Activate Windows XP

Before I get started, this is NOT me looking for a way to hack or crack windows activation. I have a legit copy that I am having problems with so lets not get into all that. thanks

Now, Im working on a friends Dell computer. Its an older machine thats running windows home. It was infected bad so I formatted it. I have a copy of Windows Home that I have never used but then decided to just use his cd key from the side of the machine with my cd rather than my unused key. Format and install went fine, entered the key with no problems. On the first boot it gets to the logon screen and says "you must activate windows before you logon." Fine by me, but the LAN drivers are not loaded yet and I am not "allowed" past the logon screen until its activated. Is there anyway around this? Ive almost always dealt with XP Pro in the past and have never had this problem. If anything I have 30 days to activate but can still use the desktop until then.

Does the Windows Activation window come up? It should give you the option to call MS and activate it over the phone. If it does come up, then do that. It works and takes no more than 6 minutes.

It will not come up at all in safe mode but it does in normal mode. I'll call tomorrow, Ive never activated it by phone and just assumed it was a pain.

Surprisingly, it's actually pretty painless to do an over the phone activation. I thought it would be like pulling teeth, but as madhatter says, it only takes a few minutes.

BTW. when putting in the activation code by hand, press the number 2 on the phone keypad to continue to the next block. The computer on the other line tends to misunderstand you and becomes stupid.

enhanced said:

I am not "allowed" past the logon screen until its activated. Is there anyway around this? Ive almost always dealt with XP Pro in the past and have never had this problem. If anything I have 30 days to activate but can still use the desktop until then.

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There's the dreaded XP refusing-to-give-grace-period problem again!

RJARRRPCGP said:

There's the dreaded XP refusing-to-give-grace-period problem again!

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Is this a common problem?

enhanced said:

Is this a common problem?

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Seems like it may be common.

And for users of dial up, it also don't like it when you have POTS (56k) internet, it will give up fast and display "Windows was unable to activate online." (or similar) and not even try to dial the ISP!

It appears to expect an ethernet card and that you're connected via cat cable.

enhanced said:

Is there anyway around this?

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Yes.

zzzzzzzzzz said:

Yes.

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LOL, so detailed. I'm guessing it's a "yes but nothing legit" right?

Calling them really isn't all that terrible. You read them a number, they read you a number it takes like 5 minutes.

can't you install the network drivers in safe mode?

You may have an issue with the call. I had the same exact issue but when I called them I was told the disk I used was a retail version of XP while the code was for a OEM install so they refused to help me.

I had to track down a OEM disk and reinstall.

There is a method (not sure if it's sanctioned by Microsoft or not) to modify the ISO so that it's seen as a different 'type' than what it originally was. OEM, Retail, VL, etc.

Not for use of circumventing the process! However, if your a legitimate paying customer and their tech support is giving you the run around, it may be your only option.

There's an easy way.....

Hit the F8 to bring up the Windows XP boot options. Select "Safe Mode with command prompt".

When the command prompt opens. Type in "explorer" and hit the enter key.

Viola, safe mode. Because if you pick normal safe mode with or without networking support, it asks you to activate. The way I described doesn't trigger that program.

When you're in there, you can manually install the network card drivers AND if you did a repair to the OS, uninstall IE8 (go to C:\Windows\ie8\SPU) because that can mess up the activation window and it won't pop up for you to be able to activate.

I used to use a program to circumvent the activation process, but it also requires me to get into the desktop via the way I just described. So, with a few extra steps, you can officially activate the OS.