I might have screwed up Windows, can I recover?

damarble · May 29, 2006

Being the dumbass that I can be sometimes, I decided to disable the XP activation on my last install instead of calling it in, since it's a PITA and I have to talk to a real person lately.

Now when I try to install SP2 it errors out and says "missing activation context" or something like that.

I might just have to re-install XP and deal with it. Since I haven't customized it too much yet it it won't be a major hassle. But what do you think my chances of re-installing the WPA stuff is?

redduc900 · May 29, 2006

Was this a hack that you applied in order to circumvent the product activation, or a warez/cracked version of XP without the WPA that you installed?

damarble · May 29, 2006

First one. I have the original CD and key. So I have all the files I need on the CD, I just need to figure out how to put them back. Then I guess I'll have to activate it like a good boy.

Dice · May 29, 2006

I wish I had the easy solution to your problems, but I have never tried to pirate Windows. Don't get me wrong, a fanboy I am not.

If you do not want to pay for your OS, have you considered trying out a free OS like Linux?

If you have not tried it, check it out. Here is a good place to start. It is where I started, and I was concerned with my ability in using Linux after many years of Microsoft. I am glad I did.

At any rate, best of luck to you.

NewbiePerson · May 29, 2006

Go type this in at command prompt or start run.
C:\Windows\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe /a

damarble · May 29, 2006

Dice said:
I wish I had the easy solution to your problems, but I have never tried to pirate Windows. Don't get me wrong, a fanboy I am not.

If you do not want to pay for your OS, have you considered trying out a free OS like Linux?

If you have not tried it, check it out. Here is a good place to start. It is where I started, and I was concerned with my ability in using Linux after many years of Microsoft. I am glad I did.

At any rate, best of luck to you.

Whoa whoa whoa!!! Slow down! My copy of XP is 100% legitimate! I have a retail boxed copy. Original hologram CD, CD key, the works. Want proof?

NewbiePerson, thank you for for your constructive help instead of accusing me of being a theif. I'm about to try your idea now.

Dice · May 29, 2006

Don't get exited. We all know that having a legit copy of XP doesn't mean you aren't trying to put it on 2 PCs. My apologies if I offended you. It really don't make much of a diff to me if you did or didn't. I really couldn't care less, I'm not the MS police. Hope NewbiePerson's suggestion helped you out.

EDIT: Oh, and I'd appreciate it if you'd not flame me in P.M. Thanks

RJARRRPCGP · May 29, 2006

damarble said:
Being the dumbass that I can be sometimes, I decided to disable the XP activation on my last install instead of calling it in, since it's a PITA and I have to talk to a real person lately.

Now when I try to install SP2 it errors out and says "missing activation context" or something like that.

I might just have to re-install XP and deal with it. Since I haven't customized it too much yet it it won't be a major hassle. But what do you think my chances of re-installing the WPA stuff is?

That error message sounds a bit strange.

Because it's not mentioning product key, then it has *nothing* to do with having a pirated copy!

That error message sounds more like corrupted data.

damarble · May 29, 2006

NewbiePerson said:
Go type this in at command prompt or start run.
C:\Windows\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe /a

That didn't work. Any other ideas?

damarble · May 29, 2006

RJARRRPCGP said:
That error message sounds a bit strange.

Because it's not mentioning product key, then it has *nothing* to do with having a pirated copy!

That error message sounds more like corrupted data.

You're on to something I think. The crack I used modified the winlogon.exe file. What if I took the file from another PC, went into safe mode, and replaced it? Would it ask for activation again, since it would detect a "hardware change"?

Dice · May 29, 2006

damarble said:
You're on to something I think. The crack I used modified the winlogon.exe file. What if I took the file from another PC, went into safe mode, and replaced it? Would it ask for activation again, since it would detect a "hardware change"?

No. That information is kept in C:\Windows\System32\wpa.dbl and wpa.bak.

Wether or not that works, here is a handy little guide which, if followed, claims to allow you to reinstall XP while keeping the activation active. No more phonecalls to microsoft needed.

damarble · May 29, 2006

Dice said:
No. That information is kept in C:\Windows\System32\wpa.dbl and wpa.bak.

Wether or not that works, here is a handy little guide which, if followed, claims to allow you to reinstall XP while keeping the activation active. No more phonecalls to microsoft needed.

I guess I can try that. But the thing is I want to activate it, so I don't have to bother with workarounds everytime I do an update. Because at this point its not really activated, it just doesn't ask me anymore.

