UnActivate windows? How if possible to do this

[Guest]

I have been using the same copy of windows xp home for a few years now,
usually clean-installing every 6 months. The last time I did it (February) my
activation key stopped working, and I was confused. A friend of mine told me
he could take care of it, only to find out he used a hack to get rid of it.
Well that's all fine and dandy, but I am getting a message now that I have "1
day to activate windows; Activate Now; Activate Later" If I hit 'Later' then
it allows me to open my desktop. If I hit 'Now' then I get "This copy of
windows is already activated. Click Ok to continue." I have no idea how to
get around this. I went to the oobe folder and opened msoobe.exe with the /a
switch, and got the same thing. Is there a way I can un-activate, then
reactivate with a new number?

I have a copy of this 'hack' and I can tell you exactly what was changed. It
was 2 regisrty entries, thats all. Maybe if someone could help me default
them I can get around this. Thank you and Please help quickly.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I have been using the same copy of windows xp home for a few years now,
usually clean-installing every 6 months. The last time I did it (February) my
activation key stopped working, and I was confused. A friend of mine told me
he could take care of it, only to find out he used a hack to get rid of it.
Well that's all fine and dandy, but I am getting a message now that I have "1
day to activate windows; Activate Now; Activate Later" If I hit 'Later' then
it allows me to open my desktop. If I hit 'Now' then I get "This copy of
windows is already activated. Click Ok to continue." I have no idea how to
get around this. I went to the oobe folder and opened msoobe.exe with the /a
switch, and got the same thing. Is there a way I can un-activate, then
reactivate with a new number?

I have a copy of this 'hack' and I can tell you exactly what was changed. It
was 2 regisrty entries, thats all. Maybe if someone could help me default
them I can get around this. Thank you and Please help quickly.

Maybe you should ask your hacker friend to fix this
up. In general you can re-activate a Windows installation
any number of times, provided that it runs more or less
on the same hardware as the first time. If the hardware is
different then you need a new licence. If the hardware is
the same then you should ring Microsoft and explain your
problem.

 

[Radenko Zec]

Hello Chris,maybe someone is using your win key?

 

[Alias]

Maybe you should ask your hacker friend to fix this
up. In general you can re-activate a Windows installation
any number of times, provided that it runs more or less
on the same hardware as the first time. If the hardware is
different then you need a new licence. If the hardware is
the same then you should ring Microsoft and explain your
problem.

Are you saying one cannot upgrade one's hardware without buying a new
license and, if so, WHY!?

I just changed the mother board, RAM, video card, NIC and audio card on
one computer and changed the motherboard, audio card and video card on
another. Both activated and passed WGA no problem. One has a Spanish
generic OEM XP HOME on it and the other has an English generic OEM Pro
on it.

Alias

 

[Glen]

If you know the registry keys your friend changed, changing them back should
'unactivate' the computer. Failing that if you have a legal version a quick
phone call to microsoft should do it.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Are you saying one cannot upgrade one's hardware without buying a new
license and, if so, WHY!?

I just changed the mother board, RAM, video card, NIC and audio card on
one computer and changed the motherboard, audio card and video card on
another. Both activated and passed WGA no problem. One has a Spanish
generic OEM XP HOME on it and the other has an English generic OEM Pro
on it.

Alias

Microsoft use some algorithm that calculates a hardware
signature. My understanding is that small variations in this
signature are OK but large ones are not. I do not know what
"small" or "large" means in this context. Yours was obviously
considered "small".

 

[Alias]

Microsoft use some algorithm that calculates a hardware
signature. My understanding is that small variations in this
signature are OK but large ones are not. I do not know what
"small" or "large" means in this context. Yours was obviously
considered "small".

Um, according to MS, one can upgrade *any* hardware and if it were to
exceed the ten points, one has to phone the activation. I exceeded the
ten points and then some but the last time I activated was way over 120
days, another "algorithm". MS does NOT say that if you upgrade or
replace defective hardware, that you need to buy another license like
you say in your post.

