Xp Pro Problem

[Gary A]

I have been using legal XP Pro on my desktop for the the past couple of years. The computer has been acting a little strange lately and it reset itself twice. After it booted again, I got a message that there are changes in my computer that require XP Pro to be activated again. I tried to activate it and it says that it has already been activated previously therefore I must buy a new copy.

There have been NO changes to my computer and the XP Pro copy IS legal. I have emailed Microsoft and am waiting for an answer. The computer seems to be OK because my Linux on another hard drive seems to be working normally. The problem with Linux is that I can't get Bluetooth and my phone to connect to the Internet. Linux finds my phone through the dongle and I am able to transfer files but NOT connect to the Internet.

I am now using my lap top so it is not really an urgent problem.

[Crossy]

I had a similar issue, although mine was a re-installation of XP from a legal disk which then refused to activate, MS were useless

My solution:-

• Install XP from a hookey Pantip disk using the provided serial number.
  
• Use Microsofts' own utility KeyUpdateTool.exe to change the serial number to my legal one (I can let you have the tool if you can't find it on the MS site).
  
• Enable updates and away it goes, passes the WGA check and eveything
  

Whilst I'm sure this is not the best solution it worked for me, as always YMMV

You MAY be able to do a 'repair' using a Pantip disk then change the serial as above, obviously a disk image would be a useful thing to have in case it all goes tits-up

[Guest Reimar]

The way crossy shows may works but isn't full legal!

Ok, you need to manual activate your XP version again. That's quite easy but you may can't do that online but via Telephone.

Start the Activation Process and choose the option to activate via Telephone. You'll need to point to the Country where you are now, here Thailand. The Phone numbers which coming up are from Singapore and if you use the Tollfree number, the call is free of charge.

On the Activation Screen you'll get a series of number, the Product ID. This Product ID you need to keyin your phone, Just follow the instructions you get over the phone.

Depends how often the XP was activated already, may you finish in a short time but it''s possible that you'll really need to talk to a services representive wich will one of the option you get if the first manual activation isn't work.

Use the option to speak with some Service Representive and tell them, if they ask you, why you need to re-activate. You'll need to tell them your product ID again and after a short while they will give you a bunch of numbers which you havr to keyin as new activation code.

The Service Representives speaking very well english, so it shouldn't be any problem.

Cheers.

[Crossy]

The way crossy shows may works but isn't full legal!

Quite possibly, it really is a work around although the tool is actually a Microsoft application.

But I don't understand how MS could object. I have a single copy of XP registered with a legal key that is owned by myself. Their stupid activation system wouldn't work (at the time, not tried it since as I have a working system that passes WGA).

I hope the proper system you've described works for the OP

[Gary A]

Microsoft replied already and offered a couple of different fixes. Neither worked. A downloaded MS program did a diagnosis so I sent that as requested and am again waiting for an answer.

[hp8000]

Microsoft , keep it simple. :D

Reimar do you have some shares by Microsoft Inc ?

And what about legallity in a country where more than 90% of MS OS are copies ? Pathetical hypocrisy IMO.

Anyway I don't care as Mandriva rocks on my computers and MS is in the trashbin.

[sjaak327]

Of course you could hack it and make it activate and pass the WGA again, it's not rocket science, but since you own a legal copy, I would follow Reimar's advice, and call them.

I had to do this for one of my computers with a legit Vista, took not 5 minutes, and it was activated again. Adding a wireless pci nic messed it up.

[dsys]

Of course you could hack it and make it activate and pass the WGA again, it's not rocket science, but since you own a legal copy, I would follow Reimar's advice, and call them.

I had to do this for one of my computers with a legit Vista, took not 5 minutes, and it was activated again. Adding a wireless pci nic messed it up.

Once microsoft won't fix it for you try this -

go to microsoft and search on "change volume license key"

or

change the word OOBETimer by one digit in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Version\WPAEvents

then run "%systemroot%\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe /a" from command prompt.

Edited February 7, 2008 by dsys

[Gary A]

None of the fixes worked and I had no luck via the email route. I finally made the phone call and it was painless. I was activated in a few minutes and I am a happy surfer again.

