Windows activation.

[Roffen]

I have been using Windows XP for many years, but never before have I been confronted wit the question of activation. I have enteret the regitration code, and after that I haven't got any messages, and the system has been in use for several years after that.

 

But lately, with two OEM licences and two machines, I have run into some problems. I have been experimenting a lot with different motherboards, but now I have settled for two of them,

ASUS M4A79T Deluxe - it runs everything between XP to Win 10, but I only use Win XPSp3 and Win 7.

 

The other is an ASUS A888XM-PLUS that  I find a very nice system. IIRC, It runs an AMD Socket F2+ A-6300 Trinity APU.

 

So I hope i can get the activation issue resolved for the two licences that I have. Then I will clone the two and never again have to reinstall the systems.

 

I will have to take this machine off the Internet and that is ok, I have other uses for it that doesnt require Internet access!

 

BTW, there must be a reason that activation has become such an issue after so many years without?

Edited January 27, 2016 by Roffen

[helpdesk98]

maybe the hardware is too different. I know if you swap too much out on your system and try to run Windows it will ask for reactivation.

[Roffen]

Aha - that's all there is to it? I will try cloning and see if the differences in motherboards matter. But actually, from now on I am done fooling with motherboards, I shall stick to the ones i am using now and that's that. Then I will have more time to attack the next isue: implementing SP4!

 

But i still wonder why I never have been asked for activation in the past?

[jaclaz]

The "voting" system is detailed here (JFYI):

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/128378-hardware-changes-and-windows-activation/

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/128378-hardware-changes-and-windows-activation/?p=827471

jaclaz

[submix8c]

Well, in addition, you *may* have hade an OEM Install using the "internal" key and the specific OEMBIOS.xxx files for your machine. Those don't require Activation but do require Genuine Validation. As I recall, you had to "tamper" with CD's you had on hand just to get installed? In addition, the COA Key (not the same as the internal OWM one) will *always* require you to Activate. No biggie, the COA keys are legit.

[Roffen]

What i have is an original OEM CD and two stickers. The stickers obviously from machines taken out of service. So it seems to me I have the rights required for use. My problem however was that for a long time I tried using what I believed was all that I had left, a corrupted backup copy where the DRIVER.CAB file had an unrecoverable error and I had trouble finding a method for repair. But at last I found another, error-free backup CD and that's what I am using now. No OEMBIOS file on the CD.

 

But as I learned from another thread, Activation is a problematic issue. On a new installation, after installing a video card, I found it impossible to replace the card with a different one. That sems to be a consequence of what I perceive as one of the new methods in use to control the user sphere.

 

What happens if the video card breaks down? Will removing the driver let me replace the card?

 

But as long as I leave the hardware alone without introducing new devices I hope to have peace in the house for a while now.

[dencorso]

Well, video cards tend to live long. Moreover, when they break, one of the most common issues is bad capacitors, which can be substituted and the car gets back to life. And when even that fails, you can yet try another card of the same type, sourced cheap from eBay or similar. Let's not worry in advance, right? 

[jaclaz]

What i have is an original OEM CD and two stickers. The stickers obviously from machines taken out of service. So it seems to me I have the rights required for use. 

Well, not according to the good MS guys.

 

Their idea is that the OEM copy is licensed "together" and as "one piece" with the hardware, and it is expressly prohibited to transfer the license to a new hardware (with a few exceptions like substitution of a motherboard that failed - but only replacing it with an identical model, etc.), this is actually one of the reasons why they have the "voting system", the "validation", etc.

The idea is/was that the OEM copy comes (came) at a lower price than a "full" version for two reasons:

1) the support is transferred to the OEM 

2) the license is only valid on the attached hardware

Same goes for the COA sticker, the idea is (was) that it CANNOT (once applied) be EVER detached from the piece of hardware it has been applied to, which makes some (little) sense when the hardware is a laptop (where normally the COA will soon be worn down and become unreadable anyway) and much less sense when the hardware is a desktop, and the COA is attached to the actual case (which more or less can "last forever").

 

jaclaz

[submix8c]

No OEMBIOS file on the CD

Imposseroonie! The have to exist in the I386 folder (compressed). You can't even install without them! They're what allows for a Product Key to be entered and validated. Was your Original OEM CD some kind of Recover/Restore CD? What does it look like?

 

And don't be too frustrated/scared by what jaclaz said, even though he's technically correct.

Can you explain what you mean by "out of service"?

 

Erm, I have several COA's scraped from old PC's, but don't bother with them as I have the Original OEM stuff - and NO, don't ask! Sorry... I also have two HP's (Pro OEM) with stickers still attached but (again) I have the "special" files (see OEMBIOS) that jive with the BIOS SLP1.0 and the Internal Keys (not COA, different). I have all of this crap to repair people's PC's that foolishly clobber them with Trojans/Virus/Malware. (Usually for a 12-pack of Busch, kind-hearted me.)

