Microsoft Windows XP :: Product Activation gone beserk!

[Nick Diotte]

Greetings all,

Today one of my machines out of the blue asked me to re-activate
Windows XP. This wasn't a problem, I just used the connect to the
internet, and activate Windows XP.

However this isn't the first time a computer has just decided to all
of a sudden ask for re-activation. Now I know if you change hardware,
it generates a new fingerprint, and thus will ask for a re-activation.
However this is not the case!

Let me explain how I have these machine setup first. I have about 75
IBM X41 Workstations, that all came pre-installed with Windows XP. I
activated the product, configured the machine, and did a sysprep.
Ghosted the machine, and deployed it to all my machines. All has been
working great for a couple months. All these machines are the exact
same, and I do have proper licensing, so I'm not worried about that.

What I am wondering is what could cause Windows to all of a sudden ask
for product activation when these machines configurations are not
being touched.

I don't even know who I should contact on this issue. Can anyone
advise me on where I should begin?

Thanks so much,
Nick

 

[kurttrail]

Greetings all,

Today one of my machines out of the blue asked me to re-activate
Windows XP. This wasn't a problem, I just used the connect to the
internet, and activate Windows XP.

However this isn't the first time a computer has just decided to all
of a sudden ask for re-activation. Now I know if you change hardware,
it generates a new fingerprint, and thus will ask for a re-activation.
However this is not the case!

Let me explain how I have these machine setup first. I have about 75
IBM X41 Workstations, that all came pre-installed with Windows XP. I
activated the product, configured the machine, and did a sysprep.
Ghosted the machine, and deployed it to all my machines. All has been
working great for a couple months. All these machines are the exact
same, and I do have proper licensing, so I'm not worried about that.

What I am wondering is what could cause Windows to all of a sudden ask
for product activation when these machines configurations are not
being touched.

I don't even know who I should contact on this issue. Can anyone
advise me on where I should begin?

Thanks so much,
Nick

Next time, when you consider purchasing software, don't buy products
that are deliberately design to disable itself.

PA is based on MS's database technology, and MS has yet to come up with
a db store file that isn't easily corrupted, so PA errors are the name
of the game.

Software that is design to disable itself, eventually will, and when you
least expect it. MS has yet to make software that End Users actually
want on their computer without any bugs, and it is the total height of
shear arrogance for them to think that they could design any
copy-protection that won't eventually screw some consumer with it.

Of course you could move to Thailand, where the software piracy rate is
77% and Windows & Office XP is sold together for $40, while those of us
in the US have to spend $80 just for the cheapest version of Windows
alone, and our software piracy rate is 23%.

Aren't you glad that MS doesn't trust you not to pirate their software,
and uses the profits it makes you, to subsidize their software to a
nation of software pirates?

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.kurttrail.com
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei!"

 

[Ron Martell]

Greetings all,

Today one of my machines out of the blue asked me to re-activate
Windows XP. This wasn't a problem, I just used the connect to the
internet, and activate Windows XP.

However this isn't the first time a computer has just decided to all
of a sudden ask for re-activation. Now I know if you change hardware,
it generates a new fingerprint, and thus will ask for a re-activation.
However this is not the case!

Let me explain how I have these machine setup first. I have about 75
IBM X41 Workstations, that all came pre-installed with Windows XP. I
activated the product, configured the machine, and did a sysprep.
Ghosted the machine, and deployed it to all my machines. All has been
working great for a couple months. All these machines are the exact
same, and I do have proper licensing, so I'm not worried about that.

What I am wondering is what could cause Windows to all of a sudden ask
for product activation when these machines configurations are not
being touched.

I don't even know who I should contact on this issue. Can anyone
advise me on where I should begin?

Thanks so much,
Nick

One further point that you might consider for future. With 75
machines you are probably in a good position to take advantage of the
Microsoft Volume Licensing program rather that purchasing separate
retail or OEM licenses for each machine. And with that volume of
computers you should be able to purchase them with no operating system
installed at a fairly significant price saving.

Among other advantages:
- volume licensed versions of Windows XP do not have Product
Activation.
- volume licenses can be moved from machine to machine so if a
computer is destroyed or similar you can move that license to a
replacement machine. OEM licenses are permanently locked to the first
machine they are installed on and when the machine dies the license
dies with it.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."

 

[kurttrail]

One of the things you might want to do is to try and diagnose what is
triggering the need to reactivate.

Download the free XPInfo utility from
http://www.licenturion.com/xp/xpinfo-exe.zip and run it to check out
the current activation status of a machine. It will show you which
items have been changed from the original activation.

