XP Activation loop!

[deathsfriend]

Ok, I have seen this tread started a few times, and I'm hoping someone has a
solution. My mom has a machine that had an illigitimate copy of Windows XP
Pro. She bought a new copy of WinXP Pro and chages the product key.
Reboots
Product requires activations (no problem)
Call MS rep, get activation key start windows.
Click on user account, get "this product required activation"
Click on activate, get sent to, this product is already activated...
lather, rinse, and repeate.
I have followed intructions on:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/328874
and tried
http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/selfhelp/PKUInstructions.aspx
and
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/312295

Nothing seems to work. Please. Please. I beg you, don't tell me to do
repair. Surely someone out there has some actual knowledge that can be
USEFUL. REPAIR IS NOT AN ANSWER! IT IS A COPOUT!

 

[TaurArian]

No guarantees and I'm not sure if you've already tried it -

"To remove the message that you are already activated, you can force activation on reboot.
If the wpa.dbl and wpa.bak become corrupted, they can cause a problem.
Reboot in "Safe Mode".
Rename the wpa.dbl and wpa.bak files located in the\Windows\system32 folder
Now the message should be removed and you can now reactivate."

--

TaurArian [MVP] 2005-2009 - Update Services
http://taurarian.mvps.org
======================================
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
Computer Maintenance: Acronis / Diskeeper / Paragon / Raxco


| Ok, I have seen this tread started a few times, and I'm hoping someone has a
| solution. My mom has a machine that had an illigitimate copy of Windows XP
| Pro. She bought a new copy of WinXP Pro and chages the product key.
| Reboots
| Product requires activations (no problem)
| Call MS rep, get activation key start windows.
| Click on user account, get "this product required activation"
| Click on activate, get sent to, this product is already activated...
| lather, rinse, and repeate.
| I have followed intructions on:
| http://support.microsoft.com/kb/328874
| and tried
| http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/selfhelp/PKUInstructions.aspx
| and
| http://support.microsoft.com/kb/312295
|
| Nothing seems to work. Please. Please. I beg you, don't tell me to do
| repair. Surely someone out there has some actual knowledge that can be
| USEFUL. REPAIR IS NOT AN ANSWER! IT IS A COPOUT!
|
|

 

[DL]

A Copout? why?
Of course whether its relevent in your circumstances is another thing

 

[deathsfriend]

There was a time when one could actually fix software. I would like to think
that that time hasn't completely dissappeared. Of course, I'm used to Linux,
so I may be asking too much from MS.

 

[deathsfriend]

I have tried this:
ren %windir%\system32\WPA.dbl wpa.old
the Windows CD is located in drive D,
expand d:\i386\wpa.db_ %windir%\system32\wpa.dbl

Does it make any difference if I rename the wpa.dbl and .bak? Do
I need to replace them in order to boot?

 

[TaurArian]

Peruse this link for further assistance
http://www.computing.net/answers/windows-xp/registrationactivation-issues-help/151024.html

--
--------------------------------
TaurArian [MVP] 2005-2009
Update Services
http://taurarian.mvps.org

 

[TaurArian]

Update: see
You are prompted to activate Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 every time that you start
the computer
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/312295


--

TaurArian [MVP] 2005-2009 - Update Services
http://taurarian.mvps.org
======================================
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
Computer Maintenance: Acronis / Diskeeper / Paragon / Raxco


|I have tried this:
| ren %windir%\system32\WPA.dbl wpa.old
| the Windows CD is located in drive D,
| expand d:\i386\wpa.db_ %windir%\system32\wpa.dbl
|
| Does it make any difference if I rename the wpa.dbl and .bak? Do
| I need to replace them in order to boot?
|
|
|
|
| "TaurArian" wrote:
|
| > No guarantees and I'm not sure if you've already tried it -
| >
| > "To remove the message that you are already activated, you can force activation on
reboot.
| > If the wpa.dbl and wpa.bak become corrupted, they can cause a problem.
| > Reboot in "Safe Mode".
| > Rename the wpa.dbl and wpa.bak files located in the\Windows\system32 folder
| > Now the message should be removed and you can now reactivate."
| >
| > --
| >
| > TaurArian [MVP] 2005-2009 - Update Services
| > http://taurarian.mvps.org
| > ======================================
| > How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
| > Computer Maintenance: Acronis / Diskeeper / Paragon / Raxco
| >
| >
| > | > | Ok, I have seen this tread started a few times, and I'm hoping someone has a
| > | solution. My mom has a machine that had an illigitimate copy of Windows XP
| > | Pro. She bought a new copy of WinXP Pro and chages the product key.
| > | Reboots
| > | Product requires activations (no problem)
| > | Call MS rep, get activation key start windows.
| > | Click on user account, get "this product required activation"
| > | Click on activate, get sent to, this product is already activated...
| > | lather, rinse, and repeate.
| > | I have followed intructions on:
| > | http://support.microsoft.com/kb/328874
| > | and tried
| > | http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/selfhelp/PKUInstructions.aspx
| > | and
| > | http://support.microsoft.com/kb/312295
| > |
| > | Nothing seems to work. Please. Please. I beg you, don't tell me to do
| > | repair. Surely someone out there has some actual knowledge that can be
| > | USEFUL. REPAIR IS NOT AN ANSWER! IT IS A COPOUT!
| > |
| > |
| >
| >
| >

 

[Alias]

I am having the same problem. But check this out. I am getting this on
a fresh install... or should I say many fresh installs.

On first run this pc goes into the "you must activate" loop.. a few
problems 1 the nic drivers are not even installed nor the vid drivers..


we got by that on the 3rd reinstall. got all the drivers in play and
called MS who gave us the activation code...

next reboot Poof back to the loop..

repair load is not working, The wpa rename trick not working.. and
check this out. a fresh hard drive not working.....

I tried MS http://support.microsoft.com/kb/312295 fix but the guided
program tells me the actions have already been done..

I'm about out of tricks... followed every step in the above post...

if this was not a clients system it would already be in the parking lot
. rofl

any new ideas?

Yeah, convince your client to use Linux. For a newbie, I would suggest
checking this out: http://www.linuxmint.com/

 

[Mark Adams]

I am having the same problem. But check this out. I am getting this on
a fresh install... or should I say many fresh installs.

On first run this pc goes into the "you must activate" loop.. a few
problems 1 the nic drivers are not even installed nor the vid drivers..

You must download the drivers from the website of the manufacturer of the
PC. Windows XP doesn't have them.

we got by that on the 3rd reinstall. got all the drivers in play and

How did you get "all the drivers in play?"

called MS who gave us the activation code...

Microsoft doesn't give out "activation codes." The Product Key is on a
sticker fixed to the back of the machine, or on the packaging of the XP
install disk.

next reboot Poof back to the loop..

repair load is not working, The wpa rename trick not working.. and
check this out. a fresh hard drive not working.....

Obviously some other hardware failure is preventing XP from installing
properly on a brand new hard drive. Take the machine to a good local repair
shop, not one of the major retailers. Once the machine has been repaired, XP
will install just fine.

I tried MS http://support.microsoft.com/kb/312295 fix but the guided
program tells me the actions have already been done..

How to clean install XP:

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

You won't need to bother with the KB article.

I'm about out of tricks... followed every step in the above post...

if this was not a clients system it would already be in the parking lot
.. rofl

any new ideas?

See above.