Need to re-activate XP everyday?!? HELP!!

[Guest]

I am tired of calling MSFT and feeling ashaned again to activate my copy of
XP Pro. Happens almost everyday now. I have 3 machines on a wireless Home
Network
1. Family PC (Gaming too) :VSTA Home Premium 64-bit, AMD64 dual core 3800+,
2 GHZ, GeForce 7600 GT (just changed from ATI AIW 2006, no TV!!), 250 MB SATA
HD, SB X-Fi Plat
2. DAW: XP Pro with new GA-965P-DS3 mobo, Intel Duo E6420, 2 GHz, 2 x200 GB
SATA (Maxtor and WD), Pro Audio Card
3. HP Win MCE 2005, P4 1 GB,..... low-end but I can't mees around this opne

The problem: I have had to re-activate Win XP Pro numerous times, and for
recording I do a ot of reformat and clean installs. But although I keep the
activation files safely, every time I change anything -- Hardware or Software
(drivers) -- I have to call MSFT to reactivate. This is an original copy
with key and sticker although I slipstreamed it. Last year I had installed
Vista RC1 ultimate beta on both machines (not at same time but dual boot)and
erased the copy after I purchased Vista Home Premium 64-bit OEM.

The Vista machine has not had any problem but I finallly had enough with the
other and changed my mobo, CPU, RAM, and bought a new SATA HD. I thought the
pb would be solved but far from it.

On a side note, yet relevent, I was so surprised how easy I got into my
vista system with almost full admin rights. I suspect that my login name
(the same on both machines) had to do with it, and that stupid ASPnet figured
2 profiles.

Last night, one minute I had 30 days after yet another install, all was well
until I updated a SATA driver and locked out after that. The WPA files I
replaced in safe mode didn't work this time.

One last point, I have Palm Treo 680 and installed JVM9 and the
virtualization seems strange to me. Just a thought.

Anyway, you have no idea how long and frustrating this has been, and the
fact that I request help now from you guys proves it.

I need your help but no worries if I make more mistakes, so anything you
want me to try, I will.

 

[Patrick Keenan]

I am tired of calling MSFT and feeling ashaned again to activate my copy of
XP Pro. Happens almost everyday now. I have 3 machines on a wireless
Home
Network
1. Family PC (Gaming too) :VSTA Home Premium 64-bit, AMD64 dual core
3800+,
2 GHZ, GeForce 7600 GT (just changed from ATI AIW 2006, no TV!!), 250 MB
SATA
HD, SB X-Fi Plat
2. DAW: XP Pro with new GA-965P-DS3 mobo, Intel Duo E6420, 2 GHz, 2 x200
GB
SATA (Maxtor and WD), Pro Audio Card
3. HP Win MCE 2005, P4 1 GB,..... low-end but I can't mees around this
opne

The problem: I have had to re-activate Win XP Pro numerous times, and for
recording I do a ot of reformat and clean installs. But although I keep
the
activation files safely, every time I change anything -- Hardware or
Software
(drivers) -- I have to call MSFT to reactivate. This is an original copy
with key and sticker although I slipstreamed it. Last year I had
installed
Vista RC1 ultimate beta on both machines (not at same time but dual
boot)and
erased the copy after I purchased Vista Home Premium 64-bit OEM.

The Vista machine has not had any problem but I finallly had enough with
the
other and changed my mobo, CPU, RAM, and bought a new SATA HD. I thought
the
pb would be solved but far from it.

On a side note, yet relevent, I was so surprised how easy I got into my
vista system with almost full admin rights. I suspect that my login name
(the same on both machines) had to do with it, and that stupid ASPnet
figured
2 profiles.

Last night, one minute I had 30 days after yet another install, all was
well
until I updated a SATA driver and locked out after that. The WPA files I
replaced in safe mode didn't work this time.

One last point, I have Palm Treo 680 and installed JVM9 and the
virtualization seems strange to me. Just a thought.

Anyway, you have no idea how long and frustrating this has been, and the
fact that I request help now from you guys proves it.

I need your help but no worries if I make more mistakes, so anything you
want me to try, I will.

Not sure why you need to do formatting and re-installation; but then I don't
know the details of the changes you make. You might find that imaging
(ie., using Acronis True Image or Ghost) helps, but if you're changing
hardware you may still wind up with activation requests. And that you may
not be able to get around if you are using a retail copy of XP Pro.

One way you could definitely get around it - probably the most expensive
way to do it - would be helpful if you had a number of machines (5)
requiring XP Pro. And that is to purchase a Volume License; these don't
require activation, though they will still want WGA. This is available
starting at 5 licenses, there's not really a significant discount at that
level. It is not available for XP Home or Media Center.

With this arrangement, you get one CD, one install key, and the right to
install to the number of machines you've paid for.

HTH
-pk