what happened to my activiation

[firebrick]

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

I have a new Dell that came with winxppro installed.
I did a bunch of updates that were pending.

Now it says I have to activate.
That I should go to All Programs>Accessories>System Tools>Activation

There is no such thing listed in System Tools.

And I distinctly remember activating when first starting the computer up.

I have the label, I have the book, But it won't let me update to the newest
available updates because I didn't pass activation.


Help please.

--


-----------------------------------------------------
"Monopoly? No, we just don't want competition."
-----------------------------------------------------

Bill H. in Chicagoland

 

[Jerry]

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

And the tech support folks at Dell have said what?

"FireBrick" <w9ol.nospam@comcast.com> wrote in message
news:%23JFOY75oFHA.568@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>I have a new Dell that came with winxppro installed.
> I did a bunch of updates that were pending.
>
> Now it says I have to activate.
> That I should go to All Programs>Accessories>System Tools>Activation
>
> There is no such thing listed in System Tools.
>
> And I distinctly remember activating when first starting the computer up.
>
> I have the label, I have the book, But it won't let me update to the
> newest available updates because I didn't pass activation.
>
>
> Help please.
>
> --
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------
> "Monopoly? No, we just don't want competition."
> -----------------------------------------------------
>
> Bill H. in Chicagoland
>
>

 

[Guest]

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

"FireBrick" <w9ol.nospam@comcast.com> wrote in message
news:%23JFOY75oFHA.568@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>I have a new Dell that came with winxppro installed.
> I did a bunch of updates that were pending.
>
> Now it says I have to activate.
> That I should go to All Programs>Accessories>System Tools>Activation
>
> There is no such thing listed in System Tools.
>
> And I distinctly remember activating when first starting the computer up.
>
> I have the label, I have the book, But it won't let me update to the
> newest available updates because I didn't pass activation.
>
>
> Help please.
>
> --
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------
> "Monopoly? No, we just don't want competition."
> -----------------------------------------------------
>
> Bill H. in Chicagoland
>
>

Likely that the Windows XP pre-installed by Dell does not require
activation. I suspect what you did when you first started your computer was
registration {optional} not activation. When you try to download updates,
Microsoft is asking you to authenticate your Windows XP to verify that it is
a legal copy. When I authenticated, I was offered a choice between entering
the 25 digit Windows XP product key or identify my computer. I suspect {but
am not sure} that if you entered the 25 digit key from the computer label it
did not match the generic key left by Dell when they pre-installed Windows
XP. Suggest you try the alternate method of OEM and computer identification.
If that does not work, call Dell Technical Support.

Don

 

[firebrick]

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

A miracle
Because I have 'download updates automatically' it fixed itself that
night....
When I walked in this morning, all the updates where downloaded,
No 'not activated' message.

I still can't see any 'ACTIVATION' in the System Tools area though.


"FireBrick" <w9ol.nospam@comcast.com> wrote in message
news:%23JFOY75oFHA.568@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>I have a new Dell that came with winxppro installed.
> I did a bunch of updates that were pending.
>
> Now it says I have to activate.
> That I should go to All Programs>Accessories>System Tools>Activation
>
> There is no such thing listed in System Tools.
>
> And I distinctly remember activating when first starting the computer up.
>
> I have the label, I have the book, But it won't let me update to the
> newest available updates because I didn't pass activation.
>
>
> Help please.
>
> --
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------
> "Monopoly? No, we just don't want competition."
> -----------------------------------------------------
>
> Bill H. in Chicagoland
>
>