Sorry your browser is not supported!

You are using an outdated browser that does not support modern web technologies, in order to use this site please update to a new browser.

Browsers supported include Chrome, FireFox, Safari, Opera, Internet Explorer 10+ or Microsoft Edge.

Geek Culture / Windows XP sucks - reactivation issue

Author
Message
Nicholas Thompson
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 6th Sep 2004
Location: Bognor Regis, UK
Posted: 26th May 2007 11:49
Link
Ok - I was happily using my PC last night to watch a DVD. All was fine and happy in the world of Windows XP. Months ago I upgraded by purchasing a copy of Windows XP Pro OEM From Aria.co.uk and I installed it and its activated fine.

This morning I turn my PC on to see a message saying something to the effect "Your computers hardware has substantially changed, you must now reactivate within the next 3 days"

I have 2 rather large problems with this.
1) My hardware hasn't changed at all in months, let alone overnight. When I say it hasn't changed - I mean NOT AT ALL. I've not even plugged in a pen drive.
2) It wont let me reactivate - it fails to connect and keeps asking for proxy information. I have no firewall enabled and, as proved by writing this post, my internet is actually working (that and that Skype logged in).

Why cant a company the size of Microsoft make a product which just wont break or try its hardest to make a user want to use OSX instead?

I'm furious... I wouldn't mind if this was an illegal version of windows - but its not! I actually went to the effort of BUYING it, the PRO version too! Grrr...

[center]
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
FredP
Retired Moderator
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 27th Feb 2006
Location: Indiana
Posted: 26th May 2007 11:54
Link
Bill Gates strikes again!

Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
hessiess
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 30th Mar 2007
Location: pc!
Posted: 26th May 2007 11:55
Link
misrosoft suks, get over it.
all thay try to do is scam you into buying os's with brake themselves in acupple of months and need wiping at lest once a year to ceep it usable

learn blender, you will never regret it.
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Raven
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 23rd Mar 2005
Location: Hertfordshire, England
Posted: 26th May 2007 11:56
Link
I can beat that, last night after a Vista update I rebooted the machine. After the reboot it claimed that my copy of Windows was not activated.

So I thought that it was weird, but this happened when I first activated and used SafeMode to setup some special microsoft network hardware. As such clicked on "Activate now", it blinked up a message saying there was an error with the license system; I will no longer recieve activation notices, click one of the buttons to fix activation and activate online. Clicked it, went to the Geniune MS site.. everything valdated just fine.

Half hour later. Bling! same error with activation message.
I can't re-activate, can't reset my product key, in-fact the slmgr.vbs has an error in it; or claims to. I've reinstalled the entire license system, and still claims it can't active.

It's begining to irriate me now.

Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Richard Davey
Retired Moderator
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 30th Apr 2002
Location: On the Jupiter Probe
Posted: 26th May 2007 12:01
Link
Nicholas - are you 100% positive that is a genuine MS message, and not some form of spyware/trojan? I didn't think XP cared-less about hardware changes, at least mine never has?

Never trust a computer you can't throw out of a window
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Eric T
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 7th Apr 2003
Location: My location is where I am at this time.
Posted: 26th May 2007 12:05 Edited at: 26th May 2007 12:07
Link
I've gotten that a few times... I usually run a scan when it does it and don't see any Virus/Trojan/Other in the system.

If it doesn't let you activate via the net, just do the phone activation and it goes through just fine. If they give you any crap about it (which I got once), demand a supervisor and explain it to them... and they will fix it right away. They also seem to apologize. Alot.

I never understood why it does that. And its really funny too since when I change my hardware, it never does it. But maybe 2 - 3 months after a hardware change it'll suddenly tell me I changed my hardware. Just one of those hillarious MS bugs.

http://blog.myspace.com/erict
*Boom HEADSHOT!*
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Nicholas Thompson
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 6th Sep 2004
Location: Bognor Regis, UK
Posted: 26th May 2007 12:07
Link
I've just got off the phone with the product activation and my WinXP install is activated again.

