RE: [H] activation of XP questions

[Chris Reeves]

I have had only one instance where MS told someone I know to just bugger off
they wouldn't re-activate them.. they had "re-activated" four tmes in a
year.  It was mostly just a matter of continual upgrading + 1 screw up; they
started with a 3500+ AMD 939 (no SLI, just a Foxconn NFU8KK Nforce4 Ultra
MB).. upgraded with an audigy4 & new video card.. prompted for
re-activation.  Added a RAID-1 250/2 array, re-activated then as well.
Upgraded to a 4400+ Dual Core and replaced video card to a 7800GTX, asked to
re-activate again..

Then, they screwed up the cabling, burned up a 7800GTX (had wiring fall into
it) replaced the board (with the exact same board, they kind of like it,
can't blame them, it's fine for a NF4 Ultra) and another (different brand)
7800GTX, etc. 

Tried to re-activate, MS told them to go take a hike.. they found their own
solution for that problem.

CW

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Wayne Johnson
Sent: Sunday, September 11, 2005 11:16 PM
To: The Hardware List
Subject: RE: [H] activation of XP questions

At 11:16 PM 9/11/2005, Chris Reeves typed:
>They don't grill you.  The automated system informs you there is a reason
>why you can't activate online (like you normally would) and that it cannot
>activate you by phone.  So, it passes you off to a customer rep.  You
>briefly explain why you're re-activating (short) and guarantee to them that
>this software is only being used on one PC, and that's it.

On this machine I did a driver upgrade when we had a power surge that 
barely got past the backups pro & then when the machine rebooted it 
told me that I needed to reactivate even tho I made NO hardware 
changes. I called MSFT & the gal swore that I had changed some 
hardware out when all I did was upgrade a driver but she activated me 
anyway. I was ready to go off if they didn't re-activate and I didn't 
care for the way the gal insisted that I did something wrong but 
since they did reactivate everything was ok other than the wasted 
time to make the phone call.  Have had clients that had to reactivate 
because of hardware changes & those phone calls were easier.

--+--
Wayne D. Johnson
Ashland, OH, USA 44805
 

RE: [H] activation of XP questions

[Wayne Johnson]

At 11:16 PM 9/11/2005, Chris Reeves typed:

They don't grill you.  The automated system informs you there is a reason
why you can't activate online (like you normally would) and that it cannot
activate you by phone.  So, it passes you off to a customer rep.  You
briefly explain why you're re-activating (short) and guarantee to them that
this software is only being used on one PC, and that's it.


On this machine I did a driver upgrade when we had a power surge that 
barely got past the backups pro & then when the machine rebooted it 
told me that I needed to reactivate even tho I made NO hardware 
changes. I called MSFT & the gal swore that I had changed some 
hardware out when all I did was upgrade a driver but she activated me 
anyway. I was ready to go off if they didn't re-activate and I didn't 
care for the way the gal insisted that I did something wrong but 
since they did reactivate everything was ok other than the wasted 
time to make the phone call.  Have had clients that had to reactivate 
because of hardware changes & those phone calls were easier.


--+--
   Wayne D. Johnson
Ashland, OH, USA 44805
 

RE: [H] activation of XP questions

[James Maki]

Personal experience with "re-activation" of Windows XP Pro Upgrade:

Fresh install on a new system after about 6 months to a year --
 Activates via internet with no problem.
 (I have done this 3 or 4 times with the same XP package)
 P.S. Have never had a re-activation issue with minor hardware upgrades.

>From MS Action pak with multiple license:
When activating a "3rd" time on a 2 license number, had to "phone
home." Told the representative that this was the 3rd activation on this
number, but the previous hardware had been replaced and was no longer in
use. No problem. I was not "grilled" or given the 3rd degree. My simple
explanation that the old hardware had been replaced was sufficient to get
the software activated again. 

While I completely agree with the whole notion that product activation
sucks, MS has made it relatively easy and painless (at least in my perhaps
limited experience).

Jim Maki
[EMAIL PROTECTED]


> -Original Message-
> From: Winterlight
 
> At 05:53 PM 9/11/2005, you wrote:
> > >Why does everybody use the phone...why not the online activation?
> >
> >Here's a scrap that I picked up somewhere - not sure where:
> >
> >When you activate windows it gives you the option to do it 
> automatically 
> >or by phone.
> 
> So the first time is automated on the phone but you do it a 
> week a month or 
> later.. what happens then?
> Does somebody come on the phone and start grilling you?

