Er...Windows XP activation problem

[KennyR]

My family turned on their PC this morning to find that Windows would not boot, and instead was demanding the activation code, the one you have to connect to Microsoft over the internet to validate.

Well, I don't know what caused it, but since I have a legal copy of XP with the code, I just put the code in again when asked. No good. I got the message "According to our database, you have exceeded the number of times you can use this code to activate Windows."

For all intents and purposes this computer is dead now. I can't even get into safe mode. Our code has never been given to anyone else, and the computer runs with a virus checker and behind a hardware firewall so the chances of a third party stealing the code are slim.

Anyone else had this serious problem and know how to fix it? Or even what caused it?

[that_punk_guy]

I suspect they'd rather like you to buy another copy.

Some stuff here about Product Activation

I'd see about "acquiring" the Corporate Pro editio... oh wait *cough*

I didn't just say that.

[watcher]

hmmmmm, it seems someone has been using your code on another machine! I installed my copy of XP on about 6 different PC's before i got that message!

On the error screen your getting there should be a button that will generate a new number, which you then need to give to microsoft over the phone and they will read you out a new activation code for you to enter!

[KennyR]

watcher wrote:
hmmmmm, it seems someone has been using your code on another machine!

Uhh...with the amount of spyware on XP, that wouldn't surprise me one bit. I don't see how it could have happened though - I clean this machine regularly, and it's not in control of the firewall (my router does that). And I've never used the code for any other computer or given it away.

Well...seems like I'll have to do what you say and phone MS. Grrr! :pissed:

[Ilwrath]

Uhh...with the amount of spyware on XP, that wouldn't surprise me one bit. I don't see how it could have happened though - I clean this machine regularly, and it's not in control of the firewall (my router does that). And I've never used the code for any other computer or given it away.

There are plenty of keygens out there for WinXP.  Probably, you are one of the unfortunate souls who has a code that is likely to be generated by one of the "randomized" key generators.  (I put random in quotes, because the keygens are rarely very random at what they generate.)  I'm going to guess you bought this copy of WinXP shortly after it came out?

I've had this happen on several games that I purchased shortly after they came out.  Within a month or so, someone had a duplicate of my CD Key...  Yet I never gave mine out.  Thanks, software companies for punishing the people who BUY software.  :pissed:

[odin]

I suggest installing Win2k instead, no problems with silly activation codes ;-).

[seer]

Not sure how M$ handles it in your country, but here they are pretty helpfull.. A friend of mine has activated his copy of WinXP several times now by phoning them..

[KennyR]

Ok, 'tis fixed.

Phoned up, gave the installation ID, and got the numbers back. Quick, easy, and automated. Not bad for MS. :-P

Thanks to all for your help.

(As a sidenote, I probably wouldn't have had this problem if I had a pirate copy. But then again, I'd just have moved the problem to some other poor bugger... ;-))

[Kent]

One of the nice things about developing software, I have yet to pay money to MS (aside from their lovely ergo keyboards with the correct chicklet six format and inverted T arrow keys).  Of all the software MS has to offer the only one really tollerable in my book is 2000Pro.  Kind of funny when I came to find out 2000Pro was written by Dec (aka DecAlpha) rather than MS.  XP is nothing more than a rehashed shell of 2KPro with an onslaught of useless features for both home and "pro" editions.  I get my beta of Longhorn here pretty soon though, and I'm wondering how much tripe they want people to swallow this time (looking back on the jump from 2KPro to XPPro).

The best 2KPro is the pre 128bit release or the final beta.  There is nothing useless on the disc and everything is easy to find.  They still have problems with the mouse wheel functionality (realtime scrolling in many programs) and windowToFront on every mouse click, but those are supposed to be "features", right?

MS will never receive a dime of my money, even if I have to build my own computer.

:pint:

[sir_inferno]

Kent wrote:
I get my beta of Longhorn here pretty soon though,

where's here?  :-?

it's nothing too special, just a very blue version of windows XP with even more annoying Quick-Function things on the left hand side...  :pissed:

[seer]

I get my beta of Longhorn here pretty soon though, and I'm wondering how much tripe they want people to swallow this time (looking back on the jump from 2KPro to XPPro).


Allready played with it.. My friend gets all the beta stuff from M$ (legally).

It's nice but turning off the eyecandy leaves a very ugly and unusable GUI... And almost  the advanced features are inplemented (like the new Filesystem) or work (new TCP/IP stuff).

If anything, the eyecandy does look beter then XP tho, but some of the new "services"...

[mikeymike]

There's a number to ring MS (per country, not an international call :-)) to get that prob sorted out.