Install extra RAM = unable to (re)activate VISTA

In repsonse to all the Doom and Gloom being expressed in this thread, here's my summary comment:


schoenda said:
...I thought it would be simple too...I hope you never have to walk this mile in my shoes.....
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The only real problem here is a communication one. There is an apparent inability to effectively communicate with call centre personnel. There is also a possible mistake made by initially ringing the wrong number.



I won't personally envisage this being any problem to me at all, even if I add more RAM tomorrow rather than later on when I plan to. This whole problem is really little more than an inability to understand what people with accents other than your own are saying. I don't have a problem communicating with people who have thick accents of various types, and polite requests always draw clarification anyway. Calls to MS call centres have never been anything other than pleasant for me.

At times I've had to wait until an employee consulted a supervisor, because I've requested something out of the ordinary. But you get that. Call centres are simply part of the background of daily life nowadays.
 
FUD = Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt.

It's misinformation which is spread by people who don't really understand what they're talking about, and which casues others to worry.
 
atherton213 said:
crap ive got 1gb in my system now and just had to RMA my other gig caue the stick was bad..... well ive already activated vista

:( ughhh i dont want to reinstall i just finished install all my programs and downloading stuff
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Why would you have to reinstall? You will have to reactivate Vista over the phone but not reinstall it.
 
Catweazle said:
I don't have a problem communicating with people who have thick accents of various types,
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Then you've never talked to a Scotsman from the highlands. I'm English and even I can't understand some of them.
 
Gatticus said:
Then you've never talked to a Scotsman from the highlands. I'm English and even I can't understand some of them.
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That point I'll happily concede.


I also have a brother-in-law twice removed or somesuch who doesn't so much have an 'accent' as a manner of speech picked up during 10 years incarceration in a South Australian jail. He's a big, rough-looking bastard who mumbles really softly and exceptionally fast. It gets worse when he's drunk. Most people take one look at him and decide to simply nod at seemingly appropriate points.

I've often worried, when drunk myself, that I'd end up finding myself bent over a tabletop with my trousers around my ankles because I nodded at the wrong time!
 
I installed Vista x64 Home Prem OEM on 2nd of Feb and activated it that same day. Since that time the only thing I have done are the updates from Microsoft for Vista and Office 2003, I installed Nvidias 100.59 and the latest nForce drivers for my a8n sli-prem, which I did yesturday. Upon booting the system today I got a nice little message saying that my hardware had changed and I would require reactivation. I didn't change one piece of hardware or install any new hardware since installation on the 2nd of Feb. I was forced to call the activation centre, as my key became invalid, where they asked if this was the only machine that was running Vista, I said yes and the lady dictated the 48 numbers and I was re-activated.

I am at a loss to as why I had to reactivate, only thing I can think of is from updating nforce drivers to the latest release and the drivers vista were using previously could not read whatever it is using to decide if my system has changed properly. I am not too impressed that I was forced to call and reactivate and I am wondering upon the next version of these drivers if the same thing is going to happen again. In any case learned my lesson to watch for that activation box and wait until I have sorted the machine out with proper drivers etc first. Upgrading the wifes machine in the next couple of days and will definately be using the 30 days before activating this time to save some hassel.
 
Wind said:
I installed Vista x64 Home Prem OEM on 2nd of Feb and activated it that same day. Since that time the only thing I have done are the updates from Microsoft for Vista and Office 2003, I installed Nvidias 100.59 and the latest nForce drivers for my a8n sli-prem, which I did yesturday. Upon booting the system today I got a nice little message saying that my hardware had changed and I would require reactivation. I didn't change one piece of hardware or install any new hardware since installation on the 2nd of Feb. I was forced to call the activation centre, as my key became invalid, where they asked if this was the only machine that was running Vista, I said yes and the lady dictated the 48 numbers and I was re-activated.

