Windows MCE Activation

[Lachie]

Hi All,

What a learning curve! This whole MCE caper has been quite a test of my patience.

Anyhow, in order to get things perfect, I have had to reformat a number of times. In this most recent attempt, I hit a snag...

When I went to activate windows, it spat the dummy and asking me to enter a new product key! I had no idea what to do, so I rang up the automated service, put in my Installation ID, it freaked out and I ended up on the phone to some lovely bird in India (I know because I made a point of asking where she was).

She took the first 6 digits of my Installation ID and knew who I was straight off which is somewhat odd. If they can tell it's me from the first 6 digits, why have the other 48 digits at all?

Anyhow, after she gave me my confirmation ID, everything was sweet, and she was extremely helpful.

After all that, it brings me to my question...How many times are you allowed to activate windows? Is there a set number, or has some hardware setting (I added a new HDD since my last installation) caused my PC's "Signature" to be different to the MS systems?

Anyhow, I just thought I would share my experience with the rest of you. Now it's just time to kick back and wait for windows update do work its magic.

Cheers

Lachie.

[mrees]

Heres some info on Product activation:
http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/activation_faq.mspx

Try this next time Lachie
It allows you to save your activation info for re-installs
(of course there are also imaging options like ghost etc that are available to ghost your barebone system after activation)

Double-click My Computer
Double-click on the "C" drive
Go to the C:\Windows\System32 folder (you may have to click on the link that says "Show The contents of this folder")
Find the files "wpa.dbl" and "wpa.bak" and copy them to a safe location. You can copy them on a floppy drive or burn it onto a CD or DVD.
After you have reinstalled Windows XP on your reformatted hard drive, click "No" when asked if you want to go ahead and go through the activation process
Reboot your computer into SafeMode (you can either press F8 as Windows is booting up to see the Windows Advanced Options menu and select SAFEBOOT_OPTION=Minimal
Double-click My Computer
Double-click on the "C" drive
Go to the C:\Windows\System32 folder (you may have to click on the link that says "Show The contents of this folder")
Find the file "wpa.dbl" and "wpa.bak" (if it exists) and rename them to "wpadbl.new" and "wpabak.new"
Copy your original "wpa.dbl" and "wpa.bak" files from your floppy disk, CD or DVD into the C:\Windows\System32 folder
Restart your system (if you followed the directions in Starting Windows XP in SafeMode you may need to go back into MSCONFIG to turn off booting into SafeMode)

lastly: sit back and sip on your bottle of baileys (very important step)

May the force be with you

[Ian Norman]

You can activate your installation 3 times, after that you have to call Microsoft as you did.

I love calling Microsoft after I reinstall. They always ask have "I changed computers or had the computer repaired" or the most ridiculous, "Why have you installed the software so many times"

I politely tell them that if windows didn't stuff itself so often or they made system restore work properly I would'nt have to call them.

There is usually silence at the end of the phone and the nice Indian man, yes it's always been an Indian man each time I call, gives me a new number.
I thank him and tell him I'll call again in a month or so when I have to reinstall the dam software again.

I of course keep a Ghosted copy of the install that I use quite often but sometimes I just love calling Microsoft.

I think everyone should call them rather than using a Ghosted copy, they might just change the activation system. A very sad situation indeed.

[Lachie]

Even if after 3 goes you ring them once and it gives you another 3 goes. That would be handy. Ahh well, I'm not too bothered, I was more curious than anything. Plus, its a 1800 number so bugalugs at MS gets to foot the bill for me constantly ringing india.

[Akuma]

Originally Posted by Lachie

Plus, its a 1800 number so bugalugs at MS gets to foot the bill for me constantly ringing india.

Technically it'll be a VoIP routed call so your call leaves the PSTN locally, you're only accessing the phone network in your local city.

So, ultimately it only costs MS for a $.25 local call. In fact they would be getting a volume discount so it's probably less than $.10. Keep calling, the more you call the cheaper it gets and the more jobs they can export to India.

[maddogmorgan]

I am on a first name basis with my 'activator' his name is mahasapatapetapetelan...When I call him up (I have a direct number now, no waiting in line and entering numbers, he does get a bit peeved when I ring him at home though) I did notice that when I had done a clean install to do RU2 which I ended re-installing I think 4-5 times to try to identify a really annoying problem... (I know I am getting GHOST this pay!) I didn't have to go through the whole ringing MS thing...maybe they expected us to do a few installs eh?