RE: [H] activation of XP questions

[Chris Reeves]

They don't grill you.  The automated system informs you there is a reason
why you can't activate online (like you normally would) and that it cannot
activate you by phone.  So, it passes you off to a customer rep.  You
briefly explain why you're re-activating (short) and guarantee to them that
this software is only being used on one PC, and that's it.

CW

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Winterlight
Sent: Sunday, September 11, 2005 9:24 PM
To: The Hardware List
Subject: Re: [H] activation of XP questions

At 05:53 PM 9/11/2005, you wrote:
> >Why does everybody use the phone...why not the online activation?
>
>Here's a scrap that I picked up somewhere - not sure where:
>
>When you activate windows it gives you the option to do it automatically 
>or by phone.

So the first time is automated on the phone but you do it a week a month or 
later.. what happens then?
Does somebody come on the phone and start grilling you?

Re: [H] activation of XP questions

[FORC5]

you can save the file but AFAIK only works on clean
reinstalls with NO HW changes, never tested it.
I still think mother may I play SUCKS
has gone way past protection
fp
At 05:53 PM 9/11/2005, Robert Turnbull Poked the stick with:
>Why does everybody use the
phone...why not the online activation?
Here's a scrap that I picked up somewhere - not sure where:
When you activate windows it gives you the option to do it automatically
or by phone. If you do it automatically your computer sends an ID code to
Microsoft and if the code is accepted Microsoft sends back an activation
code which is stored in an encrypted file in the system32 folder
(wpa.dbl)
To get around this you should choose to activate by phone. This will open
a window giving you a phone number to call, an ID number, and a set of
blocks to type in the [WPA] key. When you call the number you get an
automated system that will ask you to read the ID number. If it accepts
the number it will give you the [WPA] key a few numbers at a time. it
will ask you if you got the numbers after each set and give you the
option to have them repeated. Just write down the numbers the first time
and ask to have them repeated and type them in the appropriate box the
second time. Keep doing that until you have all the numbers, and then
activate your windows installation. Keep the [WPA] key with your
installation disk and you can use it to activate windows as many times as
you want. Just choose activate by phone and type in the [WPA key you
saved].

Robert Turnbull, Toronto, Canada


-- 
Tallyho ! ]:8)
Taglines below !
--
Price of admission - your premise.

Re: [H] activation of XP questions

[Winterlight]

At 05:53 PM 9/11/2005, you wrote:

>Why does everybody use the phone...why not the online activation?

Here's a scrap that I picked up somewhere - not sure where:

When you activate windows it gives you the option to do it automatically 
or by phone.


So the first time is automated on the phone but you do it a week a month or 
later.. what happens then?

Does somebody come on the phone and start grilling you?

RE: [H] activation of XP questions

[rls]

that until you have all the numbers, and then activate your windows
"> installation. Keep the [WPA] key with your installation disk and you can
"> use it to activate windows as many times as you want. Just choose
"activate
"> by phone and type in the [WPA key you saved].
"
"This doesn't work, or at least It didn't work for me. The ID number (the
"one you give MS) is different every time, making the number MS gives you
"different,  every time.
"
"Al

That's what I think, I went through the trouble of writing it down, but as I
thought about it, I would guess MS has the 40 number generation thing tied
to the date and probably something else.

Bob

Re: [H] activation of XP questions

[Al]

Robert Turnbull <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Here's a scrap that I picked up somewhere - not sure where:
> 
> When you activate windows it gives you the option to do it automatically or 
> by phone. If you do it automatically your computer sends an ID code to 
> Microsoft and if the code is accepted Microsoft sends back an activation 
> code which is stored in an encrypted file in the system32 folder (wpa.dbl)
> To get around this you should choose to activate by phone. This will open a 
> window giving you a phone number to call, an ID number, and a set of blocks 
> to type in the [WPA] key. When you call the number you get an automated 
> system that will ask you to read the ID number. If it accepts the number it 
> will give you the [WPA] key a few numbers at a time. it will ask you if you 
> got the numbers after each set and give you the option to have them 
> repeated. Just write down the numbers the first time and ask to have them 
> repeated and type them in the appropriate box the second time. Keep doing 
> that until you have all the numbers, and then activate your windows 
> installation. Keep the [WPA] key with your installation disk and you can 
> use it to activate windows as many times as you want. Just choose activate 
> by phone and type in the [WPA key you saved].

This doesn't work, or at least It didn't work for me. The ID number (the
one you give MS) is different every time, making the number MS gives you
different,  every time.

