Microsoft Office Requires Reactivation After Disk Clone

I was having problems (loud clicking noises) with my 60 GB hard dive so I decided to replace it with an 80 GB drive and clone the OS (XP Pro) to the new drive. Everything appeared to work flawlessly until I tried to use my Microsoft Office 2K3 Small Business Edtion applications, which asked me to activate them. When I try to activate the software over the Internet, I get an error that indicates the software had been previously registered. When I choose the option to register by phone, the dialog box simply disappears after I click next without going through the rest of the wizard and giving me the phone number to call Microsoft. If the disk was cloned, why would it ask to reactivate the office applications? Everything else seems to be working perfectly except it asks me to activate everytime I launch an Office application. Any suggestions?

 

Wow! That is weird. How about the original disk. Does it still boot up and does Office ask for activation?

 

The original HD still boots up, but it does not ask for activation of the office software. I'm not sure why it does it with the cloned HD. Windows never asked to be reactivated.

 

Well, just a shot in the dark here, but if you did the Clone procedure from within Windows, try it from the bootable TI Rescue CD. Or vice versa.

 

I actually cloned the new HD using the utility that you run by hitting F11 BEFORE the computer boots into windows. i take it that this isn't a regular occurence?

 

Hi, fowlk9

There must be some files like the two "wpa" which can be copied to avoid Reactivation of WindowsXP after a ReInsall, but I do not know what the Office file name would be. [do not have office 2k3 sorry]

Take Care,
TheQuest

 

I'm not sure I know what you mean regarding "wpa" files. Is there something I'm missing, do I need to copy files from the original disc to the new hard drive?

 

Hi, fowlk9

I do not know?

That was a bad phrase [choice of words] to use.

What I trying to say [or ask] was, when you first Activate Office 2K3 or any Microsoft OS after Windows 2000 or Office 2000.

IS there some files like the two "wpa" files that are used when you first activate WindowsXP and can be saved to some media, so when you reinstall XP you can use the saved [wpa] files which means you do not need to reactivate.

Take Care.
TheQuest

 

If it's working, reactivaton is triggered, not by the software but by changes in the hardware, which is assesed at boot up.

If you change enough hardware within a short enough period of time, then reactivation is required. There are then items tracked and I think you can change three of them with a month or so. The details are on MS site somewhere and countless places on the web.

Soime harwarde counts more for the trigger than others -- HDDs are prime.

Even if you clone a HDD, when you replace the original with the clone, the HDD ID number, which is coded into the firmware onthe drive and which the activation feature uses to test for the need to reactivate, that ID number wil be diff because it's a diff physical drive -- even if every data bit on the platters is the same as the original drive.

Note that, if you have a valid license and you're using it on one machine or whatever your license if for, then MS can't refuse to let you reactivate; they're just making it a pita in hopes of deterring counterfeits and stolen copies.

good luck

 

I think that saving and restoring the WPA files is urban legend. The WPA files track changes and if you have the WPA file for an older hardware setup you can put back the old hardware and the corresponding WPA file then it is happy. It won't do anything for new additions that cause a trigger. In fact, if he reinstalled his image the did put the WPA info back.

 

Hi, seekforever

You know what you know and you know what you Think.

Yes I know that. But this is Office 2k3 that is the subject Reactivation not Windows.

I was trying to say fowlk9 should try and find out if there is any comparsions between the two in the way they [Windows or Office] Activate, that's why I was talking about the wpa files.

Take Care,
TheQuest

 

JUst call MSFT.

THe same problem can occur if you merely RESTORE the files.
I've seen relate dproblems with Offic 97 thru Office 2003, even for those versions that do not require activation.

In the case of Office 97, I actully have to re-install, makes no sense.
With Office 2000, 2002 and 2003, I just have to run Detect and Repair.

Also, I'm guessing that your SBE version was an OEM version that came with the computer. If so, the OEM might some magic thingee on the original drive.

 

Hi, shieber

I have Many many times restored Images and cloned to all of my Removable ViPower HDD's, PATA to PATA and SATA to SATA also SATA to PATA and the other way PATA to SATA , and Never been ask to Reactivate, with both WindowsXP x32 and x64.

Take Care,
TheQuest

 

Hi, Howard Kaikow

Yes, but that would be to easy.

Take Care,
TheQuest

 

We are talking about Office, not windoze.

 

Easy 101 has been removed from the available course list at The College of Hard Knocks.

The faculty felt that less is learned by taking the easy route.

 

Hi, Howard Kaikow

I agree again! re #12.

Take Care,
TheQuest

 

Hi, Howard Kaikow

Take Care,
TheQuest

 

No need to call Microsoft...

Just look on the 'net:

http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/activation_faq.mspx

There's some detail on how much needs to change to trigger reactivation, and there's a FAQ specifically about disk cloning.

 

Hi, mwb100

It seem it is a Must Call, because that is the only choice left that fowlk9 has th Activate.

Take Care,
TheQuest

 

Oops - I was talking about determining why it might be asking for activation, not how to actaully fix the problem (which I agree would probably require a phone call...).

 

When cloning always use VLK (VOlume Licensing) licenses.

you are not entitled to clone OEM!