Windows XP.

3) You've got an error of some sort due to using pirated software, after
the upgrade in part 2.

4) You phoned Microsoft's activation hotline to discuss this error but
(this part is unintelligible, sorry) rogue alien elves somehow kidnapped
their helpdesk and replaced them with rogue alien elves, possibly related
to a Lewis Carroll story in some way, who read 2 pages of numbers at you.


If your version of Windows is the same as the pirated version, this page
might be able to help you.
http://www.petri.co.il/change_the_serial_in_windows_xp.htm

If not, then why can you not do a clean install using your legit Windows
disk and serial numbers?

--
--
Rob Moir, Microsoft MVP for Security
Blog Site - http://www.robertmoir.com
Virtual PC 2004 FAQ -
http://www.robertmoir.co.uk/win/VirtualPC2004FAQ.html
I'm always surprised at "professionals" who STILL have to be asked:
"Have you checked (event viewer / syslog)".

 

[l]

So, you got it activated, is basically what I gather..so your real question
is, what can you do to prevent you from having to repeat this process?
Did you try activating by internet?
Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System
Tools, and then click Activate Windows.
There is a point system..if you care to read up on it click the link,
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=302878
Note the sections regarding reinstalling vs. reformatting..
And, note what is used in determining the hardware hash point system..



The barns burned down, no reason to close the doors now.

What happened awhile back, my machine was acting up. I had tons of private
info on the C:\ boot drive. It had to go into the shop.
I had no intention of releasing my private info to a repair shop.

I installed an old 10 gig HD in the machine, and installed the XP OS on it.

took the thing to the shop.

removed 10 gig HD, reinstalled 152 gig HD

Now every time I get the activation notice it's a PITA.
I get the message this machine has exceeded something.. hands me a phone
number and says call Egypt or Korea to activate.
now I have to talk to a machine that always fails, until it notices it's
failing, and forwards me to a human learning English at my expense.

Now I have to repeat a 2 page number several times until they have the
number. Then they send me a 2 page number and repeat that several times
until I get it.

Then they say oops wrong numbers and we repeat the above dance 1 more time.

Now the numbers been entered and the machines activated.

I just want a contact email or actual snail mail address to contact MS and
get this resolved or get a NEW serial number next time I need to install the
OS. Yes I'll need to re-install it again. 3rd party software without fail
will crap out something and cascade to failure.
I didn't input a pirate copy. I just installed my OS to one of my backup
HD's.
I need them to reset the counter or get a working number to prevent sending
me off to Alice's wonderland every time it wants to activate.

I can't use email I have an OEM number. I can't use chat [see OEM], Last
phone support was a worse nightmare than the now normal activation.
I'm beginning to think MS makes their money from support only. $35.00 a
contact for NO HELP!

This option NG is the only affordable option and actually the only reliable
one.

 

[keepout]

So, you got it activated, is basically what I gather..so your real question
is, what can you do to prevent you from having to repeat this process?
Did you try activating by internet?
Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System
Tools, and then click Activate Windows.
There is a point system..if you care to read up on it click the link,
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=302878
Note the sections regarding reinstalling vs. reformatting..
And, note what is used in determining the hardware hash point system..

Here's the key from that link

MS : If you install Windows XP on the same computer by using the same Product Key, the number of activations is not limited. MPA discourages piracy by limiting the number of times that a Product Key can be activated on different computers.
MS :

Now when the thing needs activation I need to go thru this process EVERY TIME because Internet activation ALWAYS FAILS with that activation exceeded message. Which the link you gave me clearly states "IS NOT LIMITED".

The point system doesn't apply.
It did go after me for additional hardware when I installed the 300 gig internal HD.
But it's more for reinstalls of the OS.

I'm talking about the activation AFTER reinstalling the OS. I've probablyhad to do it 6-7 times in the past 2 years. Probably more. Not all software is compatible with stability, and this has lead to cascading failures where it's simpler to reinstall and start from scratch.

Whole bunch of noise about how fantastic this activation thing works to prevent piracy, where all it does is annoy legitimate users.

By any chance if you don't activate within the 30 days of annoying activate now or else notices, does it lock the machine, and hand you a snail mail address to fix things then ?

All I'm looking for is a contact, even snail mail to someone that can help fix this problem.
The one reciting the numbers is no help either.

The barns burned down, no reason to close the doors now.

What happened awhile back, my machine was acting up. I had tons of private
info on the C:\ boot drive. It had to go into the shop.
I had no intention of releasing my private info to a repair shop.

