Windows XP activation

Hi, I have a Windows XP Home Edition (RETAIL VERSION) and I am having problems activating it via Internet. I have to call(typing a bunch of verification numbers manually) and activate it every time I need to reinstall it.

Does computer hardware changes affect the activation process even in the RETAIL version? The only thing I changed was add in a stick of RAM and swapped graphics card with my old computer.

Is there any possible way to "fix" this problem?

John

 

Welcome to Windows. Enjoy your stay as a legitimate user, having to do all kinds of things that the pirates just ignore.

Can you tell I don't like being treated as a criminal for being a legitimate customer of Microsoft's? Unfortunately, sometimes that's just what you have to do if you want to keep using Windows. You can always come over to the dark side and use Linux or OSX if you'd like.

 

Yep, it does. It only requires reactivation if the hardware profile of the entire system changes "enough". (That is, usually one hardware change doesn't trigger it, but if you do several within a couple of days, it may happen)
It's nowhere near as aggressive with this as Vista is though. but still annoying.

The only "fix" is, whenever you install Windows, to install *everything*, update *every* driver and reboot until it's found and installed all the hardware there is to find *before* you activate for the first time. That way, when you activate, it'll use the new, updated hardware profile, and won't complain later, when you install a new driver that suddenly makes new hardware visible to Windows.

 

yes

this is ok

this might have triggered it (the activation)

they r many ways floating out there showing how to bypass the activation (re.activation) process. Since u have a legit licence, just grin it out and do like u did.

Hopefully m$ eventually would look more closely about this process, since it sure ticks a lot people off (myself included)

cheers ...

 

good tip!

cheers ...

 

This is so true. I thought the same way when I was able to ouput a "backed-up" dvd through the HDMI connection on my laptop after a commercial dvd failed after 20 minutes because of some "copy protection failed" error. What an Irony! Vista will output pirated movies, but not legitimate ones.

johnny0001, the guys have some good suggestions here.

 

Thanks guys.

I reinstalled my WinXP Home over 15 times and never updated my new hardwares' drivers. It's too late, I think.

It's just strange that all of sudden I'm not able to validate it.

Can MacOSX be installed on a PC?

 

No... not legally anyways

 

I think we'll be going to the light side actually

 

There's a certain number of times you can reinstall XP and still be able to activate it online, regardless of your hardware configuration.

I've reinstalled XP on my desktop probably about 10 or more times and after the 6th time Microsoft stopped letting me activate online altogether, forcing me to call India to get that super long activation number. I don't know if they have a "magic number" of times they'll let you do it online, but mine was 6.


So you will ALWAYS have to call considering you've installed 15 times like you said.

 

If you are going to keep the same installation and the same hardware, you might be able to keep that number they gave you over the phone and continue to use it. I'm not sure if that will work, but as long as the hardware doesn't change it is possible that will work...

 

I had that problem too! My Blind Guardian music DVD would stop after a couple of songs. Would fail with that error. So it was Vista that did it eh? I thought it was just my version of PowerDVD.