I am having issues with a PC that I am working on for a customer. Do to the viruses, spyware, and bad clusters on his HD, I had to repair his XP Pro installation after fixing the other issues. Now, I am stuck at a message that says:

A problem has prevented Windows from accurately checking the status of the license for this computer. To proceed your copy of windows must be activated with Microsoft. Do you want to activate Windows now?

I click yes, and then I am told Windows is already activated. I am aotomatically logged out. When I go to log in again, I get the same message.

This is a legit copy of XP Pro. It is a Dell Dimension 2350. I have the restore CD and the XP Pro Key code on the side of the case.

Any help would be great.

Thanks

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are you logged in as administrator?

I get the same message if I try to log on as admin. I cannot get past the log on screen.

I'm trying to help, honest i am.

Can you get into safe mode? and run diagnostic test?

Nope. The only thing I can access is the Repair console. I cannot get in to any type of Windows at all.

Thanks for the effort. I appreciate it.

Not sure if this would work but...get into the Recovery Console, delete wpa.dbl and then rename wpa.bak to wpa.dbl. You might have to reactivate.

I thought about that, but there was not a wpa.bak file present in the c:\windows\system32 folder. I only had the wpa.dbl file. I even tried removing the .dbl file and I am still told that Windows is already activated. I still get sent back to the log on screen and the pattern repeates itself.

Not sure if this would work but...get into the Recovery Console, delete wpa.dbl and then rename wpa.bak to wpa.dbl. You might have to reactivate.

I ran into this problem also but there is a fix as long as you haven't deleted the wpa.dbl file. Go here and follow thier instructions step by step -- http://www.lavahelp.com/articles/v6/04/06/0901.html

Then if you cannot get it activated you may have to call Microsoft and tell them what happened (the spyware name also) and ask them to help with the activation.

Did you run the Repair using a Dell CD or a regular OEM CD? If you Didn't use a Dell CD you probably overwrote the Dell specific OEMBIOS files.

I have tried with both types of CDs. Neither have changed the situation.

Did you run the Repair using a Dell CD or a regular OEM CD? If you Didn't use a Dell CD you probably overwrote the Dell specific OEMBIOS files.

Also Don't use the key on the COA sticker, use the key in the I386\winnt.sif file or one listed at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechn...y/oempreac.mspx

I have had this problem with a oem "classic" windows, finally I have reinstalled windows with format option (easy solution yes but works

I have test wpa.dlb too, I have reset oobe timer too nothing has worked so ...