3 days to activate WindowsXP - sniff?

I was using my newest Gaming PC (the nVidia 8800GTX one) and I decided to restart the PC with MSCONFIG using the Diagnostic Startup (load basic devices and services only).

As WindowsXP was kicking in, it came up with a Windows Product Activation box:


Sniffing-nora! All I did was reboot it in diagnostics mode. No new hardware has been installed or changed.

I hope I can save it from dying. All I wanted to do was see how much faster it would run if I just started what I needed.

Can't you just reactivate it?

I love old OEM versions ;)

I can't reactivate it yet. I'm too busy farting about with checking my new speeds. Doing this frees up a lot of memory - about 200MB.

I'm going to run 3D Mark 06. Check my baby out. See if I can squeeze the cheese any further.

I'm assuming the reactiavation is online? I don't want to faff about phoning people.

Just reactivate it online. It takes about 10 seconds.

Excellent.

However, I have nothing that relates to my licence. The PC doesn't have a licence sticker or anything. Hopefully, I won't be asked to enter the Product Key thing that is on the sticker.

I'm sure it requires you only to click reactivate.

Yeh, it just said to click the button - I did, and it was all activated again.

However, I heard a rumour that you can only do this so many times before Windows has enough of letting you reactivate. If this is true, then I just lost a life - which I am not happy about.

Also, my PC was no quicker than it was before. Not sure why.

It's not a rumour, it's actually true ... I have the original 2001 retail XP Pro and it's run out of activation counts. It now has to be activated manually by calling Microsoft.

I have learnt a valuable lesson, this time I activated XP I imaged my drive so I can restore back without calling Microsoft.

Yeah thats to prevent all the pirate version being ripped off, as a pirate version will run out of activations within a few hours if its been seeded well on a torrent site.

Its not their best idea but it has stopped them being ripped off by a lot of people.

You really should have received a product key with your PC when you purchased it -- if not, it sounds a bit dodgy.

By the way: There are some programs that will tell you what product ID was used to install windows on your PC, such as Magic Jellybean's XP Keyfinder. The only catch is that that does assume that windows was installed from scratch with your own product key -- some companies (like Dell) use a cloned image with a volume license which has no actual correlation with the product ID shipped with your computer... That one won't be used until you actually (try to) reinstall windows from scratch.

Puki,

Not wishing to stir it or anything, but your really should have a note of your original Windows product key - oh I see Xlsior has already said the same, sorry to repeat.

IPete2.

I switch back and forward from running WindowsXP normally to running it though a virtual machine.

it doesn't seem to remember the past hardware, and need to be reactivated each time.

anyway around this, or do I have to clone the drive or something?

Well, I did think it was strange that there wasn't any sign of a sticker. I remember posting about that fact when I got my new PC - PC Option (who sold it) were aware of this.

However, what PC Option did include was a sealed (unopened) - and it is still unopened - copy of WindowsXP. I think this must be an error as the copy of WindowsXP that is installed is clearly not the one on the unopened pack that I found with my PC. I've kept it as a spare as they never asked for it back.

The unsealed one says 'FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY WITH A NEW PC'. I hope it will work okay if I need to use it in the future. It comes with its own Product Key.

I'm assuming it is all PC Options' error and my escape route is I at least have a brand new unused copy of WindowsXP.

There are ways to disable activation, but MS of course does not like it.
I have no problem using various WGA/Activation circumvention tools when this happens to my boxes. i HATE having to re-activate my legally bought software just because MS doesnt trust their customers.

I had the same problem ... I ended up having to call MS since it was the 3rd time I had to re-activate Windows. Sucks that just by changing the graphics card that it'd do that. Anyway, your copy of Windows will have a code to use by phone.

Don't try to circumvent the reactivation procedure. I looked into it when i got cheesed off after it not allowing me to install service pack 2. Causes problems sometimes, as it write to the registry. Don't try it! Just phone them up :o)

Hahah, I got that when I updated my DVD drives firmware. Don't sweat it. Next time just steal a copy from work. The corporate versions don't have activation.

It should work fine, but you'd probably have to clean your Hard Drive completely beforehand with the ol' DOS "FORMAT" command; I always keep a floppy with COMMAND.COM & FORMAT.COM standing by, just in case. 'Course, that means that you'll erase all your data; if you don't already, you should start regularly backing up your files. I keep almost everything on my PC in the My Documents folder, so it's pretty easy for me, plus I can fit it all on a single CD-RW after ZIPPING it. ^_^

Well, I've already started writing my own operating system in Blitz3D. I think it is going to be pretty good. I got a cube on the screen - not sure what to do with it - but it looks good - might turn it into a 'pukified' Aero thing, whereby the cube faces have different screens - better than flipping through them in a bent way - more fun to tumble them about a bit.

Erm... A B3D OS... Come again?

Yeh, I have mouse control in there already.

So, like... Wait a second. You mean you're writing something that could effectively run on IBM compatible machines just like Windows? Something that can actually run EXE files? And control system resources? Or just something that is like a plug-in for Windows? I considered an OS once but had no idea what I was doing, so please tell me more!!!

An entire operating system - like Windows - but it will run on anything - totally cool. I added in real-time lighting to the desktop. You can create 'moods' with lighting - better than Microsoft's faggoty 'themes'.

