XP Activation - Not!

[RC]

I updated an emachine Award bios from 1.2 to 1.7 but from the MicroStar
website instead of from emachine's site (where do they post bioses anyhoo?).
The computer boots fine but XP will not activate online or when I call the
automated activation phone number. Any ideas?

Thanks.

 

[=?iso-8859-1?B?uyBtcnRlZSCr?=]

Call back and talk to a real person?

--
Just my 2¢ worth,
Jeff
__________In response to__________
|I updated an emachine Award bios from 1.2 to 1.7 but from the MicroStar
| website instead of from emachine's site (where do they post bioses anyhoo?).
| The computer boots fine but XP will not activate online or when I call the
| automated activation phone number. Any ideas?
|
| Thanks.
|
|

 

[Ron Martell]

I updated an emachine Award bios from 1.2 to 1.7 but from the MicroStar
website instead of from emachine's site (where do they post bioses anyhoo?).
The computer boots fine but XP will not activate online or when I call the
automated activation phone number. Any ideas?

Thanks.

Does it report that the activation actually failed, or does it prompt
you to activate it again the next time you restart the computer?

If your are getting activation prompts after a restart then the
problem may be caused by damage to the registry entries for the .DLL
files used by activation. You can repair this by using Start- Run and
enter the following text in the dialog box:
regsvr32.exe regwizc.dll

Then do it again with the following text:
regsvr32.exe licdll.dll

After this try the activation one more time and see if it "sticks"
this time.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."

 

[NC]

Hi Ron,

XP SP2 loops logging off and on always wanting to activate - I can't get
into XP at all since upgrading the Bios. But days of trying the online
activation results in a message that says the online service is temporarily
unavailable - then the Skip and Redial buttons do not function at all. When
I call in and read off the 50-digit ID string, it seems the last digits are
a no-go and I'm asked to return the MS product. Guess I better call MS
Support... sigh.

Thanks.
RC

 

[Ron Martell]

Hi Ron,

XP SP2 loops logging off and on always wanting to activate - I can't get
into XP at all since upgrading the Bios. But days of trying the online
activation results in a message that says the online service is temporarily
unavailable - then the Skip and Redial buttons do not function at all. When
I call in and read off the 50-digit ID string, it seems the last digits are
a no-go and I'm asked to return the MS product. Guess I better call MS
Support... sigh.

Thanks.
RC

Sometimes a BIOS upgrade will change the way hardware is recognized,
thus triggering a need to reactivate.

You might want to try a couple of things:

1. Undoing the BIOS upgrade. Most BIOS flash programs provide for the
automatic saving of the old BIOS data so it is relatively simple to
run the flash program again and put the old BIOS back. But BIOS
upgrades are always tricky and a power outage at the wrong moment can
be disastrous.

2. Do a "repair install" of Windows XP. This is what is required when
a motherboard is replaced by a different make/model and it may be that
your recent BIOS upgrade has had an effect similar to a motherboard
replacement. See http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
for detailed instructions.

But before you do that you probably should create a new Windows XP
install CD with SP2 splipstreamed into it. Post a response back here
if you need help with this.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."

 

[Guest]

Ron how do i create an xp cd with sp2 in it

Sometimes a BIOS upgrade will change the way hardware is recognized,
thus triggering a need to reactivate.

You might want to try a couple of things:

1. Undoing the BIOS upgrade. Most BIOS flash programs provide for the
automatic saving of the old BIOS data so it is relatively simple to
run the flash program again and put the old BIOS back. But BIOS
upgrades are always tricky and a power outage at the wrong moment can
be disastrous.

2. Do a "repair install" of Windows XP. This is what is required when
a motherboard is replaced by a different make/model and it may be that
your recent BIOS upgrade has had an effect similar to a motherboard
replacement. See http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
for detailed instructions.

But before you do that you probably should create a new Windows XP
install CD with SP2 splipstreamed into it. Post a response back here
if you need help with this.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."

 

[RofC]

Thanks for all the insight and input, Ron!

The Bios upgrade offered to backup the original but apparently did not -
it's not anywhere on the disk. But Microsoft was kind enough to activate XP
for me after hearing my blunder. Just had to learn how to contact a real
person at the Activation Number.

Thanks again. I will save this for future reference!

 

[Ron Martell]

Ron how do i create an xp cd with sp2 in it

There are many websites with instructions for doing this

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sp2_slipstream.asp

http://www.helpwithwindows.com/WindowsXP/winxp-sp2-bootcd.html

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."