Another thing you might do is to backup the original activation files
(wpa.dbl and wpa.bak from the \windows\system32 folder) for each
machine. These files are unique to the specific install on each
individual machine. Restoring them can help overcome some activation
related issues. MVP Alex Nichol discusses this and many other
activation related matters in his article on activation at
http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm

Hope this is of some assistance.

Good luck

Why should anyone have to debug a component in their OS that is
absolutely no use to them? If anything MS should be held accountable
and liable for any error in their copy-protection scheme, that is only
of use to MS, not the End User.

When are you people gonna place the responsibilty for PA errors on who
deserves it? MICROSOFT!

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.kurttrail.com
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei!"

 

[kurttrail]

One further point that you might consider for future. With 75
machines you are probably in a good position to take advantage of the
Microsoft Volume Licensing program rather that purchasing separate
retail or OEM licenses for each machine. And with that volume of
computers you should be able to purchase them with no operating system
installed at a fairly significant price saving.

Among other advantages:
- volume licensed versions of Windows XP do not have Product
Activation.
- volume licenses can be moved from machine to machine so if a
computer is destroyed or similar you can move that license to a
replacement machine. OEM licenses are permanently locked to the first
machine they are installed on and when the machine dies the license
dies with it.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada

Disadvantage

Your company opens itself up to software audits by the software gestapo,
the BSA, and will be held liable for anything that the 75 people that
use those computers happen to load on those computers.

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.kurttrail.com
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei!"

 

[Michael Stevens]

Disadvantage

Your company opens itself up to software audits by the software
gestapo, the BSA, and will be held liable for anything that the 75
people that use those computers happen to load on those computers.

I fail to see a problem with this, as you have preached so much how this is
a consumer and not a business problem. There is no activation on VL and I
thought that was you main objection to XP. No activation, no activation
shutdowns, isn't this your nirvana? Now you think honest people without the
problem of being shutdown from activation would still be at a disadvantage.
I see a serious contradiction in your logic. It seems you think Microsoft is
just too big for their britches and they should be punished for their
success. It looks like you think any company that has 40 to 50 billion
dollars in the bank no longer has any right to continue their success.
--

Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

 

[kurttrail]

I fail to see a problem with this, as you have preached so much how
this is a consumer and not a business problem. There is no activation
on VL and I thought that was you main objection to XP. No activation,
no activation shutdowns, isn't this your nirvana? Now you think
honest people without the problem of being shutdown from activation
would still be at a disadvantage. I see a serious contradiction in
your logic. It seems you think Microsoft is just too big for their
britches and they should be punished for their success. It looks like
you think any company that has 40 to 50 billion dollars in the bank
no longer has any right to continue their success.

Been a while Mike.

I think opening a small company up to the abuses of the BSA is a
disadvantage of VL licensing, as a lot of small companies don't have the
personnel to monitor all the stuff that their end user could possibly
install on the computers they use at work. Also why pay for something
you already paid for with the computers again? Not very cost-effective
for a small business now, is it?

My opinion about VL licensing for small businesses is separate and
distinct from my views about PA, and I didn't mention PA at all in the
post you responded to.

But if you want to bring PA into it, while PA is disabled in VL XP, the
underlying code is still there in the OS and can be accidently brought
back from the dead, so buying VL doesn't neccessarily mean that there
won't be any problems with PA errors.

The rest of what you wrote is just silly subjective BS. Glad to see
your time away from me hasn't changed you any! ;-)

By the way, what do you think about the recent changes I've made to my
Microscum sub-domain? I integrated your section better into the site,
plus a lot of other little cosmetic changes. Let me know what you
think. Take care, Mike.

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.kurttrail.com
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei!"

 

[Michael Stevens]

Been a while Mike.

I think opening a small company up to the abuses of the BSA is a
disadvantage of VL licensing, as a lot of small companies don't have
the personnel to monitor all the stuff that their end user could
possibly install on the computers they use at work. Also why pay for
something you already paid for with the computers again? Not very
cost-effective for a small business now, is it?

My opinion about VL licensing for small businesses is separate and
distinct from my views about PA, and I didn't mention PA at all in the
post you responded to.

But if you want to bring PA into it, while PA is disabled in VL XP,
the underlying code is still there in the OS and can be accidently
brought back from the dead, so buying VL doesn't neccessarily mean
that there won't be any problems with PA errors.

