MS, are you kidding me?

BlueMak · Jun 23, 2007, 09:13 AM

Activation failed, due to too many changes in hardware? I fraking installed windows XP 3 days ago, since then I installed a PCI USB card and that's it. Is this a fraking joke? It asked me to re activate/validate Windows, I tried to online and it says failed and I have 3 days to use another key, and provide a link to buy another copy...I am this close stop buying Windows once and for all.

Sandok · Jun 23, 2007, 09:45 AM

Call MS support...

BlueMak · Jun 23, 2007, 09:51 AM

I just did. Everything went fine with them, in greek too, which was a suprise, but I shouldn't have to pay a phone call to the UK just because I change my graphics card's drivers and because I installed a USB PCI card. FFS!

Sandok · Jun 23, 2007, 10:00 AM

I'd have to guess that drivers or something screwed up because I've switched hardware a lot and never had problems. Tis strange that's for sure!

Dyre Straits · Jun 23, 2007, 10:28 AM

I'm using the same XP Pro CD I've had for three years or so. I've had to call MS several times due to changing a lot of hardware over the years. When I need to call, I call the Toll-Free number that doesn't cost me anything and I've never once had them refuse to activate my copy....yet.

I agree it's a downright hassle, but, it only takes about 15 minutes total to get it done.

Didn't your screen show a toll-free number to call?

EZero · Jun 23, 2007, 11:32 AM

On a separate note, do be careful with Vista OEM if you choose to go that route in the future. Apparently they tie the key to the motherboard of the computer that was first installed on.

Yeah I know it's kind of off topic but a few warnings never hurt :P

zaim · Jun 23, 2007, 12:09 PM

rofl love life

BlueMak · Jun 23, 2007, 03:27 PM

The window had 2 telephone numbers, both UK numbers. One had a toll free written next to it. The toll free number didn't work, suprise suprise since I am calling from Greece. Most of them don't work. The other was NOT toll free, that worked. I spent about 5min perhaps on the phone.
It is not about the money, it is pissing me off that paying for an OS is wasting me more time and perhaps even money than if I had an illegal version of it. The people who have cracked versions of XP (in this case) not only save money from actualy buying the OS, they don't ever have to deal with shit like this.
It appears all the copy protections are there to make the life of people who pay for the software, more difficult.

I am waiting for Nvidia to release new drivers that will finaly fix the aspect scaling for widescreen monitors. I am going to try every beta driver till I find one that does. Currently using an old 90s driver. I am telling you if I get more shit like this just for trying different drivers I will get a crack for my copy of XP, and forget about paying for a copy of Vista.

You know, what is annoying me even more is that link about buying a new license. MS decides I have had enough updates of drivers, now shut up and buy a new one noob!

Matth · Jun 23, 2007, 03:53 PM

I thought it had a pulldown that offerred country choices.

The golden rule for initial activation, remember the Ethernet MAC - if that is unchanged, it's worth a couple of extra change points - and to make sure it picks the right one, ensure that any removable / temporary use adapters (eg, you may disable bluetooth or Wifi if you are not using it) are turned off - a friend's laptop needed re-installing, and I made sure the switchable Wifi was turned off when it was activated, so the system ethernet MAC would be sure to be the one participating in the activation - not sure how multiple adapters are handled.

There is a lot to dislike about activation, and the really guilty can usually find ways around it.

PS. Another friend had a major system failure, and had to re-install (using an unmatched CD, as if any backup media had ever been supplied, it was nowhere to be found).

Tried the automated talk-through without much success (fail it, change key to the label one, try again), then next time, stayed silent and got a real person - and got the system activated after describing the situation.

mkk · Jun 23, 2007, 03:55 PM

And you just know they'll never adopt a sensible model for this either.

BlueMak · Jun 23, 2007, 05:19 PM

The UK numbers appeared AFTER I chose country as Greece.
It is a common practice actualy for software and hardware companies selling products in Greece. None of the phone or email support is ever in Greece or even in greek. MS did get some points on having actual greek speaking people on the phone, even with the UK number...
For the english speaking (native) among you, can you imagine how fun it is to need support and call or email another country with a language you don't speak? Extra fun! I don't have this problem, but many people do.