Al

[H] activation of XP questions

[Robert Turnbull]

>Why does everybody use the phone...why not the online activation?

Here's a scrap that I picked up somewhere - not sure where:

When you activate windows it gives you the option to do it automatically or 
by phone. If you do it automatically your computer sends an ID code to 
Microsoft and if the code is accepted Microsoft sends back an activation 
code which is stored in an encrypted file in the system32 folder (wpa.dbl)
To get around this you should choose to activate by phone. This will open a 
window giving you a phone number to call, an ID number, and a set of blocks 
to type in the [WPA] key. When you call the number you get an automated 
system that will ask you to read the ID number. If it accepts the number it 
will give you the [WPA] key a few numbers at a time. it will ask you if you 
got the numbers after each set and give you the option to have them 
repeated. Just write down the numbers the first time and ask to have them 
repeated and type them in the appropriate box the second time. Keep doing 
that until you have all the numbers, and then activate your windows 
installation. Keep the [WPA] key with your installation disk and you can 
use it to activate windows as many times as you want. Just choose activate 
by phone and type in the [WPA key you saved].




Robert Turnbull, Toronto, Canada

RE: [H] activation of XP questions

[Chris Reeves]

We're assuming that online activation fails, and prompts you to contact
Microsoft by phone.

CW

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Winterlight
Sent: Sunday, September 11, 2005 6:57 PM
To: The Hardware List
Subject: RE: [H] activation of XP questions

Why does everybody use the phone...why not the online activation?

At 04:52 PM 9/11/2005, you wrote:
>At 07:18 PM 9/11/2005, rls typed:
>>The only reason I am trying to avoid this is that I have already
reactivated
>>the box 3 times this year, and I heard on the 4th you have to explain
>>yourself which I would like to avoid.
>
>Yikes. I never heard of anyone having to do it more than twice til now.
>
>Good Luck
>
>
>--+--
>Wayne D. Johnson
>Ashland, OH, USA 44805
>

RE: [H] activation of XP questions

[Winterlight]

Why does everybody use the phone...why not the online activation?

At 04:52 PM 9/11/2005, you wrote:

At 07:18 PM 9/11/2005, rls typed:

The only reason I am trying to avoid this is that I have already reactivated
the box 3 times this year, and I heard on the 4th you have to explain
yourself which I would like to avoid.


Yikes. I never heard of anyone having to do it more than twice til now.

Good Luck


--+--
   Wayne D. Johnson
Ashland, OH, USA 44805

RE: [H] activation of XP questions

[Wayne Johnson]

At 07:18 PM 9/11/2005, rls typed:

The only reason I am trying to avoid this is that I have already reactivated
the box 3 times this year, and I heard on the 4th you have to explain
yourself which I would like to avoid.


Yikes. I never heard of anyone having to do it more than twice til now.

Good Luck


--+--
   Wayne D. Johnson
Ashland, OH, USA 44805
 

RE: [H] activation of XP questions

[rls]

The only reason I am trying to avoid this is that I have already reactivated
the box 3 times this year, and I heard on the 4th you have to explain
yourself which I would like to avoid.

"-Original Message-
"From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:hardware-
"[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Greg Sevart
"Sent: Saturday, September 10, 2005 9:02 PM
"To: The Hardware List
"Subject: Re: [H] activation of XP questions
"
"Yeah--just put all of your shit in at once and tell MS you upgraded. Seems
"like a whole lot less work than all that crap.
"
"Greg
"
"- Original Message -
"From: "rls" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
"To: "'The Hardware List'" 
"Sent: Saturday, September 10, 2005 7:23 PM
"Subject: [H] activation of XP questions
"
"
"> Really don't want to have to go through the re-activation on XP - have
"new
"> CPU (but both are AMD 939 - one is just a bit faster though),
"Motherboard,
"> video card, and memory // with motherboard will also be new NIC.
">
"> So I could stage this install if it would help.
">
"> Before I start, would it help if I uninstalled the NIC before the swap?
">
">
"> Ok I can start with the new motherboard and use the old cpu, current
"> cd/dvd
"> drives, same amt of memory amount ( I guess its not brand just amount
"will
"> install 1 stick of 1 gig not 2 @ 512) , obviously use the old hard drive.
">
"> According to my understanding of reactivation scheme -
"> to start with it will be new video
"> New nic,
"> IDE controller serial number
">
"> So my number is only 3 and I am thinking that my cpu change should only
"> account for 1 not 2 points that I might include that in the first
"> iteration.
">
"> Then in the course of the week add the additional memory, swap a DVD-ram
"> for
"> the cd writer and DVD player. I have seen no references that one has to
"> wait
"> any predetermined amount of time between updates.
">
"> Am I missing something?  Any other suggestions?
">
"> Thanks
">
">

RE: [H] Toshiba Satellite 3000 inverter card

[Neil Davidson]

Interesting. My boss had a Toshiba laptop and the screen died on it like you
describe, I'll take a look at these sites at work tomorrow. No idea if the
laptop is still in the office but I'll do some digging.