I installed an old 10 gig HD in the machine, and installed the XP OS on it.

took the thing to the shop.

removed 10 gig HD, reinstalled 152 gig HD

Now every time I get the activation notice it's a PITA.
I get the message this machine has exceeded something.. hands me a phone
number and says call Egypt or Korea to activate.
now I have to talk to a machine that always fails, until it notices it's
failing, and forwards me to a human learning English at my expense.

Now I have to repeat a 2 page number several times until they have the
number. Then they send me a 2 page number and repeat that several times
until I get it.

Then they say oops wrong numbers and we repeat the above dance 1 more time.

Now the numbers been entered and the machines activated.

I just want a contact email or actual snail mail address to contact MS and
get this resolved or get a NEW serial number next time I need to installthe
OS. Yes I'll need to re-install it again. 3rd party software without fail
will crap out something and cascade to failure.
I didn't input a pirate copy. I just installed my OS to one of my backup
HD's.
I need them to reset the counter or get a working number to prevent sending
me off to Alice's wonderland every time it wants to activate.

I can't use email I have an OEM number. I can't use chat [see OEM], Last
phone support was a worse nightmare than the now normal activation.
I'm beginning to think MS makes their money from support only. $35.00 a
contact for NO HELP!

This option NG is the only affordable option and actually the only reliable
one.

 

[LVTravel]

If I am reading you correctly, you have an OEM version of XP that you have
installed more often than once in every 180 days ("6-7 times in ... two
years".) This always leads to a telephone activation with MS(and I may be
wrong on the exact number of days here.) If you want to avoid this problem,
purchase hard drive cloning software (Ghost, Drive Image, etc.) and make a
copy of your original, activated XP hard drive once you have it up and
running and before installing any "3rd party" software. Once this is done,
if the computer fails, you can restore from the cloned hard drive to the
place where you were before the failure.

So, you got it activated, is basically what I gather..so your real question
is, what can you do to prevent you from having to repeat this process?
Did you try activating by internet?
Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System
Tools, and then click Activate Windows.
There is a point system..if you care to read up on it click the link,
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=302878
Note the sections regarding reinstalling vs. reformatting..
And, note what is used in determining the hardware hash point system..

Here's the key from that link

MS : If you install Windows XP on the same computer by using the same
Product Key, the number of activations is not limited. MPA discourages
piracy by limiting the number of times that a Product Key can be activated
on different computers.
MS :

Now when the thing needs activation I need to go thru this process EVERY
TIME because Internet activation ALWAYS FAILS with that activation exceeded
message. Which the link you gave me clearly states "IS NOT LIMITED".

The point system doesn't apply.
It did go after me for additional hardware when I installed the 300 gig
internal HD.
But it's more for reinstalls of the OS.

I'm talking about the activation AFTER reinstalling the OS. I've probably
had to do it 6-7 times in the past 2 years. Probably more. Not all software
is compatible with stability, and this has lead to cascading failures where
it's simpler to reinstall and start from scratch.

Whole bunch of noise about how fantastic this activation thing works to
prevent piracy, where all it does is annoy legitimate users.

By any chance if you don't activate within the 30 days of annoying activate
now or else notices, does it lock the machine, and hand you a snail mail
address to fix things then ?

All I'm looking for is a contact, even snail mail to someone that can help
fix this problem.
The one reciting the numbers is no help either.

The barns burned down, no reason to close the doors now.

What happened awhile back, my machine was acting up. I had tons of private
info on the C:\ boot drive. It had to go into the shop.
I had no intention of releasing my private info to a repair shop.

I installed an old 10 gig HD in the machine, and installed the XP OS on it.

took the thing to the shop.

removed 10 gig HD, reinstalled 152 gig HD

Now every time I get the activation notice it's a PITA.
I get the message this machine has exceeded something.. hands me a phone
number and says call Egypt or Korea to activate.
now I have to talk to a machine that always fails, until it notices it's
failing, and forwards me to a human learning English at my expense.

Now I have to repeat a 2 page number several times until they have the
number. Then they send me a 2 page number and repeat that several times
until I get it.

Then they say oops wrong numbers and we repeat the above dance 1 more time.

Now the numbers been entered and the machines activated.

I just want a contact email or actual snail mail address to contact MS and
get this resolved or get a NEW serial number next time I need to install
the
OS. Yes I'll need to re-install it again. 3rd party software without fail
will crap out something and cascade to failure.
I didn't input a pirate copy. I just installed my OS to one of my backup
HD's.
I need them to reset the counter or get a working number to prevent sending
me off to Alice's wonderland every time it wants to activate.

I can't use email I have an OEM number. I can't use chat [see OEM], Last
phone support was a worse nightmare than the now normal activation.
I'm beginning to think MS makes their money from support only. $35.00 a
contact for NO HELP!

This option NG is the only affordable option and actually the only reliable
one.

