Windows XP Activation Looping

[Guru]

Hi!

I am repairing a customer's bespoke PC that had data corruption. I don't
know who
the manufacturer is. The XP licence sticker is on the case. The XP install CD
turned out to be damaged so I am using a CD from another system. I have read
of people who create bootable CDs with XP service packs and updates and who
still manage to install XP on systems, so I do not expect the media to be a
problem.

After I activated the installation over the phone, I rebooted the system. I
was asked to Activate the installation, but when the Activation screen came
up it said the system was already activated. This is a perpetual loop, even
in Safe Mode. The only way to get into the system is to log into Safe Mode
with Command Prompt and then to run Explorer.exe.

I have talked to Microsoft 3 times and the only thing they will say is
"talk to tech support". When I talked to tech support I was told was that
"there was something wrong with your computer" and offered 3 options:
self-help on support.Microsoft.com or paid email and/or phone support. I
ended
up using the steps here
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/312295/en-us to deactivate the
XP installation and successfully went through the activation process again,
but with the same result.

Someone, somewhere must know why this happens and how to fix it, but I have
poured through forums to no avail.

Any help will be received very gratefully.

Regards

Guru

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Please tell us the exact wording printed on the Windows XP disc that "belonged from another system".


Hi!

I am repairing a customer's bespoke PC that had data corruption. I don't
know who
the manufacturer is. The XP licence sticker is on the case. The XP install CD
turned out to be damaged so I am using a CD from another system. I have read
of people who create bootable CDs with XP service packs and updates and who
still manage to install XP on systems, so I do not expect the media to be a
problem.

After I activated the installation over the phone, I rebooted the system. I
was asked to Activate the installation, but when the Activation screen came
up it said the system was already activated. This is a perpetual loop, even
in Safe Mode. The only way to get into the system is to log into Safe Mode
with Command Prompt and then to run Explorer.exe.

I have talked to Microsoft 3 times and the only thing they will say is
"talk to tech support". When I talked to tech support I was told was that
"there was something wrong with your computer" and offered 3 options:
self-help on support.Microsoft.com or paid email and/or phone support. I
ended
up using the steps here
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/312295/en-us to deactivate the
XP installation and successfully went through the activation process again,
but with the same result.

Someone, somewhere must know why this happens and how to fix it, but I have
poured through forums to no avail.

Any help will be received very gratefully.

Regards

Guru

 

[DL]

Perhaps the first line of your post has some relevence
"I am repairing a customer's bespoke PC that had data corruption"

 

[Guru]

Perhaps the first line of your post has some relevence
"I am repairing a customer's bespoke PC that had data corruption"

 

[Guru]

Hi DL,
Thanks for your response.

Can you please explain what sort of relevance the hard drive corruption has
to this?The system suffered a PSU failure, which I presume lead to the
corruption of the registry hive, which was became apparent after a new PSU
had been installed. It was felt that it would be quicker to reinstall XP
(haha!), although I have fixed corrupted registry hives before. The hard
drive was reformated and then the software installed as normal. The
activation process with Microsoft Activation Centre appeared to go OK
everytime.

What would bring about this problem?

Regards,

Guru.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Please tell us the exact wording printed on the Windows XP disc that "belonged from another system".


Hi DL,
Thanks for your response.

Can you please explain what sort of relevance the hard drive corruption has
to this?The system suffered a PSU failure, which I presume lead to the
corruption of the registry hive, which was became apparent after a new PSU
had been installed. It was felt that it would be quicker to reinstall XP
(haha!), although I have fixed corrupted registry hives before. The hard
drive was reformated and then the software installed as normal. The
activation process with Microsoft Activation Centre appeared to go OK
everytime.

What would bring about this problem?

Regards,

Guru.

 

[DL]

It wasn't clear from your post as to whether you had determined the cause of
the corruption, and if you hadn't then further problems might be possible. I
have experience of an iffy psu seemingly giving rise to a failed hd, in fact
the unit had 2 hd's replaced under warranty, they both failed manufacturers
diagnostics, before I determined that the psu was the root cause.

 

[smlunatick]

Hi DL,
Thanks for your response.

Can you please explain what sort of relevance the hard drive corruption has
to this?The system suffered a PSU failure, which I presume lead to the
corruption of the registry hive, which was became apparent after a new PSU
had been installed. It was felt that it would be quicker to reinstall XP
(haha!), although I have fixed corrupted registry hives before. The hard
drive was reformated and then the software installed as normal. The
activation process with Microsoft Activation Centre appeared to go OK
everytime.

What would bring about this problem?  

Regards,

Guru.






- Show quoted text -

You must use the original XP CD that was delivered with the bespoke
PC, if it is a branded CD or recovery CD. You can not use an other
branded install CD or recovery CD as this may contain "hooks" to check
for qualifying jardware (aka same brand as on the CD.) You might be
able to get "away" using a differnt CD is it is a generic XP install
CD, but this is never guarrantied.

AS for the data corruption, you must check the hard drive before
continuing further. PSU failure will not "scrap" the registry. Drive
failure seems to be the likely cause. Locate the hard drive
manufacturer's advance diagnostic tools and run this on the drive.