Sudden re-activation

[Xavier]

I support about 60 XP workstations suddenly I have had
some users call telling me that windows needs to be
activated, these users have had there PC for about 2 years
no new hardware has been added or changed not even
external (which should not be an issue) the only thing
these PC's have seen is hard work and regular Updates some
while on the PC and recently using SMS to keep them
updated.
According to MS XP looks at 10 items or votes from
hardware to create a hardware hash and if 3 or more votes
change it will need reactivation.
Well these have not seen any hardware changes at all.
I called MS to reactivate it because it would not do it
on line (original OEM key not valid) the person on the
phone told me that it is possible for printer drivers
and/or updates to cause this.

Does anyone know if this is true, will I (as well as
others out there) suddenly have to go around users re-
activating there windows XP.

Unfortunately we don't have the option of online support
because it is an OEM version and the OEM says it is out
of their hands.

Any suggestions
Xavier

 

[Guest]

If this (reactivation) is because of an e-mail received
this is not a microsoft issue but a "phishing" scam to
steal personal information. See the link below.

http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/v_100989.htm

 

[Yves Leclerc]

I encountered this on my XP Pro system. The responce from MS told me that
it is possible that the activation status DLL can become un-registered
and/or the activation file can become corrupted. Fortuneately, if you do
have a valdi XP COA, re-activation is a snap.

Y.

 

[xavier]

Yes activation might be a snap but when your looking at
60+ users if this starts to happen to all of them it will
be a headache.

Thanks

 

[Yves Leclerc]

This is where Corporate Volume Licensing is used! Corporate Volume Licenses
do not need to be activated.

Y.

 

[Alex Nichol]

I support about 60 XP workstations suddenly I have had
some users call telling me that windows needs to be
activated, these users have had there PC for about 2 years
no new hardware has been added or changed not even
external (which should not be an issue) the only thing
these PC's have seen is hard work and regular Updates some
while on the PC and recently using SMS to keep them
updated.
According to MS XP looks at 10 items or votes from
hardware to create a hardware hash and if 3 or more votes
change it will need reactivation.
Well these have not seen any hardware changes at all.
I called MS to reactivate it because it would not do it
on line (original OEM key not valid) the person on the
phone told me that it is possible for printer drivers
and/or updates to cause this.

See www.aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm

It is not possible for printer drivers to do this, as printers do not
come into the assessment. But you can lose the 'vote' of some other
items if you reboot with them disabled: this happened to me after
disabling my LAN connection (and hence NIC) which testing out a WiFi
adapter - it got the idea that the NIC had changed, and once changed you
have lost the vote (or three in case of a NIC).

Also the database files are open to damage, and a possible target for
malware.

If you make sure that the machines have SP1 installed, then after
detecting such troubles there remains three days in which to get on the
net and reactivate that way: most of the troubles I mentioned will not
have affected the record at the center, so it will reactivate; and in
any case if 120 days have passed since last time it will go through on
the net.

Instructions would be: Be connected to the internet, then run
Start - All Programs - Accessories - System Tools - Activate Windows
and take the 'Activate on the internet now'. It will take maybe 20
seconds with no intervention needed from the user.

 

[Xavier]

Yes I know that volume Licenses don't have this issue,
but these were new PC's purchased from HP, Compaq and Dell
where XP comes preinstalled.
Is there any way to avoid this or will this just have to
be dealt with one by one as they require reactivation.

Thanks
Xavier

 

[Xavier]

Alex

I agree with your statement that it should reactivate by
itself specialy because it has been way past the 120 days
but what happened is the key the machines have were
entered when imaging by HP, Compaq and Dell and it is not
a valid key for reactivating via internet they generate
an invalid installation ID, I had to manualy enter the key
that is on the authenticity sticker on the side or back
of the PC one machine at a time so far 3 have poped up
asking to be activated and non of them have seen any
hardware changes at all.
Thay have only seen windows Updates using SMS. Microsft
stated that the updates can cause windows to be
reactivated specialy if the update installes a driver.

Thanks
Xavier