The other day I received some new hard drives that I needed to add more space to this rig... Since I have a RAID configuration, I had to take the existing stripe and move it over to the secondary (not as fast) controller, and put these new 320gb drives into a stripe array on the primary controller. That means re-installing WindowsXP Pro.

Well, I have a friend that works at Microsoft and he got me into the MS Employee Program, where I can basically purchase software from this somewhat secret website for hundreds less than retail and even wholesale. Basically I can get Windows XP Pro SP2 for $20.00. I can get things like Office 2003 Pro for around $50. It's pretty cool.

So, I backup my main workstation, re-configure the drives and everything, re-install windows and boot up for the first time. The whole process took maybe 30 minutes. WOO! now I have 1.2 terrabytes in this workstation!! Anyway, I get rebooted into the Windows desktop, and I proceed to "Activate" windows again. Uh oh, windows says that I've exceeded my activation count (this is my 2nd re-install and 3rd activation attempt) and prints out a long ass set of numbers, basically 9 sets of 6 digits and a phone number to call them.

So I call the number and of course get a robot that asks me what product I am activating and to read them the long string of numbers one group at a time. This miraculously works with only one screw-up along the way (robot lady's fault) but the robot lady comes back to tell me that she can't find my installation code in her database. So she transfers me to an "agent". The first agent answers then immediately hangs up. I have to call back and repeat the process. But I figured out that if you hit zero once the robot asks for the long code, it transfers you to an operator. On my THIRD attempt I finally get an operator, who of course is foreign, possibly an indian. I have to read him the numbers.

He says he can't find it in the database then I explain how I purchased the software, etc. He asks me if it is running on more than one computer and I say no. Basically I'm pleading with him at this point to just get it working, that I am a legitimate paying customer. So he gives me this magic code that then gets windows working.

Well, I can expect to have to go through this process again if I ever need to re-install XP due to hardware changes or whatnot. That really pisses me off. I don't think anyone should have to go through that crap after purchasing software.

Anyone else been through this? If not and you have a legit copy, you may go through it eventually after 2 re-installs. I've always used a non-legit corporate copy that I got from a company I do work for who owns an MSDN account. It didn't need activation or anything, but was an early SP1 copy.


- rem

Switched to Open Source and Linux three years ago and have not had a virus, spyware, or activation problem since.

Write down the magic number and keep it handy.  It may be an override activation code that works on all installs.....

Not all hardware chages cause you to go through WPA. And if it has been more than 6 months since that product key was last used, you shouldn't have any problems with WPA.

Yep, got a screenshot of it. Hope it will work next time (there's always a next time with Windows), although it may be just another generated deal...

I run Linux - Mandrake 10 on another workstation here. I use it for doing a lot of C coding and firewall stuff, or spoofing IP's and shit... mainly just to fool around.



- rem

...Well, I have a friend that works at Microsoft and he got me into the MS Employee Program, where I can basically purchase software from this somewhat secret website for hundreds less than retail and even wholesale. Basically I can get Windows XP Pro SP2 for $20.00. I can get things like Office 2003 Pro for around $50. It's pretty cool....

-Without sounding like a preacher--you didn't get screwed. You tried to use a disk that you weren't really eligible to buy under the sales conditions in the first place. If they refused to activate it, would you feel cheated?  

You can get a regular OEM Pro License+CD from a legit online retailer for about $120. Considering that it will be usable at least 5 years--it costs you $24 per year, or $2 per month. It's not really a lot of money quite frankly--considering that you don't really need to buy anything else from Microsoft during that time frame.
~

I broke down and bought a MickeySoft prog two years ago. I sent it the rebate form and weeks later got a refusal letter...they had changed the 'must mail in within 30 days of purchase' from 30 to 14 days. (WHY SHOULD THAT MATTER ANYWAY?!?!?!?!?!) So, from that day on I have been spreading all the pirated mickeysoft progs I get as far and as wide as I can. I used to only get it for myself.

Hmmm, I feel a bit better now. Oh, and don't tell anyone, ok?!?

Of course, this is a hypothetical post about a fictional character.


ByteTheBullet  (-:

I haven't had the pleasure personally, but my coworker had a problem activating a store purchased XP about eight months ago. They original number wouldn't activate so they gave him a new number but it was a bit of a process to get it. IIRC he said MS will issue a new number one time, but the old number will not work again, plus the new one has limited use before it's invalid.

My point was that it is a real pain to not be able to re-install an OS, given that a large portion of the customers are hardcore computer guys that constantly swap out hardware or re-install their OS. It really wasn't about me purchasing it or not. My point was that I got a LEGIT copy and have a limit on how many times I can install it. That's the bitch.