Yeh, looking good so far.

Exactly how are you making this with B3D?

Well he wouldn't be writing it in Click & Play, would he?

You don't know puki Adam do you? :o) He's full of ... erm ideas :o)

Actually, that's pretty typical. As long as you have media and a product key, you're good to go. For convenience sake, few places actually install the OS from scratch with your own product key, mostly it's cloned disks to cut down on labor.

I seriously doubt it's an 'error' that they gave you that copy.

I have a friend working in MS and i just ask him the "via telephone activation key" and voila :)

Can you elaborate on that?

The unopened pack has a different Product Key to the installed copy of WindowsXP. Personally, I think this is a bonus for me as I could install the unopened pack onto a new PC and save myself a fair amount of money buying the OS. Either way, I still have two WindowsXP's.

Like I said: the *actual* product ID that's entered in most computers that are shipped is NOT the one that is listed on the product label.

Most of the larger computer companies simply have a corporate image with a standard product key in there, which gets cloned onto all the computers they ship.

If you buy a brand new shiney dell it will have the windows license sticker on the case which lists a product ID, but if you actually use some of the tools like Magic Jellybean keyfinder, you'll find that the computer itself is NOT using that product ID. You won't need/use the product ID on the sticker unless you reformat your HD and install from scratch.

you just happen to have your product ID # sticker on your XP disc bundle rather than stuck on your case -- big whoop, the end result is still the same. :-?

It's just a much bigger hassle to actualy use *your* code than to clone a drive that's already been set up properly, hence they don't go through the trouble of opening your installation discs for you.

Anyway: Can you install it on another PC?
From a technical point of view: Yes.
Is it legal?
Probably not, depending on your local legislation. It definitely violates microsoft's EULA, which may or may not be legally binding depending on where you live.

Ah, I see.

Yes, it did appear that someone had simply stuck a Product Key sticker on the packaging - ie, it cannot possibly have been shipped by Microsoft with a Product Key stuck on the outside of an installation pack.

However, the installed Windows Product Key is not the one they stuck on my packaging - so, technically speaking, I still have a spare copy of WindowsXP - unless, the one they have stuck on the outside of the packaging has been installed on another computer - meaning my unopened pack now has no Product Key at all.

All seems a bit arse about face to me. Potentially, the Product Key stuck on the packaging might be useless to me - considering I might not use that disk for a long time.

EDIT:
I assume my route forward is to use the currently installed Product Key with the unopened pack and ingnore the Product Key they stuck on the pack.

Wait a minute this is getting bent and benter.

Is the Product Key tied to the CD?

If not, then surely I can open the pack - install XP on a new computer with the Product Key on the pack and then use the CD for both computers?

Surely, I potentially have two copies of WindowsXP here - both have their own Product Keys, I just only have one installation disk?

no, your route forward is to forget all about product keys for now, and if you ever format/reinstall windows, then use the one on the sticker.

It all seems very strange to me. I mean it surely opens a can of worms in different directions? What's to stop someone selling the unopened pack on ebay - the product key stuck on it is not the installed Product Key - so what is their loss?

in 97 i had a one month gig working for a company that volume upgraded brand name pc's for corporates
it was coming up to the end of the fiscal year and everyone was updating to keep the tax man away from their dosh

some pc's came with a once only dual boot of 3.11 or 95 so one machine fully upgraded would be configed and the hard drive put onto a drive copier
then upto 4 others would be put on to be written
all had the same generic registered to and serial number as this was done once at the start and not bothered with changing during testing

so as said up there ^^^ the boxed edition OEM or otherwise should have been sent as by rights you should get some form of physical XP disc to reinstall from
just having a partiton with a ghost image just dont cut it
if you bought 2 pc's youd probably find they ahd the same number and perhaps every pc sold by them has too (or atleast that batch)

Use a real operating system and not that garbage.

Ok I used have a company that built systems and like most companies I was registered as a Microsoft OEM System Builder, this meens that you can install a custom build of xp with any programs pre installed and activated. You buy reg stickers to stick to the cases of your systems and you can supply the pc with a set of custom restore disks but you must include the xp licence sticker on the case.

If a system has been given to you without the hologram sticker they are not following the rules of the MOSB. microsoft dont like this as they say it is the main area they are getting ripped off by pirates. the end user may not even know they have a doggy copy.

I dont like this form of install and was quite happy when we switched back to suppling a oem XP Cd with all the systems.

My Dell laptop came preinstalled with Vista Home Premium, with the product key on a sticker on the bottom of the unit.

The product key I pulled from the preinstalled Vista is different from the one on the bottom of the unit.

The preinstalled one, I guess, is the VLK (volume licensing key) and the other is the OEM key.

So a bit like Beryl/Compiz for X11? I agree that Linux is better than Windows, by the way.

Nothing. Surely I'm not the only person getting spammed with offers to buy OEM software at "discount" prices?

nah this screen cube thingie should be a rubiks cube screen type thingie

The screen cube (or however many sides, it's configurable) is very useful. Reminds me of the Amiga days when you you rapidly switch between apps because they were on different screens.

Had my middle mouse button set up to cycle through all opened screens.

Ah, nostalgia.