The rest of what you wrote is just silly subjective BS. Glad to see
your time away from me hasn't changed you any! ;-)

By the way, what do you think about the recent changes I've made to my
Microscum sub-domain? I integrated your section better into the site,
plus a lot of other little cosmetic changes. Let me know what you
think. Take care, Mike.

You integrated YOUR version of the non existent lie. You and I must say YOU
make it easier for anyone interested to see how bogus your acumination about
the acumination is with your new link. There was no intentional lie, and you
know it\!!!!!! There was a TECHNICAL statement that you construed as a lie,
but there was no lie. It was a discussion that your ego deemed necessary you
could only win by attacking me with vile references to my father! Yes, I do
like your bogus, libelous new changes. You have crossed the line with this
post and I will think about prosecuting.
--

Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

 

[kurttrail]

You integrated YOUR version of the non existent lie. You and I must
say YOU make it easier for anyone interested to see how bogus your
acumination about the acumination is with your new link. There was no
intentional lie, and you know it\!!!!!! There was a TECHNICAL
statement that you construed as a lie, but there was no lie. It was a
discussion that your ego deemed necessary you could only win by
attacking me with vile references to my father! Yes, I do like your
bogus, libelous new changes. You have crossed the line with this post
and I will think about prosecuting.

I really wasn't certain how to respond to you, other than to laugh in
your face, but quite frankly, I'm afraid to push you over the edge, if
you aren't there already. I mean what the hell do you mean "your
acumination about the acumination?" What do "my tapering sharp points
about the tapering sharp points" have to do with anything?

I didn't change any of the content, Mike. I changed some background
colors, font sizes & put it inside of another frame to make it fit in
better with my Microscum sub-domain. That's it. There is no new
content that's bogus, libelous, or anything else. There is no new
content, PERIOD. Do you understand that you crying about the same exact
words that I had on my web site for over a year? Are the background
colors more libelous & bogus? Are the smaller fonts for the messages
more bogus & libelous? Is the surrounding frame more bogus & libelous?

Normally, with somewhat sane individuals, I would challenge them to sue
me, but in your case, and for your own good, Mike, I'm gonna tell you to
consider very carefully any action before you proceed too rashly. I am
quite capable of defending my words, Mike, but I really don't what to
see you get hurt unneccessarily.

But sue me, if that's what you really want to do. I stand by my words,
and prove them too.

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.kurttrail.com
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei!"

 

[Ron Martell]

Here's a little discovery for you Mike, to help you make a more informed
decision.

Kurt, posting attachements like that to a newsgroup has got you
dangerously close to earning a place in my twit filter, a dubious
honor which none of your previous antics (that I have observed at
least) have ever gotten you.


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."

 

[kurttrail]

Kurt, posting attachements like that to a newsgroup has got you
dangerously close to earning a place in my twit filter, a dubious
honor which none of your previous antics (that I have observed at
least) have ever gotten you.


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada

Since I've been quoted the Rules of Conduct for these groups a lot
lately, I know that attachments aren't one of them.

Sorry Ron, but I felt Mike needed this evidence to make a more informed
decision, and since Mike used this forum to make his libel claims, I
felt this group was entitled to see the same thing, not just a reference
to it.

I'll understand if you add me to your kill file, Ron. But if
attachments, because of their size, is your problem, not my usual
"antics," you would be better servered by creating a filter that doesn't
download any post over a certain size.

I am not trying to antagonize you Ron, just trying to explain that there
will be certain times that I feel that they are neccessary, so there
will be times when I will post attachments in the future. It's not
usually a daily occurrance though.

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.kurttrail.com
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei!"

 

[Ron Martell]

Since I've been quoted the Rules of Conduct for these groups a lot
lately, I know that attachments aren't one of them.

Sorry Ron, but I felt Mike needed this evidence to make a more informed
decision, and since Mike used this forum to make his libel claims, I
felt this group was entitled to see the same thing, not just a reference
to it.

I'll understand if you add me to your kill file, Ron. But if
attachments, because of their size, is your problem, not my usual
"antics," you would be better servered by creating a filter that doesn't
download any post over a certain size.

I am not trying to antagonize you Ron, just trying to explain that there
will be certain times that I feel that they are neccessary, so there
will be times when I will post attachments in the future. It's not
usually a daily occurrance though.

Consider yourself duly and appropriately chastised. The twit file
addition is being held in abeyance.


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."

 

[Michael Stevens]

Huh? I won't guess at what you mean. I go by the words that are
there, until told differently.


So you meant accusations, and I was supposed to figure that out with
my psychic abilities. OK.