 

[keepout]

If I am reading you correctly, you have an OEM version of XP that you have
installed more often than once in every 180 days ("6-7 times in ... two
years".) This always leads to a telephone activation with MS(and I may be
wrong on the exact number of days here.) If you want to avoid this problem,
purchase hard drive cloning software (Ghost, Drive Image, etc.) and makea
copy of your original, activated XP hard drive once you have it up and
running and before installing any "3rd party" software. Once this is done,
if the computer fails, you can restore from the cloned hard drive to the
place where you were before the failure.

Already done that. And I'd still like a snail mail address to someone at MS that can fix this problem.
It's long ago proved the 'unlimited' has been redefined by MS.

So, you got it activated, is basically what I gather..so your real question
is, what can you do to prevent you from having to repeat this process?
Did you try activating by internet?
Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System
Tools, and then click Activate Windows.
There is a point system..if you care to read up on it click the link,
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=302878
Note the sections regarding reinstalling vs. reformatting..
And, note what is used in determining the hardware hash point system..

Here's the key from that link

MS : If you install Windows XP on the same computer by using the same
Product Key, the number of activations is not limited. MPA discourages
piracy by limiting the number of times that a Product Key can be activated
on different computers.
MS :

Now when the thing needs activation I need to go thru this process EVERY
TIME because Internet activation ALWAYS FAILS with that activation exceeded
message. Which the link you gave me clearly states "IS NOT LIMITED".

The point system doesn't apply.
It did go after me for additional hardware when I installed the 300 gig
internal HD.
But it's more for reinstalls of the OS.

I'm talking about the activation AFTER reinstalling the OS. I've probably
had to do it 6-7 times in the past 2 years. Probably more. Not all software
is compatible with stability, and this has lead to cascading failures where
it's simpler to reinstall and start from scratch.

Whole bunch of noise about how fantastic this activation thing works to
prevent piracy, where all it does is annoy legitimate users.

By any chance if you don't activate within the 30 days of annoying activate
now or else notices, does it lock the machine, and hand you a snail mail
address to fix things then ?

All I'm looking for is a contact, even snail mail to someone that can help
fix this problem.
The one reciting the numbers is no help either.

The barns burned down, no reason to close the doors now.

What happened awhile back, my machine was acting up. I had tons of private
info on the C:\ boot drive. It had to go into the shop.
I had no intention of releasing my private info to a repair shop.

I installed an old 10 gig HD in the machine, and installed the XP OS onit.

took the thing to the shop.

removed 10 gig HD, reinstalled 152 gig HD

Now every time I get the activation notice it's a PITA.
I get the message this machine has exceeded something.. hands me a phone
number and says call Egypt or Korea to activate.
now I have to talk to a machine that always fails, until it notices it's
failing, and forwards me to a human learning English at my expense.

Now I have to repeat a 2 page number several times until they have the
number. Then they send me a 2 page number and repeat that several times
until I get it.

Then they say oops wrong numbers and we repeat the above dance 1 more time.

Now the numbers been entered and the machines activated.

I just want a contact email or actual snail mail address to contact MS and
get this resolved or get a NEW serial number next time I need to install
the
OS. Yes I'll need to re-install it again. 3rd party software without fail
will crap out something and cascade to failure.
I didn't input a pirate copy. I just installed my OS to one of my backup
HD's.
I need them to reset the counter or get a working number to prevent sending
me off to Alice's wonderland every time it wants to activate.

I can't use email I have an OEM number. I can't use chat [see OEM], Last
phone support was a worse nightmare than the now normal activation.
I'm beginning to think MS makes their money from support only. $35.00 a
contact for NO HELP!

This option NG is the only affordable option and actually the only reliable
one.

 

[Robert Moir]

Already done that. And I'd still like a snail mail address to someone
at MS that can fix this problem.
It's long ago proved the 'unlimited' has been redefined by MS.

Then phone Microsoft and ask for the snail mail address. This is a peer to
peer support forum, you're unlikely to run into anyone with any real
authority here.

--
--
Rob Moir, Microsoft MVP for Security
Blog Site - http://www.robertmoir.com
Virtual PC 2004 FAQ -
http://www.robertmoir.co.uk/win/VirtualPC2004FAQ.html
I'm always surprised at "professionals" who STILL have to be asked:
"Have you checked (event viewer / syslog)".

 

[Guest]

All I had to do was learn how to hear english and then to be patient
and then listen while a telephonist read a number to me which I could type
straight into my computer to activate Windows XP Home Editon more than 50
times . I think you were a tad impatient and did not hear the next step to
speak to a Microsoft Representative to activate Windows XP over the telephone
.. Because noone is going to change the world for only one person . Besides
the process saves your ass from piracy .