XP Activation

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scj6771

Weaksauce
Joined
Jan 18, 2004
Messages
68
I have imaged countless laptops over the years using PowerQuest Deploy Center, I have never ran into many issues untill lately, after imaging a few IBM X40 laptops running Windows XP and deploying that image onto other X40'S I can't get those machine to activate XP, I am using the correct key codes and still it tells me that the code is wrong, so I figured I would use the IBM restore option to bring the machine back to it's factory state and image the machine with an older X40 image that I know works, yet still even after restoring the older image I get the same error when I try to activate windows, what is causing this? why would it still have this problem even after restoring it back to factory and then re-imaging? could I re-run Sysprep?
 
If you are using ghost to deploy images to multiple machines you need to use the VLA version of XP that doesn't have activation. It will save your company $ on licensing too.

I have never activated windows XP because of this. :)


 
Phoenix86 said:
I have never activated windows XP because of this. :)
Click to expand...

Lucky bastard. I've gotten stuck with it a good dozen times while helping someone that couldn't figure out how to install it, and every time it gets more annoying.

I think they did it just to mess with the Geek Squad & other quasi-tech shops. At least in an ideal world that would be why.
 
ashmedai said:
Lucky bastard. I've gotten stuck with it a good dozen times while helping someone that couldn't figure out how to install it, and every time it gets more annoying.

I think they did it just to mess with the Geek Squad & other quasi-tech shops. At least in an ideal world that would be why.
Click to expand...
Heh, the couple of friends that I actually help with their machines that have XP activated it themselves. Well, they also installed the OS and the hardware (help, did I say help, I meant supervise)... :cool:

 
I've activated many copies for other people who have gotten new machines, and it's been painless everytime. However, in your case, you definitely should be using VLK copies. I am very thankful to have my VLK license because it does take one step out of creating new machines, and does make the imaging process easier.
 
I have found a way around the situation thanks to Tapeuup,

Double-click My Computer
Double-click on the "C" drive
Go to the C:\Windows\System32 folder (you may have to click on the link that says "Show The contents of this folder")
Find the files "wpa.dbl" and "wpa.bak" and copy them to a safe location. You can copy them on a floppy drive or burn it onto a CD or DVD.
After you have reinstalled Windows XP on your reformatted hard drive, click "No" when asked if you want to go ahead and go through the activation process
Reboot your computer into SafeMode (you can either press F8 as Windows is booting up to see the Windows Advanced Options menu and select SAFEBOOT_OPTION=Minimal or follow the instructions in Starting Windows XP in SafeMode
Double-click My Computer
Double-click on the "C" drive
Go to the C:\Windows\System32 folder (you may have to click on the link that says "Show The contents of this folder")
Find the file "wpa.dbl" and "wpa.bak" (if it exists) and rename them to "wpadbl.new" and "wpabak.new"
Copy your original "wpa.dbl" and "wpa.bak" files from your floppy disk, CD or DVD into the C:\Windows\System32 folder
Restart your system (if you followed the directions in Starting Windows XP in SafeMode you may need to go back into MSCONFIG to turn off booting into SafeMode)
 
scjwhatever, is correct.... just use one from an image that work3d and overwrite the old in dos or safemode. Its just that easy. You gotta know this if your doing large image restores and crap... Cause no one likes calling microsoft to talk to some indian dude, that asks you why you are reinstalling the os... duh
 
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