XP activation program question

I recently added more RAM to my system system and because of that I need to reactivate windows. But that is easier said that done. I want to activate via phone but I can't. I've made a lot of customisation to my system, part of those was using Nlite to remove unwanted/uneeded stuff. I think something I needed must have been removed becayse I cannot get the activation program/dialog box to appear. I have the keys in my taskbar, but when I click on the they disappear and then nothing happens after that.

Any ideas?

 

Take an image ... install a standard version of xp. Activate ... copy the Activation data. Take an image. Restore the original image, copy the activation data across.

 

First off, that would never work as activation data is hardware dependent. Second, I think you are misunderstanding my problem. I do not wish to in any way hack the activation process. I'm asking if there is a way to "reinstall" the activation program so that I can activate my system via telephone.

 

Since there is no way to "legitimately" uninstall the activation software, there is unlikely a legitimate way to reinstall it.

And while I'm not intimately familiar with nLite (used it a couple of times) I don't think nLite would permit you to remove such a fundamental part of XP. At least not without some warnings.

If it did, you'll probably need to reinstall.

 

Strange. The only other thing I can think of that could have done this would be DustBusterXP. With programs such as these there is no uninstall proceedure carried out, the files simply get deleted. That being the case, I can't see why you would say

Software like this, nLite, XPlite, DustBuster, does "ininstall" things the way you are thinking of. So it would stand to reason then that they wuld be some, perhaps out-of-the-box, way of adding this back.

 

Don't think this is a fix but it should bring up an activation status dialogue.

Bring up Run and enter " oobe/msoobe /a " - no quotes.

 

Did you try calling MS and see what they say?

 

This has worked for me on occasion. However, you must be warned that using this method, you MUST NOT FORMAT during a reinstall. Formatting technically changes the drive. That being said, I have also used a program called VolumeID. Idea is to gather the exact info of your harddrive, then after a format, using volumeID to change everything back to normal. I forget if it actually worked or not.

I resisted going to xp for some time years ago due to the whole activation thing. I own more than one copy of xp pro, and I never call in anymore. Google can tell you how.

Sul.

 

Not suggesting you hack the activation ... just activate for that hardware with a full version of OS and copy the activation files on to your broken version. It has worked for me in the past.


Basically the same as the previuos post

 

This should work.....

 

Why is it necessary to reactivate windows when adding RAM? I recently added memory to an old computer (250meg ==> 1 gig) and the computer worked fine afterwards - I was not promted or required to do anything with windows. I use XP Home SP3

 

I'm not familiar with the other hardening tools you employ, but Xpy does have a setting that disables Windows registration. Perhaps try setting Xpy back to "restore config"?

 

Adding ram generally has not caused any of my xp machines to think some piratey trouble is afoot. However, for the first 2 years of owning xp pro, I more than used up my share of activations. Let's just say that when you start building unattended dvd's you tend to want to reinstall all the time to see how the latest build turned out on your main rig.

I have used the wpa.dbl file a few times with mixed results. I have access to my companies volume version, but why should I resort to that? I own multiple copies of the retail version. Personally I got sick and tired of the hassle M$ gave me when reinstalling and found a solution.

As to why sometimes machines want reactivation over small matters like ram is unknown. What can really blow your mind is when you take a p4 dell mobo with xp pro installed from factory for say 3 years, with onboard video and all the oem intel goodness, AND THEN build an amd athlon 64 socket 754 with pcie and sata. You know VERY different hardware. That stupid ata drive got plugged into that new board and stuff, and worked. It had to swap all the drivers out lol, but it never asked once for reactivation. And it was oem retail from dell, the kind with the restore cd.

Go figure.

Sul.