windows xp activation problems

[Sonic]

I hope someone can help on this one, friend bought pc with non-legit copy of XP pro on. So we buy legit copy, load microsoft product key changer. Change to new one, phone in, activate the key. Restarts, when you want to log on, it tells you that you need to activate, and when you click on activate, it tells you it has already been activated. I've got no idea as to how to get out of this loop. pls help

 

[stefan9]

Reformat and install with the legit copy of windows xp.

 

[Sonic]

Are you serious, I was trying to leave that as a LAAAAAST resort

 

[PearlJam]

Have you spoken to microsoft support? Maybe they can help you get around it

 

[Sonic]

Yip, but since this is an oem version, I have to pay them R 249 for their technical support. Was just trying to get past the whole re-install issue. friends PC, no drivers, and very slow. going to take me forever to get this thing fixed.

 

[Plasticmonkey]

haha, that happend to me aswell. format format format!!!!

 

[Sonic]

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

 

[The_Unbeliever]

Yup - backup, format and install.

Something is screwed up, best to start with a clean slate.

Take it from me, the time spent reinstalling it is well spent rather than wasting your time trying to find out what exactly is buggered.

 

[Sonic]

I know, but I was in a bit of denial, cause I don't have time to redo it, it is a favour for someone. But yes, if it was my own, I would just have formatted and restarted.

 

[PCTECH]

Sorry, but formatting and re-installing is the only option. There is no work-around! I have spoken with Microsoft and they cannot assist in any way on this issue. I think it sucks - it makes legalizing software a real PIA.

 

[BrianB]

Stick the licence sticker on the side and use the Pirated key.

 

[Dolby]

Whenever I have any issue with Windows, I format ...

'it froze when you clicked the icon? Format!'

Drives my girlfriend insane

 

[The_Unbeliever]

Whenever I have any issue with Windows, I format ...

'it froze when you clicked the icon? Format!'

Drives my girlfriend insane

 

[The_Unbeliever]

Stick the licence sticker on the side and use the Pirated key.

Ya, it does make a real PITA for legit software users...

 

[Baron Hohenzollern]

Use a program called ROCKXP to change the Serial key to the legitimate one.

 

[Baron Hohenzollern]

http://www.download3k.com/System-Utilities/Benchmark-Utilities/Download-RockXP.html

Rock XP is a very handy widget that allows you to gather diverse information on you PC, software on it. Generally, it retrieves information usually rather unavailable to the common user.

RockXP allows you to retrieve and change your XP product key that you used when you installed Windows XP. This can come very handy if you need to reinstall but have misplaced or lost the CD cover with the serial sticker

Hope this helps you. You can with this, put back the pirated key, apply and then re-enter the legit key. Perhaps the pirated key remains in the database at present and this causes this problem, ROCK XP will display the current key, and fix the problem.

 

[HavocXphere]

You can try loading a service pack before the reinstall. The SP replaces all the files that have been tampered with. There is however a distinct possibility that the PC will claim that the eval time is over, so you could end up formatting anyway.