XP Pro OEM recent re-activation failures

Pain is an understatement, have 2 that I have to call in today, but this
behavior just started within the last month or 2.

--

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Crosspost, do not multipost http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
How to ask a question http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375



"Malke" <malke.TakeThisOut@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:ec1YWXb7IHA.4548@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> David B. wrote:
>
>> We have a few hundred identical PC's we built for many clients back in
>> 2004, on various occasions due to malware or general corruption we format
>> and reload them. Up until a month ago they were reactivating just fine,
>> now every one of them is requiring that I call in to get them activated.
>> Almost all of them have been running for years since their last
>> activation. These are XP Pro OEM licenses being reinstalled with a
>> genuine
>> OEM SP2 CD onto the original PC.
>> Any ideas? Did MS change something in the activation scheme?
>>
>
> Yes. MS changed the activation requirements for generic OEM installs quite
> a
> while ago. They made the requirements more stringent and that's why you're
> having to call. Since these installs are on many computers for different
> clients, having a volume site license isn't going to work for you. It's a
> pain, I know.
>
> Malke
> --
> MS-MVP
> Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
> FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ
>

Please contact Microsoft support directly:
https://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?gprid=9860

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience -
Windows Vista Enthusiast

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

"David B." <mail.TakeThisOut@nomail.net> wrote in message news:ue6blWZ7IHA.2416@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
We have a few hundred identical PC's we built for many clients back in 2004,
on various occasions due to malware or general corruption we format and
reload them. Up until a month ago they were reactivating just fine, now
every one of them is requiring that I call in to get them activated. Almost
all of them have been running for years since their last activation. These
are XP Pro OEM licenses being reinstalled with a genuine OEM SP2 CD onto the
original PC.
Any ideas? Did MS change something in the activation scheme?

--

----
Crosspost, do not multipost http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
How to ask a question http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

Guess I'll have to, I asked the first person I talked to when I called to
activate, it apparently confused her because she hung up on me, second
person gave me the canned response, you can only activate a certain amount
of times, bla bla bla, didn't really expect them to have a clue.

--

----
Crosspost, do not multipost http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
How to ask a question http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375



"Carey Frisch [MVP]" <cnfrisch.TakeThisOut@nospamgmail.com> wrote in message
news:e9luRwc7IHA.616@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Please contact Microsoft support directly:
> https://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?gprid=9860
>
> --
> Carey Frisch
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows Desktop Experience -
> Windows Vista Enthusiast
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>
> "David B." <mail.TakeThisOut@nomail.net> wrote in message
> news:ue6blWZ7IHA.2416@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> We have a few hundred identical PC's we built for many clients back in
> 2004,
> on various occasions due to malware or general corruption we format and
> reload them. Up until a month ago they were reactivating just fine, now
> every one of them is requiring that I call in to get them activated.
> Almost
> all of them have been running for years since their last activation. These
> are XP Pro OEM licenses being reinstalled with a genuine OEM SP2 CD onto
> the
> original PC.
> Any ideas? Did MS change something in the activation scheme?
>
> --
>
> ----
> Crosspost, do not multipost http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
> How to ask a question http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
>
>
>

They should not be telling you that you can only activate a certain amount
of times especially in this virus infested world. Most of my fellow
employee's kids are downloading viruses and spyware left and right and if I
don't have the spare time to give them a hand they have to blow away their
computer and start from scratch. Not all of them have pre-activated
recovery disks like Dell's and that would be a royal screw over if they are
only able to re-install twice or something.

The whole point of WPA was so they could detect that you are installing on
the exact same computer as before. If they changed the activation system to
only allow you to install your OEM copy on the same hardware just once even
though they know it is the same hardware that would mean if you got a
serious virus you would have to throw out your copy of Windows if you get a
serious virus. That is complete BS if they are trying to tell you that or
even if they now have a system that hounds you when you install it on the
same PC.

You tell them there is no way you will tolerate that and badger the operator
into activating your legit copy even if you have to go to the managers.
Enough complaints will get them to stop that BS.



"David B." <mail.DeleteThis@nomail.net> wrote in message
news:ebZ0t5c7IHA.616@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>
> Guess I'll have to, I asked the first person I talked to when I called to
> activate, it apparently confused her because she hung up on me, second
> person gave me the canned response, you can only activate a certain amount
> of times, bla bla bla, didn't really expect them to have a clue.
>
> --
>
>
> ----
> Crosspost, do not multipost http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
> How to ask a question http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
>
>
>
> "Carey Frisch [MVP]" <cnfrisch.DeleteThis@nospamgmail.com> wrote in message
> news:e9luRwc7IHA.616@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> Please contact Microsoft support directly:
>> https://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?gprid=9860
>>
>> --
>> Carey Frisch
>> Microsoft MVP
>> Windows Desktop Experience -
>> Windows Vista Enthusiast
>>
>> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> "David B." <mail.DeleteThis@nomail.net> wrote in message
>> news:ue6blWZ7IHA.2416@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> We have a few hundred identical PC's we built for many clients back in
>> 2004,
>> on various occasions due to malware or general corruption we format and
>> reload them. Up until a month ago they were reactivating just fine, now
>> every one of them is requiring that I call in to get them activated.
>> Almost
>> all of them have been running for years since their last activation.
>> These
>> are XP Pro OEM licenses being reinstalled with a genuine OEM SP2 CD onto
>> the
>> original PC.
>> Any ideas? Did MS change something in the activation scheme?
>>
>> --
>>
>> ----
>> Crosspost, do not multipost http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
>> How to ask a question http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
>>
>>
>>
>
>

Malke wrote:
> David B. wrote:
>
>> We have a few hundred identical PC's we built for many clients back in
>> 2004, on various occasions due to malware or general corruption we format
>> and reload them. Up until a month ago they were reactivating just fine,
>> now every one of them is requiring that I call in to get them activated.
>> Almost all of them have been running for years since their last
>> activation. These are XP Pro OEM licenses being reinstalled with a genuine
>> OEM SP2 CD onto the original PC.
>> Any ideas? Did MS change something in the activation scheme?
>>
>
> Yes. MS changed the activation requirements for generic OEM installs quite a
> while ago.

How long ago? I reinstalled an OEM XP Pro back in late May and it
activated on line with no problems. Can you provide documentation?

Alias

Alias formulated the question :
> Malke wrote:
>> Yes. MS changed the activation requirements for generic OEM installs quite
>> a while ago.
>
> How long ago? I reinstalled an OEM XP Pro back in late May and it activated
> on line with no problems. Can you provide documentation?
>

It applies to preactivated OEM installations only:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb457078.aspx

Installations from a Microsoft OEM CD should not be affected by this.

--
/klaus