Activation wizard hangs/ won't load

[lotus1922]

OK, first off I am NOT asking for help to hack my system or do anything shady. I am installing the same copy of Windows XP that was originally on this computer when it was new (AKA, all legit, genuine product key, etc), and I'm trying to log on for the first time. Of course I get the popup message saying Windows must be activated before I can log on, and would I like to do that now?; My problem is that when I say yes the activation wizard doesn't do anything! It loads a blue screen with the keys in the background, but nothing comes up after that--- no text, nothing at all, just a blank blue screen. Of course, if I say "no" to activating windows now, then I get returned to the user logon screen.

I've tried booting in safe mode w/ command prompt, but it tells me that Windows cannot be activated while in Safe mode. I also tried looking through the registry for activation-related entries, but couldn't find any (at least none that were obvious to me . . . I'm not keen on digging around through there without knowing exactly what I'm doing). I thought maybe there'd be a key in there, or that I could create, indicating that it has been activated?

Basically, I just need to know how to get Windows activated without going through the wizard since the wizard won't work. Everything I find on Google is about how to change your product key, activate pirated copies of windows, cracks and keygens and other questionable things. I have all the valid pieces, I just can't figure out how to make them all go together

Thanks!

 

[Saga Lout]

OK, first off I am NOT asking for help to hack my system or do anything shady. I am installing the same copy of Windows XP that was originally on this computer when it was new (AKA, all legit, genuine product key, etc), and I'm trying to log on for the first time. Of course I get the popup message saying Windows must be activated before I can log on, and would I like to do that now?; My problem is that when I say yes the activation wizard doesn't do anything! It loads a blue screen with the keys in the background, but nothing comes up after that--- no text, nothing at all, just a blank blue screen. Of course, if I say "no" to activating windows now, then I get returned to the user logon screen.

I've tried booting in safe mode w/ command prompt, but it tells me that Windows cannot be activated while in Safe mode. I also tried looking through the registry for activation-related entries, but couldn't find any (at least none that were obvious to me . . . I'm not keen on digging around through there without knowing exactly what I'm doing). I thought maybe there'd be a key in there, or that I could create, indicating that it has been activated?

Basically, I just need to know how to get Windows activated without going through the wizard since the wizard won't work. Everything I find on Google is about how to change your product key, activate pirated copies of windows, cracks and keygens and other questionable things. I have all the valid pieces, I just can't figure out how to make them all go together

Thanks!

I always like to get the really silly question out of the way first. Are you actually connected to the Net when the Activation wizard starts to run? If one of those sites you found tells you how to change settings in the Registry OOBE hives to force the wizard to start, that may be the way to go. [/#000ff]

 

[tigsounds]

Change this key in the registry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\RegDone

Make value equal 1.

 

[lotus1922]

I tried that and it actually made things worse--- when I said yes to activate now, it says that Windows is already activated, then returns me back to the login screen, and when I log in . . . "Windows is already activated". etc etc

As to other responder, I can't set up my net connection because when I try to boot windows in safe mode w/ networking, it says I have to activate Windows before I can continue

 

[lotus1922]

All right, apparently installing IE8 somehow fixes this. I can now run the activation wizard, but I still need to figure out how to setup my network connection. At least I have one thing solved!

Thanks for everyone's help, this site is amazing!

 

[Saga Lout]

All right, apparently installing IE8 somehow fixes this. I can now run the activation wizard, but I still need to figure out how to setup my network connection. At least I have one thing solved!

Thanks for everyone's help, this site is amazing!

You need to get you ethernet driver sorted, via a flash drive from the computer you're using now. If you can get to Device Manager click its Properties then Details. Collect the four characters after VEN and after DEV and input that infomation into the relevant boxes at http://www.pcidatabase.com. That should link you to a manufacturer's driver. Once installed, you should be online. For a few pounds/dollars, a cheap USB wireless dongle might be quicker.
[/#000ff]

 

[lotus1922]

Got it! Everything is going as it should now.
Thanks so much for your help y'all--- some of these things I would have never figured out, left to my own devices O_O

 

[tigsounds]

Got it! Everything is going as it should now.
Thanks so much for your help y'all--- some of these things I would have never figured out, left to my own devices O_O

So, who gets the "Best Answer" award?

 

[Saga Lout]

So, who gets the "Best Answer" award?

You can have it, Tig - it's no use to me. I should already have three badges for best answers here and in both networking boards but because I'm in Europe, only two show up and one of those is Spy and the other Uniformed. Frankly I'd prefer to be known for the advice I give more than the posts I report.[/#000ff]

 

[tigsounds]

I'm not in love with the things either myself. I just notice how rare it is that anybody gets simple recognition from the multitude of things that get fixed/sorted out here. People are much like Halloween trick or treaters, they get what they want and not heard from again, even to say that their problems were fixed or we messed up their system or anything. Oh well...




edit: Credit to lotus1922, we were told that system is up and running now.

 

[lotus1922]

Best answer selected by lotus1922.

 

[SGT_ROCK_56]

I am having the same problem, but do not know how to either install IE8 or edit the registry without windows. How may I do this?

 

[ex_bubblehead]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/312295/en-us

 

[SGT_ROCK_56]

Thanks, but I get the message that windows can't activate in safe mode, so I'm not able to do this.

 

[SGT_ROCK_56]

I wonder if the problem is that SP3 was installed on the PC but my install disk XP with SP2?

 

[Saga Lout]

What's happening when you try to boot into Normal Mode?

 

[SGT_ROCK_56]

it says I have to activate windows now and then hangs.

 

[SGT_ROCK_56]

is there anything I can add to an autoexec.bat file to solve this on boot up?

 

[SGT_ROCK_56]

Finally caved and did fresh install all good now

 

[Hoeuth him]

Every time I turn on my laptop it keep pop up tell me to do the window product activation. And when I choose either yes or no it pop up my user name and it tell me if I want to log on press on my user name. When I press on my user name it goes back to the window activation.whatever I choose it keep goes back and forth Betwin the window activation and my user name,it won't go return to homepage. How can I fix it?