Reactivation required for turning off onboard sound!

[Guest]

Hello,

I'm feeling somewhat confused about product activation lately. I'm a system
builder and purchased an OEM edition of Vista Home Premium 32-bit for
installation on a system that I built at the end of January. I activated the
product with the supplied key no problem at that time.

However, last night Windows announced to me that my hardware had changed and
that I needed to activate again within 3 days. I proceeded immediately, but
it then told me that my key was "already in use" and gave me four options to
proceed. First, I could buy a new key. Second, I could enter another key
that I already had. Third, I could activate by telephone. Fourth, I could
"Contact Microsoft to resolve this". It being late at night, and me wanting
to sort this out, I chose option 3 (am now wishing I'd done option 4 and
spoken to somebody). After going through a lengthy procedure involving just
about 100 numbers, my activation was successful again.

What worries me is what prompted this sudden announcement of "changed
hardware" and what may cause it again in the future. Since activation, I've
made only token changes to this machines hardware, namely:

1) I replaced the floppy disk drive - the original one was faulty. (within 1
week of activation)
2) I installed a 9 year old PCI soundcard into the machine (about 3 weeks ago)
3) I switched off the onboard audio solution on the motherboard (the same
day as this sudden notification that my hardware had changed!)

This would seem to suggest that my turning off the onboard sound was
responsible somehow? (however, I do recall returning from being away a few
days ago to find that the Vista assessment was claiming that I'd installed
new hardware and it needed to be refreshed - before I deactivated the onboard
sound)

I've tried to find a means of reporting this problem officially, but I can't
seem to find one.

As I say, my worry is to the future. If I decide to install more RAM,
replace the graphics card, install another HDD or two, upgrade the CPU etc.
(all of these are reasonable possibilities at some point or another), what is
likely to happen? I almost feel like I daren't upgrade my hardware for fear
that product activation will fail (and not work by telephone this time).

Does anybody have any insight?

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

You can install/activate Windows Vista an unlimited # of times on the
same computer.
There is nothing to worry about, you just experienced the worst case
of needing to activate again.

 

[Lang Murphy]

Hello,

I'm feeling somewhat confused about product activation lately. I'm a
system
builder and purchased an OEM edition of Vista Home Premium 32-bit for
installation on a system that I built at the end of January. I activated
the
product with the supplied key no problem at that time.

However, last night Windows announced to me that my hardware had changed
and
that I needed to activate again within 3 days. I proceeded immediately,
but
it then told me that my key was "already in use" and gave me four options
to
proceed. First, I could buy a new key. Second, I could enter another key
that I already had. Third, I could activate by telephone. Fourth, I
could
"Contact Microsoft to resolve this". It being late at night, and me
wanting
to sort this out, I chose option 3 (am now wishing I'd done option 4 and
spoken to somebody). After going through a lengthy procedure involving
just
about 100 numbers, my activation was successful again.

What worries me is what prompted this sudden announcement of "changed
hardware" and what may cause it again in the future. Since activation,
I've
made only token changes to this machines hardware, namely:

1) I replaced the floppy disk drive - the original one was faulty. (within
1
week of activation)
2) I installed a 9 year old PCI soundcard into the machine (about 3 weeks
ago)
3) I switched off the onboard audio solution on the motherboard (the same
day as this sudden notification that my hardware had changed!)

This would seem to suggest that my turning off the onboard sound was
responsible somehow? (however, I do recall returning from being away a
few
days ago to find that the Vista assessment was claiming that I'd installed
new hardware and it needed to be refreshed - before I deactivated the
onboard
sound)

I've tried to find a means of reporting this problem officially, but I
can't
seem to find one.

As I say, my worry is to the future. If I decide to install more RAM,
replace the graphics card, install another HDD or two, upgrade the CPU
etc.
(all of these are reasonable possibilities at some point or another), what
is
likely to happen? I almost feel like I daren't upgrade my hardware for
fear
that product activation will fail (and not work by telephone this time).

Does anybody have any insight?

Hmm... if you think changing the onboard sound setting in your BIOS caused
the activation robot to kick off, you might want to see if simply making
changes in your BIOS prompts Vista to force you to reactivate. Of course,
I'd do it when I had time to spend on the phone to reactivate in case
that -is- the cause.

As to hw upgrades... as someone else already posted... have at it. I might
consider trying to do as many updates concurrently to cut down on the number
of calls into MS to reactivate.

Lang

 

[Guest]

Jupiter - my worry is, at what stage does Vista think this is not the same
computer? If it's that sensitive to something simple like turning off the
onboard sound, a change in CPU, increase in memory and change in GPU all in
quick succession might convince it that it is no longer the same computer and
that I've imaged the hard disk drive elsewhere or something.

Lang - I've changed plenty of things in the BIOS prior to this, none of
which have kicked off product activation before now. I certainly don't much
fancy the idea of deliberately trying to force it to reactivate, since
presumably every reactivation is noted at MS's end and too many will look
suspicious.

Regarding the cause of it all, I know turning off the sound is an unlikely
candidate, but at the moment it's the only one I've got - I've certainly not
changed anything else.

