XP Lies

[Zeonix]

Alright, so I recently put together a new pc and I installed the XP using the cd I've used many times on my old pc. XP installed, asked me to activate my copy, and bam. Everything worked.

I installed my mobo drivers, gfx drivers, etc etc. Everything was going good. Then I restart, get to the desktop and get a prompt saying my system has significantly changed since activation. It tells me to activate again, so I do so. I wait. I wait.

Then it tells me I've activated this cd key too many times.

....

So it's been counting down for the last 4 days. I have 26 days left to activate. Yes, this is a legitimate copy of XP. No, I've never had activation problems before. No, I haven't installed this copy on 20 machines.

Is there a legitimate way to get around this or am I going to have to solve this problem through other means?

 

[Tsunami]

Call Microsoft. Explain the situation and they will A.) Activate your key on their end or B.) Supply you a new key.

 

[Skyrider]

It's quite simple to solve that problem. When it says your key is "exceeds its limit" Go to "activate through phone", and call the free number (if there is any) and you'll get a computer talking to you. Listen to him, and tell you want to active through phone.. (Should be 1, and then #). Once you done that, enter the information you see on your screen when you selected "activate by phone". (a bunch of numbers, I believe 8 lines with 5 numbers each)

After you followed the information, the computer will ask you a couple of questions. When it asks the following questions:

License installed on 1 or more computers?
Choose "only installed on 1 computer"

License bought in a computer shop or by microsoft?
The answer is through Microsoft (or something like that).. Not through a computer store.

Hardware damaged?
Choose the option that the Computer / Hardware got damaged.

Bought & Implaced a new motherboard?
Choose the option where you bought and placed in a new motherboard.

All these above are YES / NO questions, so choose the correct answers.

Once you done all that correctly, you'll get a new code which you can use through the "activate by phone" to re-enable your key. Don't mess it up though by pressing the wrong answer.

There ya go.

 

[Zeonix]

Awesome, I'll try that. Do you know if that's just a temp key that will work that one time, or will it work again if I had to reformat? Common sense tells me it's the same as any other key, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

EDIT: Problem solved.

 

[Pieter Paul Rubens]

With each eeinstall, you'l have to enter the original CD-key again, so you will have to activate again, thus calling MS again.. No wories though, I've been calling MS like every month (I format quite a lot ) over the past 2-3 years, always got a new key.. Sometimes they just ask why I had to format, but I usually say "private issues" and get on with it.

 

[Zeonix]

Yeah, I format pretty often as well, so I think I'm just going to do the call thing once and then do what I should have done from the beginning every other time.

 

[Spunky]

Activation is just to prevent piracy. Here's basically how it works:

1. When you input your serial, Windows takes a numerical snapshot of your system, called a "request code". If this request code does not match the request code generated by the previous install (for example, if you built a new system and this is your first time installing Windows on it ), Windows will tell you to contact Microsoft to complete your activation.

When you call, you talk to a robot (and if that fails, you're redirected to an actual human being, though you may not believe it) whick asks for your activation code. As you say the activation code, it is entered into the Microsoft database. If it does not match your previous activation code, you'll be redirected to a person. Anyways, that's the whole process, but here's how it's a piracy countermeasure:

1. When you install Windows, it takes a numerical snapshot of your system (all of your system specs are respresented by a string of numbers), as well as your IP address. If you choose the "activate online" button, this information is sent to Microsoft for verification.

2. If your request code doesn't match the previous one generated, you'll be asked to call. So now they have your IP address (telling them where you live), your complete system information, your name (caller ID), AND your voice on tape. How could you POSSIBLY say that you didn't pirate this software if they decided to press charges? You couldn't.

3. If you're under 16, your parents take the fall for it. Otherwise, they can come after you directly.

That's why pirating Microsoft products is by far the dumbest thing you can possibly do. If you think you're smarter than they are, you aren't. That's how they get you.

 

[Spunky]

I take it you're using an answer code generator? All of your system info and your IP address still gets sent to Microsoft dude. You physically CANNOT bypass that. It's 100% hardcoded into the OS, there's no physical way to modify it. When you activate, it sends your info, no matter what.

Like I said, if you think you're smarter than Microsoft (as is apparent in this case), you aren't.

 

[Zeonix]

That's why pirating Microsoft products is by far the dumbest thing you can possibly do. If you think you're smarter than they are, you aren't. That's how they get you.

Wrong. They don't get you. Ever. There are little programs that allow you to completely bypass the activation thing, which tricks the genuine advantage check, allowing you to download every update, including IE7. It also takes about 5 seconds to do.

It took me 10+ minutes to call microsoft, follow the phone prompts, listen to the robot say "Good job! Now enter the 3rd part using the number pad. Amazing! Now enter the 4th part!" until I got to the 8th and final part, talk to a CSR regarding my cd key, explain what happened and, then wait for them to give me a key.

Next time, I'm activating XP the way I should have from the very beginning, and there won't be any hassles. I was just hoping activating XP would be the only legitimate thing I did on the internet.

@Above post: No key is involved. There is no generator. There is nothing that leads anyone to believe you're using stolen keys or anything, because you aren't. It's obvious you're not exactly up to date on the piracy scene, so I'm not going to bother trying to argue my point. I'm just saying it's easier, faster, and effective 100% of the time. I know this because I've been "helping friends" out for years.

Since you also seem to misunderstand the entire topic, my key was legit. That's why they gave me another key to activate XP. If I were to pirate an OS it wouldn't be XP Home SP1. That would be retarded.

 

[Spunky]

@Above post: No key is involved. There is no generator. There is nothing that leads anyone to believe you're using stolen keys or anything, because you aren't. It's obvious you're not exactly up to date on the piracy scene, so I'm not going to bother trying to argue my point. I'm just saying it's easier, faster, and effective 100% of the time. I know this because I've been "helping friends" out for years.