Again, bravo to MS for at least getting something right.

MrSpock2002 · Jul 1, 2007, 02:41 AM

Corp edition ftw :P

Jun 23, 2007, 09:13 AM	#1
BlueMak HH's Asteroids' Dominator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Hellas->Macedonia->Thessaloniki Posts: 13,483 Rep Power: 349 System Specs	MS, are you kidding me? Activation failed, due to too many changes in hardware? I fraking installed windows XP 3 days ago, since then I installed a PCI USB card and that's it. Is this a fraking joke? It asked me to re activate/validate Windows, I tried to online and it says failed and I have 3 days to use another key, and provide a link to buy another copy...I am this close stop buying Windows once and for all. __________________ The people who are regarded as moral luminaries are those who forego ordinary pleasures themselves and find compensation in interfering with the pleasures of others(Bertrand Russell)"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil,You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them." - Lt. Gen. James N. Mattis This is slavery, not to speak one's thought. [Euripides-The Phoenician Women (c.411-409 B.C.)] http://www.macedonia.info/FALLACIESANDFACTS.htm *Sic semper tyrannis.*

Jun 23, 2007, 09:51 AM	Thread Starter #3
BlueMak HH's Asteroids' Dominator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Hellas->Macedonia->Thessaloniki Posts: 13,483 Rep Power: 349 System Specs	I just did. Everything went fine with them, in greek too, which was a suprise, but I shouldn't have to pay a phone call to the UK just because I change my graphics card's drivers and because I installed a USB PCI card. FFS! __________________ The people who are regarded as moral luminaries are those who forego ordinary pleasures themselves and find compensation in interfering with the pleasures of others(Bertrand Russell)"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil,You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them." - Lt. Gen. James N. Mattis This is slavery, not to speak one's thought. [Euripides-The Phoenician Women (c.411-409 B.C.)] http://www.macedonia.info/FALLACIESANDFACTS.htm *Sic semper tyrannis.*

Jun 23, 2007, 12:09 PM	#7
zaim HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Melbourne, AU Posts: 1,052 Rep Power: 42	rofl love life __________________ زعيم MAIN PC(1)(2)(3):•Q9550•GAP35DS3P• 4GBCrucialPC2-8500BallistixTracerLED•XFX9800GTX•3x146GB CheetahSAS15K.5 Raid0•2x 1TB Raid1•LianLiA10B•2x22"5ms@3360x1050• BEDROOM HTPC(1)(2)(3):E6600•MSI945GM3-F•2048DDR2667•1TB•Samsung26"HDTV•HybridHDTV•5.1• Laptop:•Centrino2 P8400 1066fsb•4GB-DDR2 800•320GBSATA•DVDDL•15.4"WXGA•802.11a/b/g/n• WHServer:•AM2 5200+•2GB DDR2 800•Lots of TB Storage•1GB TCP/IP• www.zaimc.com // myspace/zaimc // zaimm.deviantart BLOG BLOG BLOG BLOG BLOG 16 x 92mm fan + radiator experiment!

Jun 23, 2007, 03:27 PM	Thread Starter #8
BlueMak HH's Asteroids' Dominator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Hellas->Macedonia->Thessaloniki Posts: 13,483 Rep Power: 349 System Specs	The window had 2 telephone numbers, both UK numbers. One had a toll free written next to it. The toll free number didn't work, suprise suprise since I am calling from Greece. Most of them don't work. The other was NOT toll free, that worked. I spent about 5min perhaps on the phone. It is not about the money, it is pissing me off that paying for an OS is wasting me more time and perhaps even money than if I had an illegal version of it. The people who have cracked versions of XP (in this case) not only save money from actualy buying the OS, they don't ever have to deal with shit like this. It appears all the copy protections are there to make the life of people who pay for the software, more difficult. I am waiting for Nvidia to release new drivers that will finaly fix the aspect scaling for widescreen monitors. I am going to try every beta driver till I find one that does. Currently using an old 90s driver. I am telling you if I get more shit like this just for trying different drivers I will get a crack for my copy of XP, and forget about paying for a copy of Vista. You know, what is annoying me even more is that link about buying a new license. MS decides I have had enough updates of drivers, now shut up and buy a new one noob! __________________ The people who are regarded as moral luminaries are those who forego ordinary pleasures themselves and find compensation in interfering with the pleasures of others(Bertrand Russell)"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil,You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them." - Lt. Gen. James N. Mattis This is slavery, not to speak one's thought. [Euripides-The Phoenician Women (c.411-409 B.C.)] http://www.macedonia.info/FALLACIESANDFACTS.htm *Sic semper tyrannis.* Last edited by BlueMak; Jun 23, 2007 at 03:34 PM.