@Raven: That really is odd - sounds like Vista really is just a skinned version of Win XP

@Rich: I wouldn't quite say 100% certain is genuine, however I was certain enough to phone them. Thing is - you've now put doubt in my mind. It could quite easily have been a spyware app which could be collection activation details... I didn't think it was one of those as I'd not been to any "dodgy" sites recently and I have a fully and regularly updated antivirus app running (AntiVir).

WinXP RETAIL doesn't care about hardware changes, WinXP OEM DOES care - you only get to change a certain amount of hardware before your machine in no longer considered the same machine the OS was originally activated on. Retail will let you have unlimited changes and will even let you transfer your install from an old machine to a new one - however a retail install costs about £250 whereas an OEM license costs about £90. As I said - the only real difference is that once you activate an OEM license, it binds itself to the hardware config and only allows a certain amount of hardware to change before requested reactivation.

[center]
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Raven
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 23rd Mar 2005
Location: Hertfordshire, England
Posted: 26th May 2007 12:18
Link
retail will let you change everything except the motherboard.
this has been true with all Windows since NT5.0; i've heard alot of reasons to why this is, but no idea about the real reason behind it. I had huge issues when Microsoft first introduced WGA.

Bought myself Windows XP Professional VLK, as I tend to have a lot of computers where I live. No activation also seemed like a bonus to me, because activation licenses only last 180days before resetting and having a "booster" reactivation. 1 copy of VLK with 10licenses ended up cheaper than 6retail copies of XP. Unfortunately because I bought it as an individual NOT a business according to Microsoft this didn't entitle me to be registered perminantly, and no one told me I had to re-register every 180days. (although I did finally find it in the thick EULA you get with the damn thing)

So it took me a good month back'n'forth with Microsoft to get me back on their system as the registered owner of the PK I had. Pain in the arse though because for those weeks I couldn't download anything from Microsoft, nor could I get rid of those stupid "you are not activated" messages cause WGA deactives Windows if your key is either invalid or not registered.

Well anyhow just rebooted and think I've fixed the issue. Think the problem was the BIOS update I did just before rebooting last time, had to reset some things in the registry and the reactivation things kicked back into working.

Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
heartbone
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 9th Nov 2002
Location:
Posted: 26th May 2007 17:43
Link
Quote: "Half hour later. Bling! same error with activation message.
I can't re-activate, can't reset my product key, in-fact the slmgr.vbs has an error in it; or claims to. I've reinstalled the entire license system, and still claims it can't active.

It's begining to irriate me now.
"
And you are a power user.
Imagine how it would be for a mere mortal.
Ubuntu Linux is ready for mortals and needs no activation.

Quote: "i've heard alot of reasons to why this is, but no idea about the real reason behind it."

Then let me be the first to inform you, Raven.
The real reason is to get your money.

I'm unique, just like everybody else.
Back to top
Profile PM Website
Nicholas Thompson
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 6th Sep 2004
Location: Bognor Regis, UK
Posted: 26th May 2007 17:56
Link
Quote: "Ubuntu Linux is ready for mortals and needs no activation."

It also has feck all support for DirectX which is what the majority of popular PC games use (yes, I know SOME use OpenGL).
Plus I would hardly call Linux "mortal friendly". Its fine and looks gorgeous until it breaks at which point your need to no longer be a mortal but a psuedo-god to fix it.

Quote: "The real reason is to get your money."

Say it aint so!

[center]
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Raven
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 23rd Mar 2005
Location: Hertfordshire, England
Posted: 26th May 2007 18:09
Link
Quote: "And you are a power user.
Imagine how it would be for a mere mortal.
Ubuntu Linux is ready for mortals and needs no activation."


perhaps, but most users wouldn't encounter similar problems. most of what i'm experiencing is due to development tools.
I already have Ubuntu on here as a backup system though.

This said hate it when some people just discover linux and suddenly take up the culture behind it. It's useful for doing the tasks everyone here wants to do, like surf, e-mail and ebay.
However for my needs it doesn't really offer much; as most of my stuff is Windows-only.

Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
_Nemesis_
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 9th Nov 2003
Location: Liverpool, UK
Posted: 26th May 2007 20:51
Link
I've only had this problem once when I updated my BIOS. Phoned MS up, 10 minutes it was activated again. Done this 3 or 4 times since I began with XP and once with Vista. Biggest problem is understanding the man at the end of the phone.

[url="http://www.devhat.net"]www.devhat.net[/url] :: Devhat IRC Network.
Current Project: ASP Content Management System
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Kentaree
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Oct 2002
Location: Clonmel, Ireland
Posted: 26th May 2007 22:01
Link
"Thank you, please phone again"...

Nephin Games
Devhat Developer Network and IRC Channel
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Raven
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 23rd Mar 2005
Location: Hertfordshire, England
Posted: 26th May 2007 22:32
Link
You actually get people on the other end of the phone?
Each time I've called to activate, it's been an automated service.
My bro who lives up north finds the best way to get a new OS is to come down, burn the CD then phone up for the activation offline.
(checky bugger)

For some reason their automated phone service activation doesn't seem to log your IP like the online version one. Would've thought it'd be part of the activation id. Xbox support is the worst to understand ppl though imo; half of the staff are french and will only give you answers from the online database they have (which everyone can view!!)

Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Nicholas Thompson
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 6th Sep 2004
Location: Bognor Regis, UK
Posted: 26th May 2007 22:37
Link
Quote: "For some reason their automated phone service activation doesn't seem to log your IP like the online version one"


How would a phone service log your IP?

When I phones I spoke/keypad-typed to a computer. A computer with amnesia - it asked me the same question twice (How times have you installed this operating system).

[center]
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
_Nemesis_
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 9th Nov 2003
Location: Liverpool, UK
Posted: 27th May 2007 01:39
Link
Quote: "You actually get people on the other end of the phone?
"


With XP, I never needed to speak to anyone, the automated service handled it. With Vista I got connected straight away. Maybe the number is different for Vista activation?

[url="http://www.devhat.net"]www.devhat.net[/url] :: Devhat IRC Network.
Current Project: ASP Content Management System
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Raven
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 23rd Mar 2005
Location: Hertfordshire, England
Posted: 27th May 2007 09:57
Link
it is different, but call up between 10pm - 7am as that's when the automated service is turned on

Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
heartbone
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 9th Nov 2002
Location:
Posted: 28th May 2007 15:34
Link
Quote: "This said hate it when some people just discover linux and suddenly take up the culture behind it."


Quit being such a hater!
I've dabbled in Linux and had it installed since Red Hat 5.2 (1998).
I've hardly just discovered it, but I have just discovered that it is ready to replace Windows.

Our relying on the greedy Microsoft to re-activate our OSes is a bad idea.
Although I have no personal knowledge of this happening,
I truly hope that some hackers have the XP activation decoded and will share the information far and wide.

I'm unique, just like everybody else.
Back to top
Profile PM Website
Raven
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 23rd Mar 2005
Location: Hertfordshire, England
Posted: 28th May 2007 16:09
Link
I think a better system for a non-free OS would actually be alone the same lines as Xbox Live.

The OS is free to use offline, if you want to use the internet you have to pay a monthly subscription. Given the amount of people who go online a company would make a killing doing it this way.

I mean if you charged say £50 per year (cost of a computer game), the non-freeware ones are upgraded regularly (2-5years) then someone will end up have paid more for it; but feel like they've paid less because it's a much smaller cost per year. heh

Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
_Nemesis_
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 9th Nov 2003
Location: Liverpool, UK
Posted: 28th May 2007 17:24 Edited at: 28th May 2007 17:27
Link
Quote: "This said hate it when some people just discover linux and suddenly take up the culture behind it."


Quote: "Quit being such a hater!"


I think he's got a point.