For the record, I am a programmer who spends anywhere from $4,000-8,000 a year on coding related tools. My next big purchase is going to be MSDN 2005 for around $6,000 all in one shot.

- rem

i've been doing ms stuff since the mid 80s. i have a whole bunch of machines. i have never had your problem.. however i have never done a cold install of an OS. I have done complete OS recoveries to new drives though. I do Emergeny Repair Backups to a firewire drive. Then I can install an already authorized OS to the new drive and at the same time keep all of my settings and software. In your case that's what I would have done instead of a whole new install.

Is painful dealing with MS (i have the Universal subscription and get most of the stuff). I try to never do that. But when i have had to i have found that after you wade throught the swamp they will solve your problems. For those who want premium (mainframe like) support you can go the paid route which is VERY expensive but they replace the swamp with an autobahn.... BTW this is where MS is going.. enterprise/mainframe like software with its cost implications. It just might be in a few years all the 'home' users might actually move to linux type stuff which can be pretty nice too.. however.. another trend is expensive linux stuff (check redhat's site for what they are trying to seel people now.. subscription based stuff)....

Whoa, some people actually BUY Microsoft products?  I thought that was an urban legend.

Quoted: My point was that it is a real pain to not be able to re-install an OS, given that a large portion of the customers are hardcore computer guys that constantly swap out hardware or re-install their OS.

Actually, folks like that represent a tiny portion of the installed user base.

It really wasn't about me purchasing it or not. My point was that I got a LEGIT copy and have a limit on how many times I can install it. That's the bitch.

Microsoft doesn't hide the fact that you get to install the OS on a single machine. WPA usually talkes a lot more than a hard drive upgrade to cause problems. I've replaced entire motherboards and not had issues.

For the record, I am a programmer who spends anywhere from $4,000-8,000 a year on coding related tools. My next big purchase is going to be MSDN 2005 for around $6,000 all in one shot. - rem

You sure you want to do that? Many of the tools have very limited installs, and the OS copies limit you to 10 activations (I'm an MSDN Universal subscriber). You'll be spending a lot of money and still get the same restrictions you are currently complaining about.

Microsoft's license registration scheme inspired me to learn about linux. Today I use a dual boot linux/XP system. There are a few specific tasks I must do in XP- play games and graphics editing- but for everything else, linux works well. Microsoft's EULA is draconian. It is absolutely none of their business when or how often I choose to reinstall my OS.  I'd drop all my MS software in an instant if linux gained the ability to run Photoshop and PC games.

Galland

Quoted: My point was that it is a real pain to not be able to re-install an OS, given that a large portion of the customers are hardcore computer guys that constantly swap out hardware or re-install their OS. It really wasn't about me purchasing it or not. My point was that I got a LEGIT copy and have a limit on how many times I can install it. That's the bitch. For the record, I am a programmer who spends anywhere from $4,000-8,000 a year on coding related tools. My next big purchase is going to be MSDN 2005 for around $6,000 all in one shot. - rem

Unless you are a MS employee, you are not a "legit" buyer or user of that copy. Get over it.

Bob

Quoted: Whoa, some people actually BUY Microsoft products?  I thought that was an urban legend.

No shit!  

Screw Microsoft. Every time you buy a new PC, you're obligated to pay Microsoft a fee for their operating system even if it isn't installed on the new machine. They have wunnerful "tying agreements" with all the PC vendors that screw the public unless you go with a no name PC. Even if you order and get the machine with Linux, Microshaft gets a cut. Total BS. I have no sympathy for them. Fuggin crooks at every turn and they prove it again and again.

Quoted: Unless you are a MS employee, you are not a "legit" buyer or user of that copy. Get over it. Bob

I paid the same amount of money an MS employee would have and the software is not "cracked" or modified, nor a special corporate version. I guess you feel like splitting fucking hairs over it.

Whether I spent $120.00 on it or $20.00 on it, I would have to do the same fucking thing every time I want to re-install the OS. That's the point of my post... I guess everything has to be spoon-fed to you.


- rem

Quoted: Quoted: Unless you are a MS employee, you are not a "legit" buyer or user of that copy. Get over it. Bob I paid the same amount of money an MS employee would have and the software is not "cracked" or modified, nor a special corporate version. I guess you feel like splitting fucking hairs over it. Whether I spent $120.00 on it or $20.00 on it, I would have to do the same fucking thing every time I want to re-install the OS. That's the point of my post... I guess everything has to be spoon-fed to you. - rem

I don't think it matters weather you are the employee. MS employee's are allowed to get X amout of software for friends and family. The key they sent you was some how not in the system and that caused your WPA problems. From here on out you can activate the software just like normal 10 different times. As long as there are no major hardware changes it doesn't count towards your 10 activations.