Interesting. I'd like to know how that works. Send me a PM if you've got the time.

EDIT: Wait a friggin sec, Zeonix has friends!?

 

[dan_esf_fanatic]

Activation is just to prevent piracy. Here's basically how it works:

1. When you input your serial, Windows takes a numerical snapshot of your system, called a "request code". If this request code does not match the request code generated by the previous install (for example, if you built a new system and this is your first time installing Windows on it ), Windows will tell you to contact Microsoft to complete your activation.

When you call, you talk to a robot (and if that fails, you're redirected to an actual human being, though you may not believe it) whick asks for your activation code. As you say the activation code, it is entered into the Microsoft database. If it does not match your previous activation code, you'll be redirected to a person. Anyways, that's the whole process, but here's how it's a piracy countermeasure:

1. When you install Windows, it takes a numerical snapshot of your system (all of your system specs are respresented by a string of numbers), as well as your IP address. If you choose the "activate online" button, this information is sent to Microsoft for verification.

2. If your request code doesn't match the previous one generated, you'll be asked to call. So now they have your IP address (telling them where you live), your complete system information, your name (caller ID), AND your voice on tape. How could you POSSIBLY say that you didn't pirate this software if they decided to press charges? You couldn't.

3. If you're under 16, your parents take the fall for it. Otherwise, they can come after you directly.

That's why pirating Microsoft products is by far the dumbest thing you can possibly do. If you think you're smarter than they are, you aren't. That's how they get you.

So in short, if you have pirated Windows, don't press the activate online button?

Or just use Linux xD

If I were to pirate an OS it wouldn't be XP Home SP1. That would be retarded.

So you got SP1 Professional, right? xD

 

[Zeonix]

...

So yeah, if you're not going to read, don't post. If they gave me a cd key to use, then I obviously had a legit copy of XP. If I didn't have a legit copy of XP, I wouldn't be calling Microsoft to tell them about it, and I sure as hell wouldn't be posting it here.

 

[Spunky]

I never denied the fact that your key is legit. I just thought it was necessary to explain why you have to jump through all of those hoops again if you decided to change your system.

Edit:

So in short, if you have pirated Windows, don't press the activate online button?

If you have a pirated copy of Windows, you shouldn't bother trying to activate at all. You'll get your ass nailed to the wall.

 

[Zeonix]

So in short, if you have pirated Windows, don't press the activate online button?

Or just use Linux xD


So you got SP1 Professional, right? xD

No. I have SP1 home. It came with the desktop I bought from abs several years ago. If I were to pirate Windows, I'd at the very least get SP2 Home, and at best Pro.

 

[dan_esf_fanatic]

Meh, too bad. I've never used Home, but I hear that it isn't that good. You should get SP1 Professional, it's the only supported Microsoft OS that still has a sense of normality to it.

@Spunky: Yeah well, call me crazy but I don't really get what's the point to activating it. Is it those 'security patches', maybe? If that's the case, I'd choose a normal firewall over them any day xD

EDIT: I just got a brainstorm. Since you already have SP1 Home legit, it wouldn't be illegal to obtain a pirated copy, would it? As long as you keep it to yourself, it's the same as using your legit copy. I'm saying this because I had experience with both, one of my friends actually gave me a legit Windows XP Professional SP1 to try it out before he installed it on his PC, because I'm like, more experienced. So I tried to install it, and I had a similar problem to the one you had. I worked it out, but later, when I gave that copy back to my friend, I bought a pirated copy somewhere. When I reformated, I had no such problems whatsoever. All I had to do is input my cd key during the installation, and that's it. So yeah, that might be the better choice. And the thing is that it wouldn't even be illegal, I think.

 

[Spunky]

Meh, too bad. I've never used Home, but I hear that it isn't that good. You should get SP1 Professional, it's the only supported Microsoft OS that still has a sense of normality to it.

@Spunky: Yeah well, call me crazy but I don't really get what's the point to activating it. Is it those 'security patches', maybe? If that's the case, I'd choose a normal firewall over them any day xD

Yes, you have to activate in order to get updates. And I don't really care about your patch prejudice.

 

[Zeonix]

Meh, too bad. I've never used Home, but I hear that it isn't that good. You should get SP1 Professional, it's the only supported Microsoft OS that still has a sense of normality to it.

@Spunky: Yeah well, call me crazy but I don't really get what's the point to activating it. Is it those 'security patches', maybe? If that's the case, I'd choose a normal firewall over them any day xD

Why would I get SP1 Pro? Because it says Pro? Home works just fine for my purposes, and I already have it. I'm not going to go out and buy something I don't need just because.

The point in activating is to make sure you're using a legit copy of windows. Why would they give you free support and updates if you're stealing from them? Duh o.0.

 

[dan_esf_fanatic]

The point in activating is to make sure you're using a legit copy of windows. Why would they give you free support and updates if you're stealing from them? Duh o.0.

Uh..support? From Microsoft? I'd rather have my neighbour's dog give me a blowjob.

And about the difference between Home and Professional, I'm not quite sure about those. I just heard stories from some people that Professional is much less buggy and stuff. But hey, if it works for you, use it. Like I always say, if a thing works, don't mess with it.

 

[Zeonix]

Since you're obviously blinded by your bias, we cant stop conversing. I mean, you friggin went back to SP1 because SP2 somehow allows Microsoft to install cameras in all of your appliances.

 

[Spunky]

Since you're obviously blinded by your bias, we cant stop conversing. I mean, you friggin went back to SP1 because SP2 somehow allows Microsoft to install cameras in all of your appliances.

LOL. I'd quote that if SkyRider wasn't on my ass about the total size of my sig being too big! ^_^