used product key to many times

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Guest

i just formatted my hard drive today and when i went to activate XP, it keeps
coming up with an error that says something along the lines of the key has
reached its limit for the amount of times it can be used. i format my hard
drive alot, but why do you only get to use your key so many times? what can i
do? do i have to buy a whole new XP or is there some way i can get a new key?
thanks
 
firestoned said:
i just formatted my hard drive today and when i went to activate
XP, it keeps coming up with an error that says something along the
lines of the key has reached its limit for the amount of times it
can be used. i format my hard drive alot, but why do you only get
to use your key so many times? what can i do? do i have to buy a
whole new XP or is there some way i can get a new key? thanks
Click to expand...

The error is mis-worded.
What it should say is "You have activated over the Internet too many times
in too short of a time frame. Please activate by phone."

Or you could set aside the computer for 120 days and reinstall then. *grin*
 
The error is mis-worded.
What it should say is "You have activated over the Internet too many times
in too short of a time frame. Please activate by phone."

Or you could set aside the computer for 120 days and reinstall then. *grin*
Click to expand...


The main question should be is "why in the world is the OP formatting
the hard drive so often"
 
Maybe because he has kids like me who want to install every neat little
thing they find on the net. And don't tell me I need to control my kids
more. They learn by doing and eventually will be able fix their own problems
as a result. Whatever the reason is, you ought not change the original
poster's question into something you think he should be asking. That is
rude. And an user should be able to reformat anytime he wants if he thinks
his computer has been compromised by scrupulous activities from third
parties.

The fact is, the problem is not why he is reformatting alot. Alot of people
reformat frequently. It is easy to do; it is quick to do; it solves alot of
problems that cannot be solved by other methods.

I just bought my OEM xp a few days ago. I installed it once, then
reformatted to get Norton off my computer completely so I could use Mcafee.
I also wanted to get some of the windows sp 2 updates off my computer that
installed in the background before I noticed. As soon as I reformatted, I
got that activation popup and I had to do it by phone. The most frustrating
thing for me was that I entered the installation number using the automated
system instead of talking to a rep, I then got told it would not work and
that I would have to call. It took me forever to enter the mile long
installation number with the automated system, and to have it say at the end
that I would have to call anyway was quite annoying.

I hope MS does some studies in the future to see how successful this
activation is in stopping piracy.
 
Maybe because he has kids like me who want to install every neat little
thing they find on the net. And don't tell me I need to control my kids
more. They learn by doing and eventually will be able fix their own problems
as a result. Whatever the reason is, you ought not change the original
poster's question into something you think he should be asking. That is
rude. And an user should be able to reformat anytime he wants if he thinks
his computer has been compromised by scrupulous activities from third
parties.

The fact is, the problem is not why he is reformatting alot. Alot of people
reformat frequently. It is easy to do; it is quick to do; it solves alot of
problems that cannot be solved by other methods.

I just bought my OEM xp a few days ago. I installed it once, then
reformatted to get Norton off my computer completely so I could use Mcafee.
I also wanted to get some of the windows sp 2 updates off my computer that
installed in the background before I noticed. As soon as I reformatted, I
got that activation popup and I had to do it by phone. The most frustrating
thing for me was that I entered the installation number using the automated
system instead of talking to a rep, I then got told it would not work and
that I would have to call. It took me forever to enter the mile long
installation number with the automated system, and to have it say at the end
that I would have to call anyway was quite annoying.

I hope MS does some studies in the future to see how successful this
activation is in stopping piracy.
Click to expand...

It's not effective at all. Pirated versions of XP abound and those
versions do not need to be activated. The ONLY people who are
inconvenienced are PAYING customers.

MS made billions with the previous operating systems that were also
pirated. There is no logical reason for activation and it is an insult
to paying customers to have to jump through these hoops to prove one
paid for what one bought. MS isn't the only one, however. It seems that
everyone and their brother has jumped on the prove-you're-not-a-thief
activation band wagon. Sony and their rootkit slime is a case in point.

Alias
 
Rctfreak said:
The main question should be is "why in the world is the OP formatting
the hard drive so often"
Click to expand...

That's none of anybody's business but the OP, even if he or she did it
for the fun of doing it.

