The Real Problem

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

In doing some research, I came across someone else who resolved this by
upgrading their bios on the MOBO. It too was a Gateway system, so it may be
worth a shot.

--
Chris

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties and confers no rights.
Please reply to the newsgroup so that others may benefit.

"tom" <tom@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:2D0F481A-7322-4BEF-B24A-B58F6097CCE5@microsoft.com...
> After changing the motherboard and hard drive on a gateway 310, win xp
> will
> not
> activate. The activation balloon pops up after start up,counting down the
> days untill lockout. Clicking the activation balloon opens the activation
> screen that says "Windows is already activated. Click OK to exit".
> That's all it says, nothing more. No options for activation, No Phone
> numbers to call. No "Sorry, you lose, please play again." But after every
> restart the activation balloon pops up again. After looking at this board,
> this seems to be a very widespread problem.
>
> Now for the real Problem...
> Gateway says that since this is an activation problem, Microsoft will have
> to fix it.
> But... Microsoft says that since it is an oem install, Gateway has to
> handle
> the problem. After searching www.microsoft.com for the last 3 days and
> trying
> every hint, tip and fix I can find, NOTHING HAS WORKED. Including
> re-formatting and re-installing, regsvr32, deleting the registry keys
> (which
> don't even exist on my system) and re-naming "wpa.dbl" to force a new
> activation. So in 26 days I'll have to re format and re-install again.
>
> I understand the problem with piracy and all the money microsoft loses
> because of it, but now they have fixed that problem so well that legally
> licsensed users are being ripped-off because they are loosing access to
> their
> operating system.
>
> So, is Gateway selling pirated software on their brand new systems or is
> microsoft just giving everyone the shaft? Either way winXP won't work and
> I
> can't run the other $2000 worth of software I own.
>
> Any new ideas would be greatly appreciated.
>
>
> --
> tom

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

Hi,

The "real" problem is your changing the motherboard. When you purchased the
Gateway system, you got an OEM version of the operating system. This is not
transferable to other hardware, as this is a limitation of an OEM license.
Their version of the operating system is locked to the hardware it came
with, so you will need a retail version to install on other hardware.

By the way, the OEM agreement is that the seller is solely responsible for
support of the operating system, so this is not a Microsoft problem, it is a
Gateway problem. That is one of the reasons they pay far less for it, and
sell it to you for less than the regular retail price.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

"tom" <tom@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:2D0F481A-7322-4BEF-B24A-B58F6097CCE5@microsoft.com...
> After changing the motherboard and hard drive on a gateway 310, win xp
> will
> not
> activate. The activation balloon pops up after start up,counting down the
> days untill lockout. Clicking the activation balloon opens the activation
> screen that says "Windows is already activated. Click OK to exit".
> That's all it says, nothing more. No options for activation, No Phone
> numbers to call. No "Sorry, you lose, please play again." But after every
> restart the activation balloon pops up again. After looking at this board,
> this seems to be a very widespread problem.
>
> Now for the real Problem...
> Gateway says that since this is an activation problem, Microsoft will have
> to fix it.
> But... Microsoft says that since it is an oem install, Gateway has to
> handle
> the problem. After searching www.microsoft.com for the last 3 days and
> trying
> every hint, tip and fix I can find, NOTHING HAS WORKED. Including
> re-formatting and re-installing, regsvr32, deleting the registry keys
> (which
> don't even exist on my system) and re-naming "wpa.dbl" to force a new
> activation. So in 26 days I'll have to re format and re-install again.
>
> I understand the problem with piracy and all the money microsoft loses
> because of it, but now they have fixed that problem so well that legally
> licsensed users are being ripped-off because they are loosing access to
> their
> operating system.
>
> So, is Gateway selling pirated software on their brand new systems or is
> microsoft just giving everyone the shaft? Either way winXP won't work and
> I
> can't run the other $2000 worth of software I own.
>
> Any new ideas would be greatly appreciated.
>
>
> --
> tom