Windows XP activation problem

BarGin

I have been asked to fix my nephew's netbook as he was unable to get into Windows. I don't know what caused the problem. The machine is an MSI U100. A bit of Googling revealed that the system restore is activated by pressing F3 on start-up but this would only get so far and then hang.

I decided resort to re-installing XP Home using a retail CD I own and the product key on the base of the netbook. When the installation finished it wouldn't let me log in without first activating Windows. I couldn't activate online as no network drivers had yet been installed. I couldn't activate by phone as it wasn't showing a product id on the activation screen.

I booted into safe mode, installed network drivers and tried again. I was still not able to activate online but this time I was presented with a product id. I phoned the Microsoft activation robot and went through the procedure which it said was successful and I got the message that it was activated.

However after I clicked finish I was presented with the log-in screen again and the message that I needed to activate before I log in. I now have a continuous loop situation because if I click on activate now I'm told it is already activated.

Sorry for the long post but does anyone have any idea where I can go from here?

anmarj

could you not just put plug the cable in for the internet? I am sure when I did mine yonks ago that is all I did and let me do the activiation......

santer_2

Another option, which should be 24 hours for an real person

0800 018 8354

BarGin

anmarj wrote: »

could you not just put plug the cable in for the internet? I am sure when I did mine yonks ago that is all I did and let me do the activiation......

I did that and that's how I got it to produce the product id.

aerostar

If your key on the base is an OEM key, most computers are, then it is invalid for a retail version install, this may be the cause of the problem. You should get a windows XP OEM CD, install that version and that way it should activate.

Whether MS will sort you out, you will have to ask them.

BarGin

santer wrote: »

Another option, which should be 24 hours for an real person

0800 018 8354

I spoke to a customer service rep on that number and he wasn't able to help. He gave me an 0844 number to dial during office hours Mon-Fri but it seems you have to buy a support package of some sort before they'll help you.

SteveJH200

I come across this problem all the time. When carrying out a fresh install from a retail or OEM XP SP2 disc I load the operating system and type in the product key and then I use my trusty wireless dongle and cd. I load the drivers from the CD so I can get a wireless connection and then I load the appropriate ethernet driver from the relevant website, or sometimes I use 'Slim Drivers' instead. Once the wired connection is working I disconnect the wireless I then go to Microsoft and download all the updates via the wired connection. One of the small programmes is 'Windows Activation' and this will check the product key and activate the system. I then leave the computer to get on with it, just checking every now and again in case an 'ok' or 'next' need to be clicked.

BarGin

SteveJH200 wrote: »

I come across this problem all the time. When carrying out a fresh install from a retail or OEM XP SP2 disc I load the operating system and type in the product key and then I use my trusty wireless dongle and cd. I load the drivers from the CD so I can get a wireless connection and then I load the appropriate ethernet driver from the relevant website, or sometimes I use 'Slim Drivers' instead. Once the wired connection is working I disconnect the wireless I then go to Microsoft and download all the updates via the wired connection. One of the small programmes is 'Windows Activation' and this will check the product key and activate the system. I then leave the computer to get on with it, just checking every now and again in case an 'ok' or 'next' need to be clicked.

That sounds good, but I can't log in to download anything. It won't let me log in until I activate but when I try to do that it tells me that Windows is already activated and sends me back to the log in screen again!

santer_2

If you can get safe mode to load

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

I expect you will need to follow the manual steps

BarGin

santer wrote: »

If you can get safe mode to load

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

I expect you will need to follow the manual steps

Thanks for the suggestion but I have just been through the manual procedure and at the end had to activate by phone again only to find myself back where I started. I can't log in without activating first but can't activate because Windows is already activated!

TakeThis

In fact the Retail disc allows you to use it for thirty days before activation is necessary.

There is a simple solution, but I'd like to check something first.

Can you run software in Safe Mode?