Alias
 
i just formatted my hard drive today and when i went to activate
XP, it keeps coming up with an error that says something along the
lines of the key has reached its limit for the amount of times it
can be used. i format my hard drive alot, but why do you only get
to use your key so many times? what can i do? do i have to buy a
whole new XP or is there some way i can get a new key? thanks
Click to expand...

Be sure to save your wpa.dbl file before reformatting, then you can
copy the file back over and you won't have to activate Windows XP
again.

Adam
 
firestoned said:
i just formatted my hard drive today and when i went to activate XP, it keeps
coming up with an error that says something along the lines of the key has
reached its limit for the amount of times it can be used. i format my hard
drive alot, but why do you only get to use your key so many times? what can i
do? do i have to buy a whole new XP or is there some way i can get a new key?
thanks
Click to expand...


The message is somewhat misleading. As there is no technical reason
for the average user (or anyone else, for that matter) to format and
reinstall the OS frequently, the database assumes that multiple
installations are being performed.

There's no limit to the number of times you can reinstall and
activate the same WinXP license on the same PC. Nor is there ever a
charge. Nor does a Product Key (so long as it's not an evaluation
license) ever expire. If it's been more than 120 days since you last
activated that specific Product Key, you'll most likely be able to
activate via the Internet without problem. If it's been less, you might
have to make a 5 minute phone call.

Here are the facts pertaining to activation:

Piracy Basics - Microsoft Product Activation
http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/basics/activation/

Windows Product Activation (WPA)
http://www.aumha.org/a/wpa.htm


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH
 
Steve said:
Irrelevant.
Click to expand...


Well, yes and no. If the OP is frequently formatting his hard drive
because he has nothing better to do with his time and enjoys the
repetitive nature of the activity, that's fine. It's his choice. If,
however, the OP is frequently reformatting to address technical
problems, than we could probably all offer less drastic and more
effective solutions.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH
 
Bruce said:
Well, yes and no. If the OP is frequently formatting his hard drive
because he has nothing better to do with his time and enjoys the
repetitive nature of the activity, that's fine. It's his choice. If,
however, the OP is frequently reformatting to address technical
problems, than we could probably all offer less drastic and more
effective solutions.
Click to expand...

Still irrevelant.

Alias
 
That's none of anybody's business but the OP, even if he or she did it for
the fun of doing it.

Alias
Click to expand...

OTOH if the OP has a persistent problem one can try to help...

Charlie
 
In
Adam Leinss said:
Be sure to save your wpa.dbl file before reformatting, then you can
copy the file back over and you won't have to activate Windows XP
again.

Adam
Click to expand...

This only works if the WPA files are corrupted or you do a repair install. A
clean install will require activation over the internet or a phone call if
necessary.
http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm
--
Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm
 
(e-mail address removed) wrote:

I just bought my OEM xp a few days ago. I installed it once, then
reformatted to get Norton off my computer completely so I could use Mcafee.
Click to expand...

<snip>

Not much of an improvement going from Norton to McAfee.
 
Have you got anything constructive to contribute?

| (e-mail address removed) wrote:
|
| <snip>
|
| > I just bought my OEM xp a few days ago. I installed it once, then
| > reformatted to get Norton off my computer completely so I could use
Mcafee.
|
| <snip>
|
| Not much of an improvement going from Norton to McAfee.
|
| --
| Rock
| MS MVP Windows - Shell/User
|
 
Tom said:
Have you got anything constructive to contribute?

| (e-mail address removed) wrote:
|
| <snip>
|
| > I just bought my OEM xp a few days ago. I installed it once, then
| > reformatted to get Norton off my computer completely so I could use
Mcafee.
|
| <snip>
|
| Not much of an improvement going from Norton to McAfee.
|
| --
| Rock
| MS MVP Windows - Shell/User
|
Click to expand...

I did as opposed to your post.
 
It is a huge improvement as far as performance is concerned. McAfee does not
consume anywhere near the resources that Norton does. I would not use
anything but McAfee on a laptop. I would not run Norton on any desktop that
did not have a P4 and at least 500mb memory. Norton also runs more things in
the background than does McAfee.
 
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