From http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=302878

What are the 10 hardware characteristics that are used to determine the
hardware hash?

The following 10 hardware characteristics are used to determine the
hardware hash:
• Display adapter
• SCSI adapter
• IDE adapter
• Network adapter media access control address
• RAM amount range (for example, 0-64MB or 64-128MB)
• Processor type
• Processor serial number
• Hard disk device
• Hard disk volume serial number
• CD-ROM/CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive

Alias

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Um, according to MS, one can upgrade *any* hardware and if it were to
exceed the ten points, one has to phone the activation. I exceeded the
ten points and then some but the last time I activated was way over 120
days, another "algorithm". MS does NOT say that if you upgrade or
replace defective hardware, that you need to buy another license like
you say in your post.

From http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=302878

What are the 10 hardware characteristics that are used to determine the
hardware hash?

The following 10 hardware characteristics are used to determine the
hardware hash:
• Display adapter
• SCSI adapter
• IDE adapter
• Network adapter media access control address
• RAM amount range (for example, 0-64MB or 64-128MB)
• Processor type
• Processor serial number
• Hard disk device
• Hard disk volume serial number
• CD-ROM/CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive

Alias

You obviously know much more about the subject than I do.

 

[kurttrail]

Pegasus (MVP) wrote:

If the hardware is
different then you need a new licence.

Utter hogwash! With a Retail Version you can move XP to an entirely
different computer. With OEM, you can upgrade any hardware you like.

If the hardware is
the same then you should ring Microsoft and explain your
problem.

Well that would have been the case, back before the OP's friend used the
hack. This is another case where the wording of MS's activation
nonsense has screwed one of its customers.

In this case, the OP should probably try a repair install.

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

--
Peace!
Kurt Kirsch
Self-anointed Moderator
http://microscum.com
"It'll soon shake your Windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'."

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

Some friend.

Undo the changes he made to the registry, then restart and reactivate. If
it's an OEM copy of Windows, you will need to phone in the activation (which
is probably all you needed to do in the first place).

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I have been using the same copy of windows xp home for a few years now,
usually clean-installing every 6 months.

What kind of severe problems are you encountering that would
necessitate so many re-installations? Have you made any effort to
eliminate the underlying hardware problems that are causing these problems?

The last time I did it (February) my
activation key stopped working, and I was confused.

What, exactly, do you mean by "stopped working?" What was the precise
error message? Could you not activate via telephone?

A friend of mine told me
he could take care of it, only to find out he used a hack to get rid of it.

No "hack" was necessary. Don't let that friend touch your computer
ever again.

Well that's all fine and dandy, but I am getting a message now that I have "1
day to activate windows; Activate Now; Activate Later" If I hit 'Later' then
it allows me to open my desktop. If I hit 'Now' then I get "This copy of
windows is already activated. Click Ok to continue." I have no idea how to
get around this. I went to the oobe folder and opened msoobe.exe with the /a
switch, and got the same thing. Is there a way I can un-activate, then
reactivate with a new number?

No, there's no de-activation process, as such. It may be that your
activation has become "unregistered." Try this solution, posted by
Carey Frisch, MS-MVP:

Possible Resolution:

Boot into "Safe Mode" by pressing (F8) during a reboot.

Go to Start > Run and type: regsvr32 regwizc.dll , and hit enter.
Then go again to Start > Run and type: regsvr32 licdll.dll , and
hit enter again.

I have a copy of this 'hack' and I can tell you exactly what was changed. It
was 2 regisrty entries, thats all. Maybe if someone could help me default
them I can get around this. Thank you and Please help quickly.

Even better. Simply undo your friend's registry butcher job, and
activate normally.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

 

[DCRoyale]

You obviously know much more about the subject than I do.

MS posted a *guide* that you can replace anything in the system except
the Motherboard and still be concidered the "same system" as far as
licensing goes.

If you replace the MB, then by the licensing, you are supposed to
purchase a new license as well.

They have made the exception for if your MB dies that you can replace
it without obtaining a new license.

