What the heck? I have exceeded my # of times I can activate Windows?

B

bobsaget

Supreme [H]ardness
Joined
Jan 24, 2004
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I like to reinstall WinXP Home every few months. I just did it right now. But, when I try and activate it, it says that I have exceeded the number of times that I can activate windows. This might be about my fifth time reinstalling Windows. It says that it needs a different CDKey or something like that.

How do I get my windows activated?

BTW: this copy if 100% legit... ;)



Thank you!
 
*IF* it is in fact a legit copy, just call them up. they'll ask you a few questions like "how many computers have you installed it on", "why did you re-install", "Have you installed it on any other computers" (realize this is basically a re-wording of the first question as they're trying to trip you up in case you're retarded).

just answer the questions and they'll give you another long assed code to put in.

I've found that if you wait a few months between installs, it works online no probs. I've re-installed my copy 4 times now, and each time was at least 2-3 months in between.
 
This might help.

Basically, high frequency registers to Microsoft as being installed and activated on multiple machines, something you can clear up by calling them.
 
cool, I called them and I got it activated... no questions, nothing at all... ;)


Thanks for the help guys!
 
yeah, i have to call every time now... no big deal.. i just say i got a new motherboard or hard drive or something.. (to avoid the "are you sure you didnt steal this off the intarweb" questions). never had any problems yet.. called about 9-10 times now
 
When building my HTPC, I installed XP and activated it. Then when installing stuff I messed up and dicided to start over. I think I did that 4 or 5 times within two days. Finally I didn't reactivate it until I was 100% sure it was ready. Never had it reject an reinstall yet on any of my computers.

I've heard that the MS database flushes your cd key out 6 months after activation, so theoretically you could install it on a different machine after that happens. I don't know if it's true or not.

There used to be a way to make a backup of the file containing hardware profile so you didn't have to reactivate after a format if your hardware hasn't changed. I don't rmember what the file was, or if it still works.
 
jimnms said:
There used to be a way to make a backup of the file containing hardware profile so you didn't have to reactivate after a format if your hardware hasn't changed. I don't rmember what the file was, or if it still works.
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Norton Ghost
 
jimnms said:
When building my HTPC, I installed XP and activated it. Then when installing stuff I messed up and dicided to start over. I think I did that 4 or 5 times within two days. Finally I didn't reactivate it until I was 100% sure it was ready. Never had it reject an reinstall yet on any of my computers.

I've heard that the MS database flushes your cd key out 6 months after activation, so theoretically you could install it on a different machine after that happens. I don't know if it's true or not.

There used to be a way to make a backup of the file containing hardware profile so you didn't have to reactivate after a format if your hardware hasn't changed. I don't rmember what the file was, or if it still works.
Click to expand...

I believe the "flushing" bit is true, altho I don't know the exact amount of months. I have an OEM version of XP and installed it on two computers (I could reformat a week later and reactive online without any probs), but installing it on more wouldn't work. So, a year goes by I think, ah what the hell I'll try installing it on a new PC I'm building. The result is it activated fine.
 
Falls Included said:
yeah, i have to call every time now... no big deal.. i just say i got a new motherboard or hard drive or something.. (to avoid the "are you sure you didnt steal this off the intarweb" questions). never had any problems yet.. called about 9-10 times now
Click to expand...

FYI, telling them you got a new motherboard might make them tell you its a different computer and you can't activate anymore. The motherboard is the one piece of hardware where they actually consider you having a new machine.
 
OldPueblo said:
FYI, telling them you got a new motherboard might make them tell you its a different computer and you can't activate anymore. The motherboard is the one piece of hardware where they actually consider you having a new machine.
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but that shouldn't matter since you've actually paid for the copy of XP in the first place. They shouldn't care if you're installing it on a "new" machine (as they see it) as long as you're not installing it on more than one machine.
 
nst6563 said:
but that shouldn't matter since you've actually paid for the copy of XP in the first place. They shouldn't care if you're installing it on a "new" machine (as they see it) as long as you're not installing it on more than one machine.
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Read the license, your copy of XP is only good for one machine. If you gut your machine and replace all the parts, even just the main components, its a new machine. I don't like it either, but its business and its a valid point. We see it as "I only have one machine at a time" and they see it as "Technically you have two now because you have your old hardware and your new hardware, and you should buy two copies of XP. You deciding to completely replace your system has nothing to do with us." Don't get me wrong, they are very lenient generally as demonstrated by them not cracking down on you when you told them that. A lot of people don't understand that MS on paper is incredibly anal, yet in real life they tend to be very lenient. The paper ALLOWS them to crack down when and how they want if the need arrives.
 