Jun 23, 2007, 03:53 PM	#9
Matth Flash Banner Hater Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: UK Posts: 3,426 Rep Power: 93 System Specs	I thought it had a pulldown that offerred country choices. The golden rule for initial activation, remember the Ethernet MAC - if that is unchanged, it's worth a couple of extra change points - and to make sure it picks the right one, ensure that any removable / temporary use adapters (eg, you may disable bluetooth or Wifi if you are not using it) are turned off - a friend's laptop needed re-installing, and I made sure the switchable Wifi was turned off when it was activated, so the system ethernet MAC would be sure to be the one participating in the activation - not sure how multiple adapters are handled. There is a lot to dislike about activation, and the really guilty can usually find ways around it. PS. Another friend had a major system failure, and had to re-install (using an unmatched CD, as if any backup media had ever been supplied, it was nowhere to be found). Tried the automated talk-through without much success (fail it, change key to the label one, try again), then next time, stayed silent and got a real person - and got the system activated after describing the situation. __________________ Mary had a little lamb, Her father shot it dead Now Mary takes her lamb to school, Between two crusts of bread Last edited by Matth; Jun 23, 2007 at 03:58 PM.

Jun 23, 2007, 09:45 AM	#2
Sandok DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 9,472 Rep Power: 0	Call MS support...

Jun 23, 2007, 10:00 AM	#4
Sandok DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 9,472 Rep Power: 0	I'd have to guess that drivers or something screwed up because I've switched hardware a lot and never had problems. Tis strange that's for sure!

Jun 23, 2007, 11:32 AM	#6
EZero HardwareHeaven Lover Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 119 Rep Power: 52 System Specs	On a separate note, do be careful with Vista OEM if you choose to go that route in the future. Apparently they tie the key to the motherboard of the computer that was first installed on. Yeah I know it's kind of off topic but a few warnings never hurt :P

Jun 23, 2007, 03:55 PM	#10
mkk Cthulhu/Dagon 2012 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Gefle, Sweden Posts: 4,495 Rep Power: 132 System Specs	And you just know they'll never adopt a sensible model for this either.

Jun 23, 2007, 05:19 PM	Thread Starter #11
BlueMak HH's Asteroids' Dominator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Hellas->Macedonia->Thessaloniki Posts: 13,483 Rep Power: 349 System Specs	The UK numbers appeared AFTER I chose country as Greece. It is a common practice actualy for software and hardware companies selling products in Greece. None of the phone or email support is ever in Greece or even in greek. MS did get some points on having actual greek speaking people on the phone, even with the UK number... For the english speaking (native) among you, can you imagine how fun it is to need support and call or email another country with a language you don't speak? Extra fun! I don't have this problem, but many people do. Again, bravo to MS for at least getting something right. __________________ The people who are regarded as moral luminaries are those who forego ordinary pleasures themselves and find compensation in interfering with the pleasures of others(Bertrand Russell)"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil,You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them." - Lt. Gen. James N. Mattis This is slavery, not to speak one's thought. [Euripides-The Phoenician Women (c.411-409 B.C.)] http://www.macedonia.info/FALLACIESANDFACTS.htm *Sic semper tyrannis.*

Jul 1, 2007, 02:41 AM	#12
MrSpock2002 Because I said so! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Watkins Glen NY Posts: 542 Rep Power: 0	Corp edition ftw :P