[JetsetBkk]

None of the fixes worked and I had no luck via the email route. I finally made the phone call and it was painless. I was activated in a few minutes and I am a happy surfer again.

Can you tell us what number you called? Might be useful in the future.

[Gary A]

None of the fixes worked and I had no luck via the email route. I finally made the phone call and it was painless. I was activated in a few minutes and I am a happy surfer again.

Can you tell us what number you called? Might be useful in the future.

Sorry, I didn't keep the phone number but it was indeed toll free from here in Thailand. When the XP activate screen comes up it asks you where you are. Click Thailand and it gives you the toll free number. There were no silly questions and all I had to do was give him the number that was on the activate screen. That enabled him to see my history and he gave me a number to put in the empty box that was also displayed. I then submitted that number and bang, I was back in business. I was actually quite impressed.

[Guest Reimar]

None of the fixes worked and I had no luck via the email route. I finally made the phone call and it was painless. I was activated in a few minutes and I am a happy surfer again.

Can you tell us what number you called? Might be useful in the future.

Sorry, I didn't keep the phone number but it was indeed toll free from here in Thailand. When the XP activate screen comes up it asks you where you are. Click Thailand and it gives you the toll free number. There were no silly questions and all I had to do was give him the number that was on the activate screen. That enabled him to see my history and he gave me a number to put in the empty box that was also displayed. I then submitted that number and bang, I was back in business. I was actually quite impressed.

Gary, I wrote on the 6 of this month in this Topic the way you have to go to re-activate. Ok, you was loosing 2 day's while try other ways.

MS has a clear procedure for activation or re-activation which you need to follow and if you a legit user with an legit version/Software, there isn't any problems, IF you just follow that procedure.

The Phone No. MS is display within the activation procedure is change many times, so don't need to keep. Anyway you'll get the right No. at the process because you need to have the computer running and on the Internet at the time of activation. You can NOT activate an offline computer over the Telephone without to send a prove of Purchase by Fax to Microsoft and that isn't free! In this case you need to have the computer running because you meed the Software OS ID and in combination with the prove of Purchase MS will give you an activation code which only works with the right installed software.

MS isn't easy to sh*t in this process and if you like to try that, and they find it out, which is most likely, they keep track of the phone/FAX connection and trace that back to you. Better don't try that Game!

Cheers.

[Gary A]

None of the fixes worked and I had no luck via the email route. I finally made the phone call and it was painless. I was activated in a few minutes and I am a happy surfer again.

Can you tell us what number you called? Might be useful in the future.

Sorry, I didn't keep the phone number but it was indeed toll free from here in Thailand. When the XP activate screen comes up it asks you where you are. Click Thailand and it gives you the toll free number. There were no silly questions and all I had to do was give him the number that was on the activate screen. That enabled him to see my history and he gave me a number to put in the empty box that was also displayed. I then submitted that number and bang, I was back in business. I was actually quite impressed.

Gary, I wrote on the 6 of this month in this Topic the way you have to go to re-activate. Ok, you was loosing 2 day's while try other ways.

MS has a clear procedure for activation or re-activation which you need to follow and if you a legit user with an legit version/Software, there isn't any problems, IF you just follow that procedure.

The Phone No. MS is display within the activation procedure is change many times, so don't need to keep. Anyway you'll get the right No. at the process because you need to have the computer running and on the Internet at the time of activation. You can NOT activate an offline computer over the Telephone without to send a prove of Purchase by Fax to Microsoft and that isn't free! In this case you need to have the computer running because you meed the Software OS ID and in combination with the prove of Purchase MS will give you an activation code which only works with the right installed software.

MS isn't easy to sh*t in this process and if you like to try that, and they find it out, which is most likely, they keep track of the phone/FAX connection and trace that back to you. Better don't try that Game!

Cheers.

Thanks Reimar. The two days didn't bother me because everything still worked but I got a little nervous and did it your way when it told me that I had only one day left. Would the computer have stopped working? I also have my laptop (also legal) so I would still have been able to use the Internet.

[JetsetBkk]

Sorry, I didn't keep the phone number but it was indeed toll free from here in Thailand. When the XP activate screen comes up it asks you where you are. Click Thailand and it gives you the toll free number.

Thanks for that info.