I know most people, like yourself, use it because they see it as a valid replacement for Windows or OSX, but I get annoyed when people get behind Linux and diss Windows just to be part of the "culture", thinking it makes them somewhat "l33t" because they can install and use something that isn't from Microsoft. So often they can't do half the things in Linux that they could in Windows - not saying it can't be done, they just don't have the know how - and simply put up with it to maintain this "l33t" appearance. By all means tinker with Linux, or indeed use it permentantly, but it annoys me greatly when people think they're superior to people who use Windows (and to an extent OSX) because they use it. Anyone with a brain uses the OS which is most suitable for their needs and budget.

Just to further the discussion, I think the activation thing is a good idea. They say that 1 in 99 copies (or something to that effect) is pirated and I think that fact alone is enough to warrent the activation. Like I say, I've never had a problem with reactivation - on the few occurances, it's taken 2 or 3 minutes of my time to sort out.

[url="http://www.devhat.net"]www.devhat.net[/url] :: Devhat IRC Network.
Current Project: ASP Content Management System
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Nicholas Thompson
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 6th Sep 2004
Location: Bognor Regis, UK
Posted: 28th May 2007 17:45
Link
Quote: "Anyone with a brain uses the OS which is most suitable for their needs and budget."

The nail has been hit on the head

I dont have a problem with activation. I have a problem with software being written SO poorly that it believes in a "significant hardware change" in between bootups.

As for Linux - it has its place... Most of the time, that places is a web or FTP server - a machine which needs to sit there being reliable all the time. Windows is incapable of being there "all the time". It can manage a few days - maybe a few weeks - but I find it hard to believe a windows machine can be heavily used for a year without a reboot. Linux, on the otherhand, will EASILY last a year without a reboot (at Level 3 anyway). The only time Linux really needs to be rebooted is when the Kernel is updated - OSX is the same to a certain extent. Windows just needs to have MSN updated or some seemingly insignificant update before it requires a reboot - and it will NAG you until it gets it

I dont HATE Windows - I think its a wonderfully easy to use OS which is pretty well idiot proofed. I hate the way its propagated itself to nearly every machine on Earth in the same way a Virus would - especially when that machine could actually be doing the same job better with something like OSX or Linux.

At work, I do web development and design and I have to use Windows. Only a handful of my colleagues are "allowed" to use OSX because their job REQUIRES it (ie, the designers). I personally strongly believe my workflow and productivity would benefit from using OSX (I know it does when I use my own laptop) - but, alas, we're not allowed. This is mainly due to Microsoft's Active Domain server's and Apple's OSX not integrating together particularly well (I know its possible, but its MUCH easier to get a Windows machine onto an Active Domain than it is to get a Mac onto one).

Anywho - Who here believes that Windows would be LESS pirated if it was a more reliable and generally better OS?
Although I OWN a legal version of it - I resent paying £100 for it and having so many security holes, silly issues like this significant hardware one and general instability (which I know is more often caused by poor drivers and applications than the OS itself - but it SHOULD be able to handle it in a more graceful fashion).

[center]
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Jeku
Moderator
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 4th Jul 2003
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Posted: 28th May 2007 23:14 Edited at: 28th May 2007 23:16
Link
The way I see it, is anyone that bitches and moans about security holes in an OS seriously needs to take a University course in OS design. It's not as simple as "filling the security holes". No matter what anyone says, there will *NEVER* be a time where all the holes are fixed, in *ANY* OS, because people will always find out new, inventive ways to exploit the OS.

Just imagine for a sec all the hundreds of thousands of things and processes that are going smooth when you boot up Windows and play your game, work in your office products, and program in VS or DBP simultaneously while streaming MP3s from your media centre, etc. etc.

Back to top
Profile PM Website
Nicholas Thompson
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 6th Sep 2004
Location: Bognor Regis, UK
Posted: 28th May 2007 23:32
Link
I agree - nothing will ever be 100% secure as long as there is a way for 1 human to interact with it. Plus, the more 3rd party software you install, the worse it gets.

I also understand that while I'm writing this post, there are hundreds - maybe thousands of processes and threads going on in the background.

Maybe the thing I dont get is why Microsoft dont ENFORCE security as much as OSX/Linux, etc.