When I built my most recent machine, I had to go out and buy a retail copy of XP Pro. Up until that point, I was using the corporate edition copy that was leaked before launch with a newer Group Activation key.

However, after multiple slipstreams, and other tweaks, it won't install properly any longer. The F6 for SCSI drivers never worked, either.

Now, however, I have to deal with Product Activation. Which irritates the hell out of me.

Like others have said, I would switch to linux full-time if I wasn't such a game addict. I have switched all my back-end type stuff to linux (file serving, web hosting, etc.), but for workstation use, I'm still with XP. Out of 8 running machines, 5 run linux of some variety, one Windows 2000, and 2 use XP Pro.

Quoted: Quoted: Unless you are a MS employee, you are not a "legit" buyer or user of that copy. Get over it. Bob I paid the same amount of money an MS employee would have and the software is not "cracked" or modified, nor a special corporate version. I guess you feel like splitting fucking hairs over it. Whether I spent $120.00 on it or $20.00 on it, I would have to do the same fucking thing every time I want to re-install the OS. That's the point of my post... I guess everything has to be spoon-fed to you. - rem

No, I do not need to be spoon fed. You purchased the software under false pretences, therefore violating the EULA. Just like if you bought the EDU packages but were not a student.

If you point was this:

Whether I spent $120.00 on it or $20.00 on it, I would have to do the same fucking thing every time I want to re-install the OS. That's the point of my post...

Then you should have said so in the beginning. You said you were ripped off, which you weren't. You were ripping them off.

I really don't expect you to understand this, as you have decided that you are right despite the FACTS, but I am hoping someone else may read it and get it.

Bob

Even as a MCP, the product re-activation is a complete fucking bitch.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Unless you are a MS employee, you are not a "legit" buyer or user of that copy. Get over it. Bob I paid the same amount of money an MS employee would have and the software is not "cracked" or modified, nor a special corporate version. I guess you feel like splitting fucking hairs over it. Whether I spent $120.00 on it or $20.00 on it, I would have to do the same fucking thing every time I want to re-install the OS. That's the point of my post... I guess everything has to be spoon-fed to you. - rem No, I do not need to be spoon fed. You purchased the software under false pretences, therefore violating the EULA. Just like if you bought the EDU packages but were not a student. If you point was this: Whether I spent $120.00 on it or $20.00 on it, I would have to do the same fucking thing every time I want to re-install the OS. That's the point of my post... Then you should have said so in the beginning. You said you were ripped off, which you weren't. You were ripping them off. I really don't expect you to understand this, as you have decided that you are right despite the FACTS, but I am hoping someone else may read it and get it. Bob

So Ky_, do you know the following to be false:

I don't think it matters weather you are the employee. MS employee's are allowed to get X amout of software for friends and family.

If not, then be careful what you are calling FACT.  I'm not aware of the details of the program myself so I can't say either way.  Until I know for certain I'd refrain from calling people dishonest though.

Quoted: Switched to Open Source and Linux three years ago and have not had a virus, spyware, or activation problem since.

But you would have virus, spyware, and problems if most people used Linux.

Hackers/crackers/virii makers always find a way.

Nevermind the fact that most good software (namely video games), isn't available for Linux and well that really deters people. If you just want to surf the internet or use programs that are ported to or made for Linux, then Linux is cool. But using Linus significantly limits your choices in software.

Not all hardware changes cause you to go through WPA.

Has anyone figured-out the pattern?  I replaced harddrives in 24 Dells, and every one of them lost their activation.  I did the same to another group of Dell computers that were bought only a month later, and they didn't.  I've changed motherboards, and they didn't lose activation.  I've changed monitors quite a few times without losing activation, but all four times when I plugged-in Dell E196FP 19" LCD monitors (they were only $249 each so I took a risk and bought from Dell)  all four copies of XP lost their activation.

I'd like to figure-out the pattern, because it really sucks to drive to a customer to connect a new monitor and then have to spend unplanned hours begging Microsoft for permission for them to continue using the software they've already bought.z

Quoted: Wow, I finally buy a piece of software instead of pirating and I get screwed...

Karma

Maybe Karma?

You admit to always stealing software and the only thing that motivated you even buy it this time is because you got it for pennys on the dollar.

Was buying it for pennies on the dollar somehow in your mind your way of giving back or something?

Dell uses a copy of windows that doesn't use activation when it recognizes a Dell BIOS.

