nightdesigns
Gone missing, back soon
Premium
join:2002-05-31
AZ
 ·Cox HSI
| [XP Home] Suddenly Unactivated, cannot activate
This is a client's computer. System suddenly became unactivated after 2 years of use. I get to the log-on screen where it says it must be activated, I hit yes, and it takes me back to the screen.
I tried calling MSFT activation, they said they can't help me because it's OEM, call Dell. System is out of warranty, Dell won't help (for free).
As I said, system is OEM install on a dell computer, no hardware changes have been made.
Any ways to get activated/re-activated?
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heels_fan
1.20.09 The start of Socialism
Premium
join:2003-02-07
Columbia, TN
| »[Vista] Urgent Warning about WGA!
»Just keeps getting better (not)... Windows Validation Issues
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Take your hatred of our Government out of the Technical Forums! |
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craig70130
Premium
join:2004-04-27
New Orleans, LA
1 edit | reply to nightdesigns
The 'broke' WGA stuff is supposedly fixed.
Try again?
If you were unactivated because of outage Microsoft was having, supposedly you can go to htt://www.microsoft.com/genuine and click on the 'validate' link, reboot when it's done doing whatever it does and you should be fixed. |
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nightdesigns
Gone missing, back soon
Premium
join:2002-05-31
AZ | reply to nightdesigns
My issue is that I cannot even get to a web browser to do anything. I can't get past the log-on screen. I'm totally locked out. Any other ideas?
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damn
Premium
join:2002-10-23
nyc | Besides cracking it not much you can do. |
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AB
Premium
join:2006-04-04
Leesburg, VA | reply to nightdesigns
You could possibly try a Repair Install, if the client has a Restore CD set made or an installation disk. |
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Mele20
Premium
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI
| reply to nightdesigns
That shouldn't happen and Dell should not charge to help even if the system is out of warranty. I would ask at »www.ihatedell.net/forum/phpBB2/ as there are Dell current and former employees there and the moderators are all current or former Dell employees. They should have some ideas. Post in the "My Shit's Busted and I Need Help Fixing it" forum. (Don't get upset when the forum software labels you as a spammer...that is an attempt at "black" humor and the more you post that label goes away and you get another one that is not misleading and then another with even more posts).
I'd call Microsoft back and read off the key on the sticker on the side of the computer. I don't know why they said they couldn't help. Whether it is OEM or not, the key is on the sticker on the computer.
If you can't get to a screen to type in the key it sounds like possibly something wrong with the XP installation...maybe malware did something? Even if there had been hardware changes including a replacement of the mobo (not an upgrade..just replacement) there should be no need to EVER activate a Dell computer. Did you get someone in India...you called Dell tech support or Dell customer service? The techs in India have a negative attitude and it will just be by chance if you get one who gives a shit cause Dell doesn't give a shit and that carries over to the outsourced techs. I'd try customer service if you didn't already. If that gets you nowhere, then go to the Dell site and there is a place there to put in a message that will get you help...»https://support.dell.com/support/topics/···en&s=bsd
I would first call Microsoft back as I think you got a poorly trained employee (explain that you called Dell and they won't help for free and read off the key on the side of the computer) and if that gets you nowhere, then post at the ihatedell site, and then possibly reformat and reinstall XP. If the owner doesn't have a reinstallation disk then tell them to call Dell and request that one be sent. Dell will probably charge $10 for it.
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Octavean
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-31
New York, NY
| reply to nightdesigns
I agree with Mele20.
A Dell or any large OEM PC should never need to be activated by the user regardless of massive system changes. Typically, any component can be changed with the exception of the motherboard without triggering an activation / reactivation. A motherboard swap of the same make and model may trigger an activation but a motherboard upgrade definitely will.
Now a fix may be as simple as using a recovery disc or reinstall from a recovery partition but all user data would likely be destroyed.
You can also take a look at this link which covers ““Preserving OEM Pre-Activation when Re-installing Windows XP”:
»[XP Pro] Microsoft giving out Windows keys -- Read this
My approach would probably be to backup the HDD completely onto another HDD of equal size or larger then get to work on an OS repair / activation / re-activation.
Can you get into the system in safe mode? |
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IamGimli
join:2004-02-28
Canada
 ·Primus Talkbroadband
 ·B2B2C High-Speed I..
| said by Octavean  :I agree with Mele20. A Dell or any large OEM PC should never need to be activated by the user regardless of massive system changes. Typically, any component can be changed with the exception of the motherboard without triggering an activation / reactivation. A motherboard swap of the same make and model may trigger an activation but a motherboard upgrade definitely will. Not true. License terms (i.e. license being tied to the MB for OEM versions) are not linked to activation limitations. OEM and Corporate activation on Windows XP is bound by the same hardware restrictions as retail versions. The only difference is that the initial activation doesn't contact a Microsoft server, it self-generates a validation ID. Unfortunately, because of that difference and the fact the self-generation cannot be done more than once PCs which get invalidated (either through change of hardware or, in this case, by the Microsoft validation verification servers) OEM and Corporate version can get stuck in an infinite activation loop or simply just BSOD upon boot.
T he only way I've been able to fix that when it happened to me was to sysprep my system (making sure I selected the option to remove the activation) and let it re-activate itself like it was a first boot. |
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Mele20
Premium
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI
| You may be correct about non-Dell systems but you are wrong about Dells. They come preactivated and even a mobo upgrade should not create a need to reactivate. Dell field techs told me this repeatedly as well as Dell phone techs. Dell supervisors told me I could install XP Pro SP1 using my old disk from my previous Dell on the new Dell and not use the XP ProSP2 that was on it if I preferred SP1. There would be NO problems with activation because the computer was already activated. Theoretically, I could then install the XP Pro SP2 onto my old Dell that has 98SE and it would not need to activate because I was installing it on a Dell machine. (I say theoretically because I did not try it so I don't know if it would have worked but I do know others who have done similar things and it worked if the machine was Dell).
I have had different mobos replaced several times and UPGRADED and no need to activate on a Dell. The key on the computer's sticker is NOT used. It is Dell's key that has preactivated the OS. This means that one can install from the Reinstallation CD onto any Dell and no activation ever needed. You can also install the OS from the Reinstallation CD onto a virtual machine and then use your personal key (on the side of the computer) to activate and that is accepted because your personal key was not used when Dell preactivated your machine at the factory with their key. This is aside from legality issues. I'm not saying folks should do either thing in the ethical or legal sense but this is how it works with Dells. I believe I am correct that Dell is unique in this regard and that it would be different with other OEMs.
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"The same ferocity that our founders devoted to protect the freedom and independence of the press is now appropriate for our defense of the freedom of the internet. The stakes are the same: the survival of our Republic". Al Gore, The Assault on Reason |
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ChiTang
Premium,MVM
join:2002-08-23
Alhambra, CA
| reply to nightdesigns
All DELL OEM OS do not require activation, is it bcos of a bug in WGA, I am not hundred percent sure. Do the questionable PC has the original OS (someone just upgraded it), nobody knows.
When worse comes to worse, backup the data, use the restore CD (it is s DELL, isn't it?) to restore OS and then restore data. Consider it job well done and send hom an invoice.
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I used to be indecisive, now I am not sure. |
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