Can't see how they would ever know if it was a defective board or just
a replacement but that's the "licensing view" on it.

 

[DCRoyale]

What kind of severe problems are you encountering that would
necessitate so many re-installations? Have you made any effort to
eliminate the underlying hardware problems that are causing these problems?





What, exactly, do you mean by "stopped working?" What was the precise
error message? Could you not activate via telephone?




No "hack" was necessary. Don't let that friend touch your computer
ever again.




No, there's no de-activation process, as such. It may be that your
activation has become "unregistered." Try this solution, posted by
Carey Frisch, MS-MVP:

Possible Resolution:

Boot into "Safe Mode" by pressing (F8) during a reboot.

Go to Start > Run and type: regsvr32 regwizc.dll , and hit enter.
Then go again to Start > Run and type: regsvr32 licdll.dll , and
hit enter again.




Even better. Simply undo your friend's registry butcher job, and
activate normally.

I don't know about this OP, but I re-install twice a year just to do
it...

With supporting others and all the crap that I load constantly on my
box, it's easier to wipe it twice a year to get rid of all the extra
crap.

Hmmm... that brings up another question... I'll start a different post
for that though....

Cheers!!!

 

[kurttrail]

kurttrail Post license (kPL). By reading the post below, you are
subject to licensing terms that you have never agreed to, but are hidden

MS posted a *guide* that you can replace anything in the system except
the Motherboard and still be concidered the "same system" as far as
licensing goes.

If you replace the MB, then by the licensing, you are supposed to
purchase a new license as well.

They have made the exception for if your MB dies that you can replace
it without obtaining a new license.

Can't see how they would ever know if it was a defective board or just
a replacement but that's the "licensing view" on it.

Unfortunately for MS, that extra-licensing "guide" is hidden behind a
password-protected web page, and no one ever agreed to follow that
"guide" in either the EULA or the SBL.

At least the kPL, above, warns you that you are agreeing to terms that
are hidden outside the actual agreement. MS's OEM EULA and/or the SBL
doesn't mention that acceptance of those licenses means you must follow
extra-licensing "guides" hidden on unmentioned web pages that are
password-protected.

If MS really expected people to even consider the possibility that the
MOTHERBOARD equals the COMPUTER, then that would be really easy to spell
out in one sentence in either the EULA or the SBL. That MS, over the
last 13 some odd years of selling Windows OEM licenses via third
parties, hasn't added it to either license, EULA or SBL, speaks volumes,
and ASSuming MS Legal, in its infinite stupidity, ever brought this
hidden, password-protected, extra-license, "MOBO = Computer" FUD before
a real judge, it is highly likely the judge would just laugh them out of
court via a summary judgment, as MS could never rightfully claim that
anyone ever specifically agreed that the "MOBO = Computer," in any
license whatsoever.

Even the most vehement "Corporate Rights over Individual Rights" court
would have a very, very hard time justifying a decision in MS's favor in
this case of hidden, password-protected, extra-license terms.

--
Peace!
Kurt Kirsch
Self-anointed Moderator
http://microscum.com
"It'll soon shake your Windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'."

 

[Alias]

MS posted a *guide* that you can replace anything in the system except
the Motherboard and still be concidered the "same system" as far as
licensing goes.

Just upgraded two motherboards, one running an OEM Home in Spanish and
another running OEM Pro English. I had to reinstall Windows on the Home
computer due to the motherboard being much different and it activated on
line just fine. On the Pro machine, XP worked fine without a repair
install or a reinstall and there was no balloon telling me to activate.

If you replace the MB, then by the licensing, you are supposed to
purchase a new license as well.

Not according to the EULA I agreed to, no mention of the word "motherboard".

They have made the exception for if your MB dies that you can replace
it without obtaining a new license.

Not according to the EULA I agreed to, no mention of the word "motherboard".

Can't see how they would ever know if it was a defective board or just
a replacement but that's the "licensing view" on it.

Being as changing the motherboard does not require a new license, that's
a moot point.

Alias