As you probably know, all the important files in OSX or any Unix based system will be read only by root. I assume the same happens in windows if you setup a "restricted" account - ie, it will only let admin access the important folders and files. Why doesn't windows FORCE you to open a restricted account and only log in as admin when you need it? I think that would solve a LOT of issues with Windows - but it would probably P.O. a lot of users who end up entering their password every time they want to install the latest and greatest MSN Smiley Addon pack which also comes with the latest and greatest Popup Addon

Maybe you're right Jeku - maybe the problem isn't SO MUCH the OS, but more is userbase?

[center]
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
_Nemesis_
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 9th Nov 2003
Location: Liverpool, UK
Posted: 29th May 2007 00:01
Link
Quote: "Why doesn't windows FORCE you to open a restricted account and only log in as admin when you need it? I think that would solve a LOT of issues with Windows - but it would probably P.O. a lot of users who end up entering their password every time they want to install the latest and greatest MSN Smiley Addon pack which also comes with the latest and greatest Popup Addon. "


This is the case in Vista.

[url="http://www.devhat.net"]www.devhat.net[/url] :: Devhat IRC Network.
Current Project: ASP Content Management System
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Nicholas Thompson
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 6th Sep 2004
Location: Bognor Regis, UK
Posted: 29th May 2007 00:21
Link
Uh huh - i should give Vista a go at some point...

[center]
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
NeX the Fairly Fast Ferret
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 10th Apr 2005
Location: The Fifth Plane of Oblivion
Posted: 29th May 2007 00:44
Link
Maybe you shouldn't.


Since the other one was scaring you guys so much...
Back to top
Profile PM Website
Nicholas Thompson
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 6th Sep 2004
Location: Bognor Regis, UK
Posted: 29th May 2007 01:40
Link
Why?

[center]
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
soapyfish
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 24th Oct 2003
Location: Yorkshire, England
Posted: 29th May 2007 14:39
Link
The only problem I see with asking users to enter a password to complete certain tasks is that there will come the time when people just blindly enter their password when prompted. The same way some people (I might even say most people) just blindly click the Next button when installing a game.

I've never used Vista though so I ain't going to judge it yet. At the moment I'm happy with OS X for most things and XP for msn (yes, I know about Adium but I just prefer using msn)

We are the angry mob, we read the papers every day. We like who we like, we hate who we hate but we're also easily swayed!
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
_Nemesis_
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 9th Nov 2003
Location: Liverpool, UK
Posted: 29th May 2007 16:21
Link
Quote: "I've never used Vista though so I ain't going to judge it yet. At the moment I'm happy with OS X for most things and XP for msn (yes, I know about Adium but I just prefer using msn)"


You can get Live Messenger for OSX now I believe. Apparently, it isn't as crap as the old MSN for Mac was.

http://www.microsoft.com/mac/default.aspx?pid=msnmessenger

[url="http://www.devhat.net"]www.devhat.net[/url] :: Devhat IRC Network.
Current Project: ASP Content Management System
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Nicholas Thompson
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 6th Sep 2004
Location: Bognor Regis, UK
Posted: 29th May 2007 16:32
Link
Quote: "Apparently, it isn't as crap as the old MSN for Mac was."


You cant blame Mac for MSN being crap

[center]
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
_Nemesis_
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 9th Nov 2003
Location: Liverpool, UK
Posted: 29th May 2007 16:59
Link
Quote: "You cant blame Mac for MSN being crap "


Wouldn't begin to .
I can remember my mate having a rant about it. When Windows users were on version 7 or 8, the Mac version was still 5.

[url="http://www.devhat.net"]www.devhat.net[/url] :: Devhat IRC Network.
Current Project: ASP Content Management System
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Raven
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 23rd Mar 2005
Location: Hertfordshire, England
Posted: 29th May 2007 19:13
Link
True, but the Mac version of 5 was like the PC version of 6.
I very much doubt they'll see 7 or 8 for a while, because they run using Live technology. Microsoft have only just ported .NET to MacOSX.

Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Back to top

Login to post a reply

Server time is: 2024-11-18 17:53:04
Your offset time is: 2024-11-18 17:53:04