Dice · May 29, 2006

damarble said:
I guess I can try that. But the thing is I want to activate it, so I don't have to bother with workarounds everytime I do an update. Because at this point its not really activated, it just doesn't ask me anymore.

Unfortunately, if the winlogon.exe idea doesn't/didn't work, all I can suggest is reinstalling XP, dealing with Microsoft's over-the-phone reps and then backing-up the aforementioned files as per the article. It might sweeten the bitterness of talking to those goons by knowing that it will be the last such conversation. Good luck.

damarble · May 30, 2006

Dice said:
Unfortunately, if the winlogon.exe idea doesn't/didn't work, all I can suggest is reinstalling XP, dealing with Microsoft's over-the-phone reps and then backing-up the aforementioned files as per the article. It might sweeten the bitterness of talking to those goons by knowing that it will be the last such conversation. Good luck.

Thank you Dice for trying to help still, after I was rude to you. I was just very offended by your insinuation that I was trying to pirate Windows.

At this point I think I will cut my losses and re-install. Although as often as I change hardware that artical probably won't help. I usually only reactivate after installing a new mobo or something.

Dice · May 30, 2006

No worries. We're all bound to step on each others' toes now and again.
I was under the impression that if one re-installs XP enough times, whether or not they change the hardware hash sent to Microsoft by changing out major components, Microsoft still requires a phonecall. I was under the impression that this was the case in your situation when you wrote:

...and I have to talk to a real person lately...

If it is not, disregard.

damarble · May 30, 2006

Dice said:
No worries. We're all bound to step on each others' toes now and again.
I was under the impression that if one re-installs XP enough times, whether or not they change the hardware hash sent to Microsoft by changing out major components, Microsoft still requires a phonecall. I was under the impression that this was the case in your situation when you wrote:
If it is not, disregard.

Since I've had XP for about 5 years now I've reinstalled many times for many reasons. I'm at around my 30th activation now. I never was able to use the online activation, just wouldnt work for some reason. So I always just called, and an automated system walked me through. After 25 times (IIRC) you have to start talking with a real person, because the activation wizard says your CD key is no longer valid or something. Since it's a pain to go through that, and because I suspect they might blacklist my key one of these times, I thought I'd crack it and leave MS out of this.

Captain Newbie · May 30, 2006

damarble said:
First one. I have the original CD and key. So I have all the files I need on the CD, I just need to figure out how to put them back. Then I guess I'll have to activate it like a good boy.

We do not discuss methods which may inhibit or bypass product copy protection measures--no matter how stupid or how annoying.

The Right Thing to do is to go back and do it right, install it and activate it via the Microsoft-approved process. Not to say that there aren't other ways (cough Google cough) that can be used to do this.

damarble · May 30, 2006

Captain Newbie said:
We do not discuss methods which may inhibit or bypass product copy protection measures--no matter how stupid or how annoying.

Why does nobody get what I was asking? I never asked how to crack or copy anything! I want to restore it to it's default settings! I do NOT want to bypass anything. I want to extract the files from the CD so Windows is not modified in any way, so I can ACTIVATE it. :bang head

:

It's simple. Windows is in a "broken" state. I want to restore this one aspect to make it "whole", without doing a complete re-install. I know it's possible but since everyone is more concerned with tryng to make me look like a theif and hacker, I will either have to figure this out myself or re-install.

Captain Newbie · May 30, 2006

damarble said:
Why does nobody get what I was asking? I never asked how to crack or copy anything! I want to restore it to it's default settings! I do NOT want to bypass anything. I want to extract the files from the CD so Windows is not modified in any way, so I can ACTIVATE it. :

It's simple. Windows is in a "broken" state. I want to restore this one aspect to make it "whole", without doing a complete re-install. I know it's possible but since everyone is more concerned with tryng to make me look like a theif and hacker, I will either have to figure this out myself or re-install.

And thus the fine line between 'tinker' and 'copy-break'. A lot of the techniques that you're asking for are treading near that line, as they can be used to do the Right and Wrong things. Yours is obviously the right thing, but we still don't like discussing it.

I have reinstalled Windows in one hour flat before, while in a great hurry, so it's definitely possible. Put the Windows CD in, do it like that, have dinner, come back and activate. It's a pain in the rear talking to Bangawherever, India to get your keycode, but it's how the boys in Redmond want it done.

I might have screwed up Windows, can I recover?

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