XP Pro, activation expired, need to uninstall

[Catherine]

I purchased xp professional and installed it on my
computer and laptop right before I went to India for a 6
month trip.

Well, I forgot to activate the software on my laptop. I've
tried emailing Micro, calling them, etc. No response. The
phone in India is busy now for over a week. Dell in India
was kind enough to give me several numbers, all which are
busy.

I can't activate on line becasue the software was
activated on my home desk top and so it comes off as being
an attempt to misuse the software.

I have my install cds for xp office. I would like
reinstall those. However because the activation date
expired my computer is completely locked up and I cannot
get in to uninstall it.

Can some kind soul tell me how I can do this? I have
deadlines to meet and it's been 3 weeks. I give up trying
to contact Microsoft...

Thanks
Catherine

 

[Mike Brannigan [MSFT]]

Catherine,

Your basic problem is that you are not running a properly licensed copy for
Windows XP on your Laptop.
The licensing for Windows XP as it has been since Windows 3.1 is that one
copy is required for each PC it is installed to. So by using the same copy
twice you have breached the licensing for Windows XP. This is covered on
both the side of the box and the End User License Agreement (EULA) that you
have to agree to, to install the software.
So you need to purchase a new license key for Windows XP.
Then using the activation wizard there is the option of changing the current
key to the new one - you will then be able to activate over the Internet.

--
Regards,

Mike
--
Mike Brannigan [Microsoft]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights

Please note I cannot respond to e-mailed questions, please use these
newsgroups

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

In order to rectify your situation, you'll need to purchase a
"Full Version" of Windows XP Professional and perform
a "Repair Install".

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Michael Stevens]

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


|I purchased xp professional and installed it on my
| computer and laptop right before I went to India for a 6
| month trip.
|
| Well, I forgot to activate the software on my laptop. I've
| tried emailing Micro, calling them, etc. No response. The
| phone in India is busy now for over a week. Dell in India
| was kind enough to give me several numbers, all which are
| busy.
|
| I can't activate on line becasue the software was
| activated on my home desk top and so it comes off as being
| an attempt to misuse the software.
|
| I have my install cds for xp office. I would like
| reinstall those. However because the activation date
| expired my computer is completely locked up and I cannot
| get in to uninstall it.
|
| Can some kind soul tell me how I can do this? I have
| deadlines to meet and it's been 3 weeks. I give up trying
| to contact Microsoft...
|
| Thanks
| Catherine

 

[Ron Martell]

I purchased xp professional and installed it on my
computer and laptop right before I went to India for a 6
month trip.

Well, I forgot to activate the software on my laptop. I've
tried emailing Micro, calling them, etc. No response. The
phone in India is busy now for over a week. Dell in India
was kind enough to give me several numbers, all which are
busy.

I can't activate on line becasue the software was
activated on my home desk top and so it comes off as being
an attempt to misuse the software.

I have my install cds for xp office. I would like
reinstall those. However because the activation date
expired my computer is completely locked up and I cannot
get in to uninstall it.

Can some kind soul tell me how I can do this? I have
deadlines to meet and it's been 3 weeks. I give up trying
to contact Microsoft...

Is this problem with *Windows* XP Professional or with *Office* XP
Professional?

If it is with Windows XP then you have a problem because you are not
allowed to install the same copy of Windows onto 2 computers.

If it is Office XP then you do not have the licensing issue because
you are allowed to install it on both a desktop and a laptop.

If the problem is just with Office then you should be able to boot the
computer into Safe Mode and then use Control Panel - Add/Remove
Programs to uninstall Office. Then you can reinstall it.

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."

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

It "...comes off as being an attempt to misuse the software"
because that's exactly what it is. WinXP box is clearly marked as
being for installation on only a single computer, and as you'd have
had to have read and agreed to the EULA during the first installation,
you knew perfectly well that you would not be able to legitimately use
that license on two machines.

You need to purchase a second license for use on the second
computer.

As it has *always* been with *all* Microsoft operating systems,
it's necessary (to be in compliance with the EULA, if not technically)
to purchase one WinXP license for each computer on which it is
installed. The only way in which WinXP licensing differs from that of
earlier versions of Windows is that Microsoft has finally added a copy
protection and anti-theft mechanism, Product Activation, to prevent
(or at least make more difficult) multiple installations using a
single license

You can, however, buy additional licenses, assuming you have a
retail license. Naturally, Microsoft cannot sell additional OEM
licenses. Be aware, however, that you'll probably pay more this way
than you would if you were to buy a second copy of WinXP from a
discount retailer; Microsoft will only offer you a 15% discount off
their MSRP.

Additional Licenses for Windows XP Home Edition
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/addlic.asp

Additional Licenses for Windows XP Professional
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/howtobuy/addlic.asp


Bruce Chambers

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