"XP Guy" wrote:

> I'm trying to help someone long-distance who started getting the "your
> installation of XP is not genuine" message last week.
>
> Today I told them to ignore the message, and download the XP product key
> update tool from here:
>
> http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=50346&clcid=0x409
>
> And follow the instructions to install a new product key (brand-new key,
> never before used).
>
> They did that, and the program did not give any error messages. It asked
> (or wanted) the system to be rebooted, and it was.
>
> Upon rebooting, I believe the XP product activation service came up, and
> asked the user if they wanted to register and validate or just validate
> the system. User chose validate over the internet. This did not work. It
> resulted in this message:
>
> - 45106
> - Activation period has expired
>
> I told the user to go to the telephone registration option and select
> "change key". User typed in new key (again) and it took it, but still
> resulted in same message as above.
>
> Why does this happen?
>
> I've tested the product activation tool on an identical system (using
> different keys) and it worked (even the product activation step after
> rebooting). The difference is that the identical system had not
> triggered or was not in the
> "your-installation-of-windows-may-not-be-genuine" mode.
>
> What steps do I need to talk the user through in order to resolve this?
>
> Is the complete telephonic registration method more reliable and known
> to work in these situations?
>
> Or do I have to tell them to boot into safe mode and play around with
> registry keys?
>

"Andrew E." <eckric***@msn.com> wrote in message
news:E9BDF7A7-C44E-47D1-A164-3EB0BF04E420@microsoft.com...
>  You skiped a major part in telephone activation..Dont use the internet
> conn-
> ection to validate,in telephone,once xp has rejected the
> numbers/letters,leave
> screen as is,call microsoft activation,the number is.888 571 2048  It will
> ask
> to re enter data,probably will reject it also,however at that point,it'll
> connect
> you to a live rep.who will give new activation data to them for xp...
>
> "XP Guy" wrote:
>
>> I'm trying to help someone long-distance who started getting the "your
>> installation of XP is not genuine" message last week.
>>
>> Today I told them to ignore the message, and download the XP product key
>> update tool from here:
>>
>> http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=50346&clcid=0x409
>>
>> And follow the instructions to install a new product key (brand-new key,
>> never before used).
>>
>> They did that, and the program did not give any error messages. It asked
>> (or wanted) the system to be rebooted, and it was.
>>
>> Upon rebooting, I believe the XP product activation service came up, and
>> asked the user if they wanted to register and validate or just validate
>> the system. User chose validate over the internet. This did not work. It
>> resulted in this message:
>>
>> - 45106
>> - Activation period has expired
>>
>> I told the user to go to the telephone registration option and select
>> "change key". User typed in new key (again) and it took it, but still
>> resulted in same message as above.
>>
>> Why does this happen?
>>
>> I've tested the product activation tool on an identical system (using
>> different keys) and it worked (even the product activation step after
>> rebooting). The difference is that the identical system had not
>> triggered or was not in the
>> "your-installation-of-windows-may-not-be-genuine" mode.
>>
>> What steps do I need to talk the user through in order to resolve this?
>>
>> Is the complete telephonic registration method more reliable and known
>> to work in these situations?
>>
>> Or do I have to tell them to boot into safe mode and play around with
>> registry keys?
>>

> I have legally purchased a copy of XP Pro when it came out, and everytime I
> have to reinstall, I have to contact Microsoft to be interrogated about when
> and how I purchased my copy of Windows XP Professional.
>
> I cannot stand their darn activation process.  If I purchased a legal copy,
> why can't I install it 10 million times?
>
> I know, legally, it's their software, but do you know how much of a pain in
> the butt it is to go through this process?  And especially when the folks
> from India pick up the phone and ask me stuff they should be asking
> criminals.
>
> My next OS with be a Mac OS, or maybe, Unix.
>
> I love Windows XP and do not want to switch, but if I have to contact them
> every single time I have to reinstall, and explain to them why, being
> humiliated, I'd rather go elsewhere.
>
--

> I have legally purchased a copy of XP Pro when it came out, and
> everytime I have to reinstall, I have to contact Microsoft to be
> interrogated about when and how I purchased my copy of Windows XP
> Professional.
> I cannot stand their darn activation process.  If I purchased a
> legal copy, why can't I install it 10 million times?
>
> I know, legally, it's their software, but do you know how much of a
> pain in the butt it is to go through this process?  And especially
> when the folks from India pick up the phone and ask me stuff they
> should be asking criminals.
>
> My next OS with be a Mac OS, or maybe, Unix.
>
> I love Windows XP and do not want to switch, but if I have to
> contact them every single time I have to reinstall, and explain to
> them why, being humiliated, I'd rather go elsewhere.