Rule #1a - http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?app=forums&module=extras&section=boardrules

We techies are a strange and secret lot.

[Roffen]

That's interesting. On my CD I only find OEMBIOS.BI_,  CA_,  DA_,  _SI and _JP. 

Not any NO_, although it appears like a Norwegian.

 

Anyway, it seems that my attempt at swapping video card negated my activation so I somehow have to activate again. Tried today but it didn't work so maybe it must be done by telephone. I've got 30 days respite, what happes if I let it expire?

 

ETA:

i don't know why there should be something wrong with the XP version that I now use. But maybe I can remove the slightest trace of suspicion (and potential problems) bying one from the offers for new and unused CD's we find on the web - and use it in good faith?

 

All I want is to continue using my computer without problems to be resolved all the time. Although I suppose the times when you could reconfigure your hardware any way you like, reinstall and go online again without any interference are gone forever?

Edited January 30, 2016 by Roffen

[submix8c]

(Heh...)

That's interesting. On my CD I only find OEMBIOS.BI_,  CA_,  DA_,  _SI and _JP. 

Not any NO_, although it appears like a Norwegian.

The first four. The fifth one is a JPG (not Japan).

Download 7-Zip and install it. Then open the individual files with it. Those are Compressed and the Real Name is inside.

 

Are you saying you have a Norwegian XP CD? Or that you have installed a Language Interface Pack over top of an English?

 

And yes, you swapped Video Cards, thus requiring re-activation. I recommend that you *don't* keep fiddling with Hardware after Activation. Also, after 30-days, you'll be locked out of XP (except for Safe Mode?) and will have to clean wipe and reinstall (starting your whole horrible process over again). Even if you did it "the OEM Way with that secret key for that PC" along with the "secret OEM-Specific OEMBIOS.xxx files" fiddling with Hardware over and over will yield the same result.

 

Bottom line - during the 30 days, decide what Hardware you wish to permanently keep installed, prepare an nLited CD, integrating all Fixes and Drivers, then Clean Install and Activate ONCE. Also (for fun) do a Web Search for "WPA.DBL".

 

Maybe these topics will help understanding the "special" stuff?

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/82638-oemscan-automated-multi-manufacture-pre-activation-utility/

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/63258-building-a-pre-activated-cd-from-an-existing-installation/

Google this.

oembios site:msfn.org

HTH

Edited January 31, 2016 by submix8c

[Tripredacus]

These files should always be the same size.

OEMBIOS.BI_

OEMBIOS.CA_

OEMBIOS.DA_

OEMBIOS.SI_

They would exist on both an OEM provided recovery CD or on an OEM System Builder CD.

On System Builder CD, these files will have the same date as the other files, on an OEM Recovery CD, these files have a newer date.

OEM provided will have a custom label and include their company name and/or logo. System Builder CD is Microsoft branded hologram disc and will have a MS part number. For example. Win XP Pro SP2 v2002 has PN X10-59871.

Be careful as "OEM" is a catch-all term that people use and can refer to either of these disc types.

[Roffen]

I took a look at the files and they had the same date, but two was 4k and other two 5k.  I didnt' find waht you said I should inside the files.. But lets't put all that aside, I am now waiting for a new XPSp3 English language version from eBay, I'd need that anyway to install SP4.

 

I hope that may put an end to my troubles.

 

If I get problems with my Win7 I'll install Linux Mint in case I might need something alongside XP.

 

I don't want to be tied to a particular hardware. At present I can't chose the resolution  want on my video card and can't swap with the card I have always used before.

 

So the best way to handle that would be to find ther right hardware using Linux before installing XP.

[submix8c]

Not to nit-pick...

 

They would exist on both an OEM provided recovery CD

Compaq back when XP first came out had this nasty habit of putting the OEM-Specific files in a different place on a "set". Indeed, the Base one has the Retail (generic) ones then literally copy (from another CD) over the OEM-Specific ones onto the HDD, Compaq was weird like that. (Yes I have the full 6, count them SIX CD Set pre-SP1a). Compaq methodology stunk ( PC's purchased from, yes, Radio Shack. ). Other than that, Kee-Rect!

Edited February 3, 2016 by submix8c

[Roffen]

I have a few things I need to find out about.

 

Macrium Reflect Free version has one limitation that I don't like - it won't restore to a different partition. But without having tried, I presume it is a good backup solution.

 

It looks like Gparted is a fine partition manager, I just wonder what to do with the .iso file I downloaded? I'd be more comfortable with an .exe file.

 

Clonezilla my be a fine program but I find download confusing. What do I download, what can I use with a Windows OS?