I am at a loss to as why I had to reactivate, only thing I can think of is from updating nforce drivers to the latest release and the drivers vista were using previously could not read whatever it is using to decide if my system has changed properly. I am not too impressed that I was forced to call and reactivate and I am wondering upon the next version of these drivers if the same thing is going to happen again. In any case learned my lesson to watch for that activation box and wait until I have sorted the machine out with proper drivers etc first. Upgrading the wifes machine in the next couple of days and will definately be using the 30 days before activating this time to save some hassel.
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I was afraid of that. Vista's activation feature is worst than XP's.

I thought MS would have loose up the rules on vista due to WGA.
 
FWIW -

Installed Vista Business (from powertogether) then three days later reformatted, reinstalled with the same key no problems - activated fine. A few days after 2nd activation installed new nvidia drivers so far no prob. Going to add RAM & a new HDD soon so I'm sure I'll have to call the activation line.
 
I just love how Microsoft thinks it's cool to give all us legit consumers aggro just because someone stole an apple from their cart. Well, it ain't cool with me.
 
i think it might be due to the fact that ram does have serial numbers that can be read by regular software .. windows might not have liked that.. but either way, activation blows!
 
The only real problem here is a communication one. There is an apparent inability to effectively communicate with call centre personnel. There is also a possible mistake made by initially ringing the wrong number.

ABSOLUTELY! When I initially called I said, "I have added some RAM now Vista says I cannot reactivate"....5 transfers later, after repeating my inital statement like a mantra to all the very polite useless people and they think they have figured something out when, upon consultation with thier supervisors thay are able to come up with, "Your problem is that you have changed your hardware and so you cannot activate windows." @$%#@%$#!@ OK...this is what took an hour...I am sure these people are good people and would make very nice neighbors...if I lived in Calcutta that it. Problem is that either they completely lack a grasp of English or they are stupid. That is all.

AS for ringling the wrong number, yes...I called customer support when what I wanted was costomer support. Hmmm
 
That's it, you see. When you choose to 'Activate by telephone' for microsoft products you get presented with (if you have regional settings configured) the appropriate telephone number to ring. Call that one and you get people who KNOW you're ringing to sort out an activation problem.
 
Customer support. Unless you are complaining about an activation issue. In that latter circumstance it'd make sense to ring the Activation Centre and ask to speak with a supervisor ;)
 
Wind said:
I installed Vista x64 Home Prem OEM on 2nd of Feb and activated it that same day. Since that time the only thing I have done are the updates from Microsoft for Vista and Office 2003, I installed Nvidias 100.59 and the latest nForce drivers for my a8n sli-prem, which I did yesturday. Upon booting the system today I got a nice little message saying that my hardware had changed and I would require reactivation. I didn't change one piece of hardware or install any new hardware since installation on the 2nd of Feb. I was forced to call the activation centre, as my key became invalid, where they asked if this was the only machine that was running Vista, I said yes and the lady dictated the 48 numbers and I was re-activated.

I am at a loss to as why I had to reactivate, only thing I can think of is from updating nforce drivers to the latest release and the drivers vista were using previously could not read whatever it is using to decide if my system has changed properly. I am not too impressed that I was forced to call and reactivate and I am wondering upon the next version of these drivers if the same thing is going to happen again. In any case learned my lesson to watch for that activation box and wait until I have sorted the machine out with proper drivers etc first. Upgrading the wifes machine in the next couple of days and will definately be using the 30 days before activating this time to save some hassel.
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Quick question, and one of the first things you should do with any microsoft OS, did you reboot? I had a similar thing happen with a reactive box popping up when I hadn't made any changes. I rebooted and it disappeared. Windows, from 3.1 to XP, have small glitches like this and surprisingly most of the time a reboot will fix things. Might want to try that first before going through the hassle of calling in to reactivate next time.
 
Lol, Duke, I was going to post the exact same thing.

Now they may have OTHER problems, but not ones related to activation.

It's like with DRM in Vista - want to watch HD-DVD movies on your non-HDCP monitor? Well, you're screwed, sorry, please download the HD Xvid from the torrent site of your choice.
 
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