 

[Lang Murphy]

Jupiter - my worry is, at what stage does Vista think this is not the same
computer? If it's that sensitive to something simple like turning off the
onboard sound, a change in CPU, increase in memory and change in GPU all
in
quick succession might convince it that it is no longer the same computer
and
that I've imaged the hard disk drive elsewhere or something.

Lang - I've changed plenty of things in the BIOS prior to this, none of
which have kicked off product activation before now. I certainly don't
much
fancy the idea of deliberately trying to force it to reactivate, since
presumably every reactivation is noted at MS's end and too many will look
suspicious.

Regarding the cause of it all, I know turning off the sound is an unlikely
candidate, but at the moment it's the only one I've got - I've certainly
not
changed anything else.

I understand your reticence at attempting to force reactivation. Just
thought it might narrow down the cause of the reactivation kicking off. If
you've make other BIOS changes, and if I missed that in your previous post I
apologize, then one would think that, no, changing settings in your BIOS
isn't what woke the reactivation robot.

Lang

 

[Nina DiBoy]

Hello,

I'm feeling somewhat confused about product activation lately. I'm a
system
builder and purchased an OEM edition of Vista Home Premium 32-bit for
installation on a system that I built at the end of January. I
activated the
product with the supplied key no problem at that time.

However, last night Windows announced to me that my hardware had
changed and
that I needed to activate again within 3 days. I proceeded
immediately, but
it then told me that my key was "already in use" and gave me four
options to
proceed. First, I could buy a new key. Second, I could enter another
key
that I already had. Third, I could activate by telephone. Fourth, I
could
"Contact Microsoft to resolve this". It being late at night, and me
wanting
to sort this out, I chose option 3 (am now wishing I'd done option 4 and
spoken to somebody). After going through a lengthy procedure
involving just
about 100 numbers, my activation was successful again.

What worries me is what prompted this sudden announcement of "changed
hardware" and what may cause it again in the future. Since
activation, I've
made only token changes to this machines hardware, namely:

1) I replaced the floppy disk drive - the original one was faulty.
(within 1
week of activation)
2) I installed a 9 year old PCI soundcard into the machine (about 3
weeks ago)
3) I switched off the onboard audio solution on the motherboard (the same
day as this sudden notification that my hardware had changed!)

This would seem to suggest that my turning off the onboard sound was
responsible somehow? (however, I do recall returning from being away
a few
days ago to find that the Vista assessment was claiming that I'd
installed
new hardware and it needed to be refreshed - before I deactivated the
onboard
sound)

I've tried to find a means of reporting this problem officially, but I
can't
seem to find one.

As I say, my worry is to the future. If I decide to install more RAM,
replace the graphics card, install another HDD or two, upgrade the CPU
etc.
(all of these are reasonable possibilities at some point or another),
what is
likely to happen? I almost feel like I daren't upgrade my hardware
for fear
that product activation will fail (and not work by telephone this time).

Does anybody have any insight?

Yet another example that WPA only inconveniences paying customers and
does not stop piracy.

--
Priceless quotes in m.p.w.vista.general group:
http://protectfreedom.tripod.com/kick.html

Most recent idiotic quote added to KICK (Klassic Idiotic Caption Kooks):
"It would be nice if there was a check to see if you were running an
activated/validated version of Windows before you were allowed to post
in any of these news groups. If you're not activated/validated your post
automatically gets deleted.
That would get rid of the Linsux Luzzzzzzzzers once and for all."

"Good poets borrow; great poets steal."
- T. S. Eliot

 

[DevilsPGD]

Yet another example that WPA only inconveniences paying customers and
does not stop piracy.

It may not stop hardcore piracy, but it does stop casual "buy one
license, install on all my machines" piracy.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

And that is what it is intended to do.
It was not intended to stop a determined thief, just the casual pirate
who often did not realize what they did violated the agreement they
had previously agreed.

 

[keepout]

I've been thru this with XP. From now on until you replace the OS, any major
changes will also bring this crap up.
Oh yeah, you'll NEVER get the chance to contact a human. And from the contact I
did have, you're just as well off. He couldn't solve the problem. Even with
full remote access. several hours, and I threw in the towel..
Not going to happen. Cheaper to buy a new CD.
Who else charges you from day one for support ? The FREE support was useless.
Not a great selling point for PAY support.

guaranteed activation
install another HDD or two,

only if you move the OS to another drive

upgrade the CPU

guaranteed activation
you're kidding, you're worried about phone activation ? Wait till phone
activation fails, and your only recourse is to repeat those hundred numbers to
someone in their 2nd week of Berlitz 101. You can't understand them, and they
can't understand you.
Once phone activation fails, person to person is your only recourse.
Everything I mentioned above. You best hope you never elevate to voice
activation. Phone activation is just a time waster. Voice is a killer.

Yet another example that WPA only inconveniences paying customers and
does not stop piracy.

Probably right, but my XP machine died before I had a chance to test that
theory.

If you have a CD/DVD OS, do NOT install it to ANOTHER DRIVE.
Another drive = another machine. 1 license = 1 machine.