Quoted: Karma

My first thought exactly upon seeing the title.

That Carson Daly sure knows his stuff...

I had a friend that worked at MS and they would buy me software using their employe discount. It was legit for them to do that. They get a limited ammount that they can spend on software each year and they can use or give it to whoever they want.

There is nothing really "special" about a corporate edition version of XP.  The only real difference between a retail version of XP Pro and a Corporate version are about 13 files....... small files.  They basically tell the cd how to act.  (Retail, OEM, Corporate, etc.)  If you put the 13 "Corporate" files onto a retail XP Pro CD, you now have a Corporate version.  It is fairly easy to do, and you don't have to worry about activation.

All microsoft really cares about is if you have purchased a license for your product.  They don't really care if you use the "wrong" cd-key to install windows or if you have activated it, just as long as you have purchased the same number of legit licenses for all the machines you have installed it on.

If you have corporate sp1 cd, just slipstream sp2 onto it using something like nlite, good to go.  

Quoted: Whoa, some people actually BUY Microsoft products?  I thought that was an urban legend.

Yeah, I bought a copy of Windows XP Home for my first computer build earlier this week.  $199 from Newegg.com.  Never mind that I already had a copy of Windows XP Home for my existing Dell system, I wanted to do the right thing.

Then I find out 2 days later that Newegg reduced the price on Windows XP Pro to $120!!!!

Not that Newegg's price cut was relevant to my decision to pirate/not pirate, but it really made me

Been using Windows all my life and have never had a virus, spyware, or activation problem.


I really dont get what everyone's probelem with Windows is. Neither myself nor anyone I know has ever had problems.

Quoted: Been using Windows all my life and have never had a virus, spyware, or activation problem.

Wrong.

I really dont get what everyone's probelem with Windows is. Neither myself nor anyone I know has ever had problems.

That's part of the ponit, once you do have problems, then you'll understand completely. It's not a "what if" scenario... more of a "when?".

This has happened to me before.  Once it was because my BIOS clock was set wrong, which confused the activation server.  I also had the same problem you did when I formatted/installed a few times to get things right.  I used a pirated copy for a few months then installed the legit one and it worked.  They have this thing that prevents you from activating too many times in a certain period.

I got tired of it and used Gentoo Linux for 6 months or so, but I got tired of not being able to play games properly, amd I switched back.  

BTW, Windows will also ask you to re-activate if you change more than one hardware item.

I never had to activate with the pirated version (XP Pro Corporate) I got many years ago.  

Quoted: Quoted: Been using Windows all my life and have never had a virus, spyware, or activation problem. Wrong. I really dont get what everyone's probelem with Windows is. Neither myself nor anyone I know has ever had problems. That's part of the ponit, once you do have problems, then you'll understand completely. It's not a "what if" scenario... more of a "when?".

So your psychic then and know he's had problems he says he hasn't.

I've had various problems with SunOS, Windows, OpenBSD, Linux, FreeBSD, and BeOS so what IS your point again?  

Quoted: Quoted: Been using Windows all my life and have never had a virus, spyware, or activation problem. Wrong. whats your 1-900 number? I need some advice, Ms. Cleo. I really dont get what everyone's probelem with Windows is. Neither myself nor anyone I know has ever had problems. That's part of the ponit, once you do have problems, then you'll understand completely. It's not a "what if" scenario... more of a "when?". 10 years is a helluva long time without problems.

Go beat it to MacOS or a fuckin' IPod commercial, Hooser.

If you beleive for one second you've never had a virus or spyware infection in 10 years on a windows platform, you're dreaming.

Quoted: If you beleive for one second you've never had a virus or spyware infection in 10 years on a windows platform, you're dreaming.

I've never had any of those problems on any of my windows machines, aside from one I had years ago that I intentionally installed viruses on to see how they affected the system so I could learn to remove them. It's not hard to keep your system clean.

Quoted: If you beleive for one second you've never had a virus or spyware infection in 10 years on a windows platform, you're dreaming.

Maybe a stand-alone with no outside drives or acesses? living in the bubble

Make a Ghost image of the fresh install and use that next time you need to reinstall.

I'm an MCP, former MCSE and a current MCSD and I'm not sure what you mean....


- rem

Quoted: Even as a MCP, the product re-activation is a complete fucking bitch.

That's what I used to do quite a bit, except for when I was doing motherboard changes.

- rem

Quoted: Make a Ghost image of the fresh install and use that next time you need to reinstall.

I've never activated a copy of XP pro.  the volumn licensing copy doesn't require it.  :-)

d.