OldPueblo said:
Read the license, your copy of XP is only good for one machine. If you gut your machine and replace all the parts, even just the main components, its a new machine. I don't like it either, but its business and its a valid point. We see it as "I only have one machine at a time" and they see it as "Technically you have two now because you have your old hardware and your new hardware, and you should buy two copies of XP. You deciding to completely replace your system has nothing to do with us." Don't get me wrong, they are very lenient generally as demonstrated by them not cracking down on you when you told them that. A lot of people don't understand that MS on paper is incredibly anal, yet in real life they tend to be very lenient. The paper ALLOWS them to crack down when and how they want if the need arrives.
Click to expand...

That is not what the licsense says that I agreed to. One machine is One active machine. The software is NOT and can NOT be legally mated to the hardware with the exception of OEM crap.

I bought a Full XP Pro copy, I can have only one copy activated on any one machine at a time. However if that machine burns to the ground, I can then install that copy on another machine without problems. MS may seem lenient to you, but they better not push on that because it is against the LAW. No where in the contract of opening that package can the software mate to one unique machine and never transfer.
 
m1abram said:
That is not what the licsense says that I agreed to. One machine is One active machine. The software is NOT and can NOT be legally mated to the hardware with the exception of OEM crap.

I bought a Full XP Pro copy, I can have only one copy activated on any one machine at a time. However if that machine burns to the ground, I can then install that copy on another machine without problems. MS may seem lenient to you, but they better not push on that because it is against the LAW. No where in the contract of opening that package can the software mate to one unique machine and never transfer.
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You are right, retail and volume copies are transferrable. I should've specified OEM when I said that. Does it say how many times? I've always meant to look it up, but have never gotten to it...
 
The motherboard issue only comes into play when dealing with the OEM versions of the software, else you can legally transfer the OS to another system provided you uninstall it from the other system.
 
1 machine=oem
any machine, 1 at a time=retail

That's 1 reason your getting a cheaper license for OEM, support is the other...

edit: the above is not exact detail, the whole machine isn't what's qualified in the OEM agreement, it's certian hardware, but that's the basic jist.
 
Never had an issue here. I did have to call once, but on my last format install, it activated online just fine. I have had the same OEM copy from, believe it or not, the first day OEM copies were available. It has been on 4 different machines, but only on one machine at a time.
 
EnderW said:
Norton Ghost
Click to expand...

Um, no. I was saying there is a file you used to be able to save from the windows directory, and as long as your hardware hasn't changed you could format and replace the file without reactivating.
 
Someone please dig Teddy Roosevelt up, put him on his horse, and point him at Redmond WA.

I'd be screaming for breakup, jail sentences, etc.... but then I realize it will be so much funnier down the road when China whips out a clone of Windows.... ThePeople'sOS... (using MSofts own sourcecode from the engineers they outsourced to China) and just starts selling it for $10/copy worldwide.

Then MSoft can sue, and like China would give a rats ass. By the time the court cases around the world found China to be big and bad copyright/patent infringement boy, the damage will be done and MSoft will dissolve from within. Kinda like what MSoft has done a hundred times over to various little players who they step on like a bug.

So go ahead and play acitvation games with your customers, in the end we'll all be laughing and typing away on ThePeople'sOS. Comrades :D
 
uwackme said:
So go ahead and play acitvation games with your customers, in the end we'll all be laughing and typing away on ThePeople'sOS. Comrades :D
Click to expand...

Not if you've got volume licenses for the software........ :p
 
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