Activation Loop (LONG)

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

Hi,

Windows XP Home SP1 - originally activated a couple of years ago.

Just replaced blown motherboard with new (different) one. After re-booting
and logging on the first time a message popped up saying I had to activate
my copy of windows - fair enough, its effectively a new PC. HOWEVER, when I
click YES, I get a blank screen for about 20 seconds, after which I get a
message saying this copy of windows is already activated. After clicking OK
all I can do is log off. I'm stuck in this loop.

Having Googled answers, I've tried booting to safe mode and running
"regsvr32.exe regwizc.dll" and "regsvr32.exe licdll.dll"; doesn't break the
loop :-(

Also tried changing HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\WPA Events; doesn't work either, still says already
activated :-((

Also tried repair installaton from recovery CD, but I get a message saying
"This is not a Carrera PC or has been modified outside warranty terms" and
the installation quits - guess its BIOS locked :-((( And, of course,
Carerra have gone bust :-((((

Is there something I've missed? Anything else to try, or have I got to go
and buy a copy of Win XP Home?? Please tell me I haven't.

Actually, this may be the time to install Linux :-/ ...


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

If Windows XP was preinstalled by the PC maker and you
did not replace the defective motherboard with the exact
PC maker's replacement, your preinstalled version of Windows
XP is not going to activate since it is looking for the original BIOS.

All you can do is to purchase a conventional "Full Version" of
Windows XP and proceed with a "Repair Install".

A preinstalled OEM version of Windows XP cannot be used
with a different type of motherboard. The license is tied to
a specific motherboard model and BIOS and cannot be transferred.
Also, the Windows XP Product Key provided with your PC maker's
computer will not work with any other Windows XP CD.

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.­com/XPrepairinstall.htm

Changing a Motherboard or Moving a Hard Drive with XP Installed
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/moving_xp.html

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/windowsxp/choose.mspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Andrew Woodward" wrote:

| Hi,
|
| Windows XP Home SP1 - originally activated a couple of years ago.
|
| Just replaced blown motherboard with new (different) one. After re-booting
| and logging on the first time a message popped up saying I had to activate
| my copy of windows - fair enough, its effectively a new PC. HOWEVER, when I
| click YES, I get a blank screen for about 20 seconds, after which I get a
| message saying this copy of windows is already activated. After clicking OK
| all I can do is log off. I'm stuck in this loop.
|
| Having Googled answers, I've tried booting to safe mode and running
| "regsvr32.exe regwizc.dll" and "regsvr32.exe licdll.dll"; doesn't break the
| loop :-(
|
| Also tried changing HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
| NT\CurrentVersion\WPA Events; doesn't work either, still says already
| activated :-((
|
| Also tried repair installaton from recovery CD, but I get a message saying
| "This is not a Carrera PC or has been modified outside warranty terms" and
| the installation quits - guess its BIOS locked :-((( And, of course,
| Carerra have gone bust :-((((
|
| Is there something I've missed? Anything else to try, or have I got to go
| and buy a copy of Win XP Home?? Please tell me I haven't.
|
| Actually, this may be the time to install Linux :-/ ...
|
|
| --
| Andrew Woodward
 
G

Guest

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

Andrew Woodward <andrew@woodward02.free-online.co.uk> wrote:

>Hi,
>
>Windows XP Home SP1 - originally activated a couple of years ago.
>
>Just replaced blown motherboard with new (different) one. After re-booting
>and logging on the first time a message popped up saying I had to activate
>my copy of windows - fair enough, its effectively a new PC. HOWEVER, when I
>click YES, I get a blank screen for about 20 seconds, after which I get a
>message saying this copy of windows is already activated. After clicking OK
>all I can do is log off. I'm stuck in this loop.
>
>Having Googled answers, I've tried booting to safe mode and running
>"regsvr32.exe regwizc.dll" and "regsvr32.exe licdll.dll"; doesn't break the
>loop :-(
>
>Also tried changing HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
>NT\CurrentVersion\WPA Events; doesn't work either, still says already
>activated :-((
>
>Also tried repair installaton from recovery CD, but I get a message saying
>"This is not a Carrera PC or has been modified outside warranty terms" and
>the installation quits - guess its BIOS locked :-((( And, of course,
>Carerra have gone bust :-((((
>
>Is there something I've missed? Anything else to try, or have I got to go
>and buy a copy of Win XP Home?? Please tell me I haven't.
>
>Actually, this may be the time to install Linux :-/ ...

It sounds as if you do have a BIOS locked OEM version and since 1
March 2005 these OEM versions are no longer being activated online.

With the original motherboard your Windows was probably
self-activating.

Your best bet is to choose the "activate by telephone" option, contact
Microsoft's telephone activation number and see if they will give you
an activation code. Explain that the supplying OEM has gone out of
business and you were forced to replace the failed motherboard with
one from another supplier.

If the activation person does not want to give you the manual code to
activate then ask to speak to a supervisor and explain the situation
again.

And if none of this is successful please post the full results back
here and/or email them privately to me. Your circumstance seems to me
to be an "unintended consequence" of Microsoft's attempt to block a
loophole that was allowing considerable abuse to occur with respect to
the BIOS locked OEM versions.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm
 
G

Guest

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

On Sat, 23 Apr 2005 22:41:52 GMT, Ron Martell wrote:

>
> It sounds as if you do have a BIOS locked OEM version and since 1
> March 2005 these OEM versions are no longer being activated online.
>
But presumably I would get some kind of indication that the activation
process was in progress, or a message to tell me to use the phone option? I
get nothing - whether I'm already connected to the internet or not.

As soon as I try to log on I get a message that tells me I need to
activate. The only options available are "YES" and "NO". If I click NO I am
sent back to the logon screen. If I click YES the screen changes to my
wallpaper, but with no icons, task bar, start button etc. It remains blank
like this for about 20 seconds, then the cursor changes to the hourglass
briefly, before a message pops up saying "This copy of windows is already
activated. Click OK to continue". The only option I've got is "OK". When I
click OK I go back to the logon screen. I can repeat this process
endlessly.

> With the original motherboard your Windows was probably
> self-activating.
>

Yes, I seem to remember getting the "30 day" message when I first booted it
after receiving it. When I had installed all my programs and copied all my
data across I tried to activate, but got the message that it was already
activated, and never had a problem since, until now...

> Your best bet is to choose the "activate by telephone" option, contact
> Microsoft's telephone activation number and see if they will give you
> an activation code. Explain that the supplying OEM has gone out of
> business and you were forced to replace the failed motherboard with
> one from another supplier.
>

Ok, but am I right that to do that I need somewhere to enter a number or
code? I never get anything like that, as explained above, so unless I'm
missing something, until I can break out of this "need to activate /
already activated" loop I'm stuck :-(

I've tried all the fixes I can find suggested by Google and nothing works
so far. Running in Safe Mode works, but tells me I can't activate in safe
mode. Safe mode with network support won't start without being activated. I
haven't tried safe mode with command line, but unless I can find a file to
delete or hack I can't see that will get me anywhere.

> If the activation person does not want to give you the manual code to
> activate then ask to speak to a supervisor and explain the situation
> again.
>
> And if none of this is successful please post the full results back
> here and/or email them privately to me. Your circumstance seems to me
> to be an "unintended consequence" of Microsoft's attempt to block a
> loophole that was allowing considerable abuse to occur with respect to
> the BIOS locked OEM versions.
>

I'll keep looking for a while, but based on what I've found so far, I'm not
hopefull... Thanks anyway.
 
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