> -Original Message-
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of 
> Robert Turnbull
> Sent: 11 September 2005 18:26
> To: hardware@hardwaregroup.com
> Subject: [H] Toshiba Satellite 3000 inverter card
> 
> There is a little more information available about the 
> inverter card issue.
> 
> Apparently there was a class action lawsuit against Toshiba 
> relating to the inverter  problem.
> 
> 
> This apparently caused Toshiba to recognize the inverter 
> problem for some models.
> See:
> which spells out how to get the inverter replaced without 
> charge for notebooks of the Satellite 1800 series, Satellite 
> Pro 4600 series, and the Tecra 8100.
> The warranty is extended to May 4, 2006 for the inverter even 
> where the main warranty has expired.
> 
> I have found nothing relating to the other Toshiba notebook 
> models that have this problem. Perhaps Toshiba is 
> sufficiently shy about the class action lawsuit risk that it 
> can be pressured into correcting the problem in individual cases.
> 
> Best wishes
> 
> 
> 
> Robert Turnbull, Toronto, Canada
> 

RE: [H] LiveCD question

[nobozoz]

No kidding! I've been trying for nearly two years.

Tom's had advice for AMI BIOS and Phoenix BIOS - great, but what about Award
BIOS. Every PC I have access to is Award BIOS.

Does that mean I'm SOL to boot from a USB memory stick from the get-go?

_jim

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Wayne Johnson
Sent: Sunday, September 11, 2005 8:29 AM
To: The Hardware List
Subject: Re: [H] LiveCD question


At 11:03 AM 9/11/2005, Brian Weeden typed:
>But you might also want to take a look at this article
>which uses WinPE to do an  XP install on a USB thumbdrive:
>http://www.tomshardware.com/howto/20050909/index.html

Sorry but it's not WinPE but rather Bart's PEBuilder aka BartPE. Bart
goes thru great pains to distinguish his product from WinPE on his
website . Even Tom seems to indicate
that this procedure is problematic & take from moi'  it is. I've
tried for the past year & have yet to get a successful USB thumbdrive
to even boot not to mention booting BartPE or even my own incarnation aka
XpPe.


---+--
   a Windows Xp based
Diagnostic & Recovery CD
  

[H] Toshiba Satellite 3000 inverter card

[Robert Turnbull]

There is a little more information available about the inverter card issue.

Apparently there was a class action lawsuit against Toshiba relating to the 
inverter  problem.



This apparently caused Toshiba to recognize the inverter problem for some 
models.

See:
which spells out how to get the inverter replaced without charge for 
notebooks of the Satellite 1800 series, Satellite Pro 4600 series, and the 
Tecra 8100.
The warranty is extended to May 4, 2006 for the inverter even where the 
main warranty has expired.


I have found nothing relating to the other Toshiba notebook models that 
have this problem. Perhaps Toshiba is sufficiently shy about the class 
action lawsuit risk that it can be pressured into correcting the problem in 
individual cases.


Best wishes



Robert Turnbull, Toronto, Canada

RE: [H] LiveCD question

[Neil Davidson]

And from the UK. Not that make any logical difference for this sort of
thing, but I like to support my fellow countryman anyway :) 

> -Original Message-
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of JRS
> Sent: 11 September 2005 17:02
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; The Hardware List
> Subject: Re: [H] LiveCD question
> 
> 
> Looks pretty sweet..  :)
> Says it copies entire HD's as well, and is freeware.
> 
> >>Another alternative is Partition Logic, a free program with much of 
> >>the utility of PartitionMagic and can be booted from either 
> a floppy 
> >>or CD:
> >>http://partitionlogic.org.uk/
> -- 
> 
> JRS   <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Please remove  **X**  to reply...
> 
> Facts do not cease to exist just
> because they are ignored.
> 

RE: [H] LiveCD question

[Neil Davidson]

Thanks for that Brian. I haven't used any Linux partitioning tools, but if
they are GUI based I would be able to get my head round them :)

I might actually have a look at BartPE, I think there is a tool called
WinXPLite or something as well that can strip down windows and put it on a
removable device, could be useful to keep around

Just fired up the Partition logic site though, looks and sounds very
promising.