So where did "my tapering sharp points about the tapering sharp points" come
from? I don't see it in any of my posts in this thread. Am I also supposed
to have physic abilities to figure out where this came from? Acumination was
not a streach [if you tried] to see as Accusations.

"Yes, I do like your bogus, libelous new changes." Can changing
colors and font sizes be "bogus, libelous *new* *changes*?"


You damn well implied it.

I did not. You assumed it. I was going by your statement on how you
increased the prominence of my web page by integrating to a position of more
importance, and asking my opinion. This statement alone could be considered
harassment.

Since you publish the thread yourself, you would be hard pressed to
prove any damage from any alleged libel in the thread itself. I'm
sure those that are giving you your legal advise didn't know that you
published your own version of the thread before mine.

Yes, they did, and didn't find it any problem. The posts only validated as
proof the thread was compromised by your vile attacks on me by using the
information I had given about my father.

What question did I actually answer with ""No, that is usually the
mindset of those inclined to criminal activity, like MS!?"

What questions did you emphatically state that my answer was in reply
to?

That was the point that you just so eloquently demonstrated. The thread
would have had a different ending if you had not used the dirty tactics you
did. I would have continued the thread and either agreed or disagreed if the
assumption, that with every reply I did not have to endure vile,
unconscionable references to my recently decreased father. What exactly did
that have to do with the technical side of the thread? Did my fathers have
relevance to the thread?

LOL! I quote 2 links of yours. One is your repair install, totally
technical, and your OEM EULA/Motherboard page that uses me as the
source of the info. Who validates who's veracity?

Well....I guess you do. 1, 2, 30, 100, what does the number matter? You
trust me, and I have the post allowing me to use your content on my website.
I guess you don't think I can't be trusted to give viable advice. I have
also validated your veracity when it is deemed necessary.

I'm willing under certain non-negotiable terms.

Come on, everything is negotiable.

1.) You don't ever mention, imply, or allude, in any way, shape, or
form, anything about me and/or my name Kurt, Kurtis Kirsch, kurttrail
or any other derivative thereof, including but limited to any
derogative comments regarding me and my name, in any public
electronic media, forum, or any other place connected to the internet
for as long as you live.

Completely unacceptably. I propose:
1.) No derogative comments without fair play. You do support fair play;
right?
2.) Consideration of the removal of the
http://microscum.kurttrail.com/mlslies/ if both parties admit it was a
misunderstanding on both sides.
3.) Terms not negotiable at this time.

--

Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

 

[kurttrail]

Michael Stevens wrote:

So where did "my tapering sharp points about the tapering sharp
points" come from? I don't see it in any of my posts in this thread.
Am I also supposed to have physic abilities to figure out where this
came from? Acumination was not a streach [if you tried] to see as
Accusations.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=acumination

Yes, they did, and didn't find it any problem.

Then you might want to seek a second opinion.

Completely unacceptably. I propose:
1.) No derogative comments without fair play. You do support fair
play; right?
2.) Consideration of the removal of the
http://microscum.kurttrail.com/mlslies/ if both parties admit it was a
misunderstanding on both sides.
3.) Terms not negotiable at this time.

I'll take that as a "no" to my terms. Oh well, you do what you feel is
best for you, as I have nothing else to add.

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.kurttrail.com
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei!"

 

[Joh N.]

Michael Stevens, after spending 3 minutes figuring out which end of the pen to
use, wrote:

So where did "my tapering sharp points about the tapering sharp points" come
from? I don't see it in any of my posts in this thread. Am I also supposed
to have physic abilities to figure out where this came from? Acumination was
not a streach [if you tried] to see as Accusations.

It's one hell of a stretch.

I did not. You assumed it. I was going by your statement on how you
increased the prominence of my web page by integrating to a position of more
importance, and asking my opinion. This statement alone could be considered
harassment.

Oh bullshit. Harassment from a question? You're really reaching for anything
possible now.

Yes, they did, and didn't find it any problem. The posts only validated as
proof the thread was compromised by your vile attacks on me by using the
information I had given about my father.

Thus made *public*. Any Joe could now say whatever he wished about that info.

Completely unacceptably. I propose:
1.) No derogative comments without fair play. You do support fair play;
right?
2.) Consideration of the removal of the
http://microscum.kurttrail.com/mlslies/ if both parties admit it was a
misunderstanding on both sides.
3.) Terms not negotiable at this time.

You're whining worse than you ever have about anything. If you don't like it,
go help Peptic X. Ulcerous find a tall cliff to jump from and then follow
it/her.

Joh N.