BTDT All the above. Why do I still use M$ ? other than MAC, suggest an
alternative with as much software & hardware support ! Can't be done.

 

[DevilsPGD]

In message <[email protected]>

Who else charges you from day one for support ?

Well, that's the entire open source business model, for one.

 

[keepout]

And that is what it is intended to do.
It was not intended to stop a determined thief, just the casual pirate
who often did not realize what they did violated the agreement they
had previously agreed.

Are you listening to what you're writing ?
the casual pirate that didn't realize..
That's not a pirate, that's a novice computer user and 99% of the time a PAYING
customer.

But being the monopoly it is, M$ doesn't need to make the distinction between
an ignorant hacker and a novice computer user.

Just installing a NEW HD to replace a burned out one, to a machine, and
installing the OS there is enough to violate the terms.
Not exactly a pirate. Drives burn out regularly.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

"That's not a pirate,"
That is why the term "casual" is an important part.
Most understand the significant difference between a pirate and a
casual pirate.
Both the casual pirate and determined thief are doing the same thing,
using software outside the scope of the license.
But the casual pirate is often unaware for various reasons.
Many come to these newsgroups to seek information on becoming
legitimate.
There are programs to help the casual pirate become legitimate.
But the determined thief will steal regardless so little anyone can do
to help them go legitimate.

I am not sure what you mean by "ignorant hacker", most are far from
ignorant.
Hacking and piracy are not necessarily related.

"NEW HD to replace a burned out one, to a machine, and installing the
OS there is enough to violate the terms"
You need to read the license again.
That does not violate the Windows license at all.
You can reinstall Windows an unlimited # of times on the same
computer.
A replaced hard drive is still the same computer.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
http://www.dts-l.org


On Tue, 24 Apr 2007 16:06:12 -0600, "Jupiter Jones [MVP]"
Are you listening to what you're writing ?
the casual pirate that didn't realize..
That's not a pirate, that's a novice computer user and 99% of the time
a PAYING
customer.

But being the monopoly it is, M$ doesn't need to make the distinction
between
an ignorant hacker and a novice computer user.

Just installing a NEW HD to replace a burned out one, to a machine,
and
installing the OS there is enough to violate the terms.
Not exactly a pirate. Drives burn out regularly.

 

[Guest]

Ok, well I just did some digging in the event log. There are events for the
"Security-Licensing-SLC" about a dozen times every day, all claiming "The
hardware has changed", only since the day that I switched off the onboard
sound in the BIOS. There are also events saying "Grace period has been
started. Grace days=3 Grace type=4." to go with each one of them. What's
worse is that it's still doing it since the reactivation. So where does this
leave me? Do I turn the onboard sound back on or something? Why is it
*still* telling me that the hardware has changed persistently. (my worry is
that if I turn the sound back on, it'll ask to be reactivated again!)

Also, Windows has started behaving rather jerkily since all of this happened
(e.g. screensavers jerking, start menu jerking etc.). Could this be related?
Before anybody suggests it, it's not the work of a virus - I've been very
carefully monitoring what processes are running on my computer and yesterday
I ran a scan using yesterday's Mcafee definitions from an environment
independent to the OS.

 

[keepout]

"NEW HD to replace a burned out one, to a machine, and installing the
OS there is enough to violate the terms"
You need to read the license again.
That does not violate the Windows license at all.
You can reinstall Windows an unlimited # of times on the same
computer.
A replaced hard drive is still the same computer.

I'm speaking from over a years experience. I installed it on a 10 gig HD to
send the machine to the shop. Instead of turning all my bank records, anddata
over to thieves.

When it came back, I stuck the old drive back in.
just enough to screw up the license.
But you go ahead and do it. You know more about it than I do after a years
arguing with Mowgli who could care less. Every time I had to reactivate.

 

[keepout]

Ok, well I just did some digging in the event log. There are events forthe
"Security-Licensing-SLC" about a dozen times every day, all claiming "The
hardware has changed", only since the day that I switched off the onboard
sound in the BIOS. There are also events saying "Grace period has been
started. Grace days=3 Grace type=4." to go with each one of them. What's
worse is that it's still doing it since the reactivation. So where doesthis
leave me? Do I turn the onboard sound back on or something? Why is it
*still* telling me that the hardware has changed persistently. (my worryis
that if I turn the sound back on, it'll ask to be reactivated again!)

Also, Windows has started behaving rather jerkily since all of this happened
(e.g. screensavers jerking, start menu jerking etc.). Could this be related?
Before anybody suggests it, it's not the work of a virus - I've been very
carefully monitoring what processes are running on my computer and yesterday
I ran a scan using yesterday's Mcafee definitions from an environment
independent to the OS.

The jerking suggests a joke program that NOT ALL virus programs can detect.
hijackthis is a program that I would recommend if your virus software doesn't
fix something this weird.
Then after you've run it, submit the log to the hijackthis forum, and lettheir
experts show you where to go next.
It identifies everything. Some things are bad, and others good. If you don't
know the difference, you could really mess things up.