Had a search for these sorts of things a while ago but came up blank, thanks
for the links.

N. 

> -Original Message-
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Brian Weeden
> Sent: 11 September 2005 16:03
> To: The Hardware List
> Subject: Re: [H] LiveCD question
> 
> If you are familiar with the Linux partitioning tools I 
> believe either Knoppix STD http://www.knoppix-std.org/
> 
> or Ubuntu
> http://www.ubuntulinux.org/
> 
> would work.  But you might also want to take a look at this 
> article which uses WinPE to do an  XP install on a USB thumbdrive:
> http://www.tomshardware.com/howto/20050909/index.html
> 
> Another alternative is Partition Logic, a free program with 
> much of the utility of PartitionMagic and can be booted from 
> either a floppy or CD:
> http://partitionlogic.org.uk/
> 
> --
> Brian
> 

Re: [H] LiveCD question

[JRS]

Looks pretty sweet..  :)  
Says it copies entire HD's as well, and is freeware.

>>Another alternative is Partition Logic, a free program with much of
>>the utility of PartitionMagic and can be booted from either a floppy
>>or CD:
>>http://partitionlogic.org.uk/
-- 

JRS   <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Please remove  **X**  to reply...

Facts do not cease to exist just
because they are ignored.

Re: [H] activation of XP questions

[chuck]

- Original Message - 
From: "rls" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

To: "'The Hardware List'" 
Sent: Saturday, September 10, 2005 8:23 PM
Subject: [H] activation of XP questions


Then in the course of the week add the additional memory, swap a DVD-ram 
for
the cd writer and DVD player. I have seen no references that one has to 
wait

any predetermined amount of time between updates.

Am I missing something?  Any other suggestions?



It is not a question of re-activation but of whether you will have to call 
Microsoft or not. You will have to reactivate any clean (I have no 
experience with overlays as all of my installs are clean, on a formatted 
partition) install of Windows XP.


The points system has meant nothing to me. I often have to call Microsoft 
when there is absolutely no change in hardware. If you are not ready to call 
Microsoft, do not do the install, is my advice.


Chuck 

Re: [H] LiveCD question

[Wayne Johnson]

At 11:03 AM 9/11/2005, Brian Weeden typed:

But you might also want to take a look at this article
which uses WinPE to do an  XP install on a USB thumbdrive:
http://www.tomshardware.com/howto/20050909/index.html


Sorry but it's not WinPE but rather Bart's PEBuilder aka BartPE. Bart 
goes thru great pains to distinguish his product from WinPE on his 
website . Even Tom seems to indicate 
that this procedure is problematic & take from moi'  it is. I've 
tried for the past year & have yet to get a successful USB thumbdrive 
to even boot not to mention booting BartPE or even my own incarnation aka XpPe.



---+--
  a Windows Xp based
Diagnostic & Recovery CD
  

Re: [H] LiveCD question

[Brian Weeden]

If you are familiar with the Linux partitioning tools I believe either
Knoppix STD
http://www.knoppix-std.org/

or Ubuntu
http://www.ubuntulinux.org/

would work.  But you might also want to take a look at this article
which uses WinPE to do an  XP install on a USB thumbdrive:
http://www.tomshardware.com/howto/20050909/index.html

Another alternative is Partition Logic, a free program with much of
the utility of PartitionMagic and can be booted from either a floppy
or CD:
http://partitionlogic.org.uk/

-- 
Brian

[H] LiveCD question

[Neil Davidson]

I know there are a lot of live cd project around at the moment, I'd like
some advice on which one would be best for a particular task.

I want to replace the 5400rpm drive in my laptop with a nice 7200rpm Hitachi
one I have sitting here. They are both 60gig and all I want to do it binary
copy the partitions from one disk to another. All are NTFS. What is the
easiest way to do this?

I know partition magic would have allowed me to do it, but I don't have a
windows desktop to put the drives in and I don't think it supports
USB/Firewire devices (at least not for this and not the last version I used
anyway).

Suggestions?

Oh yeah, I'd personally prefer a graphical interface for it, I don't trust
myself with command lines for things like this :)

Thanks.

N.