Repeated Windows Product Activation

[Guest]

Why do I have to repeatedly do the windows product activation each time I log
on?

I saw in automatic updates that I can download Windows XP Service Pack 2
which I successfully did. However, each time I log on, I need to activate
the Windows program. What do I need to do to fix it?

 

[Guest]

Marta,
I'm glad to see your post because the people at the Microsoft activation
center seem to think I'm crazy. I am having the exact same problem. It
started about a week ago, which was about two weeks after I downloaded SP2.
I have no problem re-activating via the web, but it still requires me do do
it again every day when I start the computer. I thought that if I called the
activation center, they would have an answer, but all they did was give me
another activation code which was again useless once I restarted. Someone
please tell us what's going on!

 

[Guest]

Hi Matt,

I thought I fixed it by following what WTC (William) wrote. Please see
previous entry about repeated WPA. Unfortunately, it didn't. Apparently, we
have the same problem, I don't have any problem activating via the web, but
it becomes very tedious since we have to activate each time I turn on the
computer, as what you said. I still have to browse through the site if
anything else works. I have to be discriminating as to what suggestion in
the expertzone I'll follow. One suggestion made was, to put it in a
nutshell, sort of reprogramming my computer, which I didn't try because I was
afraid it might even worsen the situation. Besides, the system's working,
except that we have to activate every single time we turn the computer on.
I'll keep you posted if I have anything new.

Marta

 

[Alex Nichol]

I thought I fixed it by following what WTC (William) wrote. Please see
previous entry about repeated WPA. Unfortunately, it didn't. Apparently, we
have the same problem, I don't have any problem activating via the web, but
it becomes very tedious since we have to activate each time I turn on the
computer, as what you said.

One possibility here is that the system had a hack installed to evade
activation, The result is that installing SP2 does not co-operate, and
this results.

Details courtesy Harry Ohrn MVP:
A common program for doing this is called Reset 5
http://www.fulldownloads.co.uk/article998.html ( the link to the hack no
longer works). One installs Windows XP or Windows 2003 - any flavour.
Then runs the Reset 5 hack installer from Safe Mode. This installs a
number of files and runs an executable, as a service, that by passes the
grace time limit for XP/2003. The hack will run fine on XP or SP1 but
when SP2 is installed it renders the hacked system unable to boot to the
Desktop and unable to boot into Safe Mode to remove the hack. The hack
is removed by locating and deleting the installed files or by running an
uninstaller. One
way to determine if the hack was installed on a system is to use the
Recovery Console or NTFS Reader for DOS then look for and try deleting
the
following:

Windows\reset5.dt1
Windows\reset5.dt3
Windows\Prefetch\RESET5.EXE-23A0DD0C.pf
Windows\system32\reset5.dat
Windows\system32\reset5.dll
Windows\system32\reset5.exe
Windows\system32\REGOBJ.DLL
Windows\system32\resetservice.exe
Windows\system32\srvany.exe
Windows\system32\resetwpa.reg
Windows\system32\resetwpa.LOG

However because the hack was used to by pass activation, once these
files are removed one will not be able to boot to the Desktop if the
Grace period has expired. In which case telephone activation is
required.