Solve : Windows Product Activation Problem?

1.	Solve : Windows Product Activation Problem?
Answer» I recently received a Windows Product Activation window on start-up. It said that I had recently added new hardware - which I did not. So the window says that Windows must be activated before I log on. Y or N I hit Y and another window pops up saying that Windows is already activated, hit OK (the only option) I hit OK and I get the original window back again. If I hit N on the original window, the window still comes back again. Help??Did you contact MS ? ? Seems this issue pops up from time to time here... They have a Toll Free activation issue # depending on where you are geographically...OK, but I've had XP for over 5 years and I don't have the original CDs nor the sign on activation code. Perhaps it would be simpler to install my cloned C: drive from a month ago.No need to do so...they will fix it on a phone call... Quote Perhaps it would be simpler to install my cloned C: drive from a month ago. You likely reached the 30 days on this cloned not original drive and got locked out of your system as a result of this on that drive. This newer drive was the hardware change, but for some reason it thinks its activated and yet also thinks that it is not. Seen this before with cloning drives on occasion. You have 30 days of use in non microsoft activated state to use the system. Usually you are warned repeatedly via pop ups to register and activate with microsoft. But once the limit is reached it pretty much bricks itself into the state you currently have it in with that other drive. If you are unable to enter an activation code or new KEY anywheres then it may be that the clone copied with a small amount of corruption, so its a broken copy of Windows. On one occasion I brought a system back from an image and used it for a day and didnt activate it because I didnt think I had to from image state. Shut system down, life got busy, went to fire up this computer over 30 days later and faced the same issue where it was non functional, however I was able to activate it clicking on an option which brought up a phone number to call and a series of boxes for the activation code to be entered in. After the phone call to India trying to understand some gentlemen with very poor english I was able to activate and be back up and running. But if you have no option for activation code etc then its best to swap drives back and create a new backup of this original system. The good thing is that even though you dont have your original CDs you still have this one healthy (original) drive which activation should not be broken on. BTW... what software did you use to clone the drive? Acronis software - supposedly the best. Thanks Dave for your DETAILED reply. I'll swap the drive FIRST, since yes, the current drive is a clone, but then I made a clone of the current drive on my "original" drive, so we'll see what happens. But like Patio said, if all else fails, I'll call MS and hope for the best.Your a phone call away ...if you dont wanna go thru all that.I'm a phone call away, but without a product code, I don't think they'll help me. I don't have an ID number or anything.I made the call. They tried to get in with safe mode, that didn't work. Then the guy said I have to reinstall windows. Well I already KNEW that was an option, but without a CD I'm stuck. So he offered to help me if I PAID $145 - censored, I could buy a new copy of Windows for a lot less than that! Time to install the clone.Sorry to hear that. I'd make another clone of that clone when you get a chance. Just in case 30 days from now your back in deja vu. Hopefully you wont be!Just installed the clone. Runs like a charm. I'll clone it ASAP. If it happens again, I'll know what to do. Thanks Dave!

Answer»

I recently received a Windows Product Activation window on start-up. It said that I had recently added new hardware - which I did not.

So the window says that Windows must be activated before I log on. Y or N

I hit Y and another window pops up saying that Windows is already activated, hit OK (the only option)

I hit OK and I get the original window back again.

If I hit N on the original window, the window still comes back again.

Help??Did you contact MS ? ?
Seems this issue pops up from time to time here...
They have a Toll Free activation issue # depending on where you are geographically...OK, but I've had XP for over 5 years and I don't have the original CDs nor the sign on activation code.

Perhaps it would be simpler to install my cloned C: drive from a month ago.No need to do so...they will fix it on a phone call... Quote

Perhaps it would be simpler to install my cloned C: drive from a month ago.

You likely reached the 30 days on this cloned not original drive and got locked out of your system as a result of this on that drive. This newer drive was the hardware change, but for some reason it thinks its activated and yet also thinks that it is not. Seen this before with cloning drives on occasion. You have 30 days of use in non microsoft activated state to use the system. Usually you are warned repeatedly via pop ups to register and activate with microsoft. But once the limit is reached it pretty much bricks itself into the state you currently have it in with that other drive. If you are unable to enter an activation code or new KEY anywheres then it may be that the clone copied with a small amount of corruption, so its a broken copy of Windows.

On one occasion I brought a system back from an image and used it for a day and didnt activate it because I didnt think I had to from image state. Shut system down, life got busy, went to fire up this computer over 30 days later and faced the same issue where it was non functional, however I was able to activate it clicking on an option which brought up a phone number to call and a series of boxes for the activation code to be entered in. After the phone call to India trying to understand some gentlemen with very poor english I was able to activate and be back up and running. But if you have no option for activation code etc then its best to swap drives back and create a new backup of this original system.

The good thing is that even though you dont have your original CDs you still have this one healthy (original) drive which activation should not be broken on.

BTW... what software did you use to clone the drive? Acronis software - supposedly the best.

Thanks Dave for your DETAILED reply. I'll swap the drive FIRST, since yes, the current drive is a clone, but then I made a clone of the current drive on my "original" drive, so we'll see what happens.

But like Patio said, if all else fails, I'll call MS and hope for the best.Your a phone call away ...if you dont wanna go thru all that.I'm a phone call away, but without a product code, I don't think they'll help me. I don't have an ID number or anything.I made the call. They tried to get in with safe mode, that didn't work. Then the guy said I have to reinstall windows.

Well I already KNEW that was an option, but without a CD I'm stuck. So he offered to help me if I PAID $145 - *censored*, I could buy a new copy of Windows for a lot less than that!

Time to install the clone.Sorry to hear that. I'd make another clone of that clone when you get a chance. Just in case 30 days from now your back in deja vu. Hopefully you wont be!Just installed the clone. Runs like a charm.

I'll clone it ASAP. If it happens again, I'll know what to do.

Thanks Dave!

Solve : Windows Product Activation Problem?

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