XP Mechanics

NoctisReitop · December 14th, 2007

Wondering if you guys know the ins and outs of the Windows activation thing. I've been troubled with activation counts for all of my computing days, whether it's been the anti-virus, OS, etc. I recently formatted everything I have and I now know that all of my serial numbers have been activated their maximum amount of times. Is there a certain amount of time that needs to go by between activations? How does this stuff work? I know there's a science behind it, and I know that it's flexible. I know I've activated MANY times in my OS's many years -- more than the prescribed 3 or 5 times.

**Hitman** · December 14th, 2007

You will have to call M$ to activate it now. It's rather painless.

polobunny · December 14th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hitman

You will have to call M$ to activate it now. It's rather painless.

Yep. Give them a call, tell them you had to re-install because you caught virus and whatnot. :)

Beetle Bailey · December 14th, 2007

Just have everything up and ready.

It takes about 10 minutes and your done. I don't recall actually having to talk to a real person yet.

NoctisReitop · December 14th, 2007

Yeah, I've done that once before. If I don't have to talk to M$, I won't. I've had my serials locked before, so I just used my other key from a different purchased copy of XP. But after a while, the locked key magically worked again some time later. I'm wondering if it has been figured out yet.

Elysium · December 14th, 2007

Just give MS a call (as stated above) and tell them your problem. I've had to talk to a real person numerous times (imagine that) and they are usually quite nice about it and are pretty lenient with the XP activation keys.

screwballl · December 14th, 2007

Early in XP I did speak with a few people but after that the automated system worked fine every time. I never use the same key more than once every 6 months and anymore XP is stable enough I usually go around a year between activations.I found the magical timeframe is somewhere between 3-5 months

**Hitman** · December 14th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoctisReitop

Yeah, I've done that once before. If I don't have to talk to M$, I won't. I've had my serials locked before, so I just used my other key from a different purchased copy of XP. But after a while, the locked key magically worked again some time later. I'm wondering if it has been figured out yet.

I hate calling them too, but I hate paying money for something I already own more.

NoctisReitop · December 14th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hitman

I hate calling them too, but I hate paying money for something I already own more.

Agreed >.<

December 14th, 2007	#1
NoctisReitop lvl 63 Bargain Hunter Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 514	XP Mechanics Wondering if you guys know the ins and outs of the Windows activation thing. I've been troubled with activation counts for all of my computing days, whether it's been the anti-virus, OS, etc. I recently formatted everything I have and I now know that all of my serial numbers have been activated their maximum amount of times. Is there a certain amount of time that needs to go by between activations? How does this stuff work? I know there's a science behind it, and I know that it's flexible. I know I've activated MANY times in my OS's many years -- more than the prescribed 3 or 5 times.

December 14th, 2007	#2
Hitman Functional Alcoholic Join Date: May 2006 Location: 14S E:561116 N:3830189 Posts: 4,595 Blog Entries: 2	Re: XP Mechanics You will have to call M$ to activate it now. It's rather painless.

December 14th, 2007	#4
Beetle Bailey Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Harrah, OK Posts: 383	Re: XP Mechanics Just have everything up and ready. It takes about 10 minutes and your done. I don't recall actually having to talk to a real person yet.

December 14th, 2007	#5
NoctisReitop lvl 63 Bargain Hunter Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 514	Re: XP Mechanics Yeah, I've done that once before. If I don't have to talk to M$, I won't. I've had my serials locked before, so I just used my other key from a different purchased copy of XP. But after a while, the locked key magically worked again some time later. I'm wondering if it has been figured out yet.

December 14th, 2007	#6
Elysium Fields Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Pacific Grove, CA Posts: 4,407	Re: XP Mechanics Just give MS a call (as stated above) and tell them your problem. I've had to talk to a real person numerous times (imagine that) and they are usually quite nice about it and are pretty lenient with the XP activation keys. E8400 DFI Blood Iron P35-T2RL 4GB G.Skill 800MHz Sapphire Radeon HD3870 512MB Silverstone DA650W WD 250GB + Seagate 320GB Last edited by Elysium; December 14th, 2007 at 21:53.

December 14th, 2007	#7
screwballl Colonel Calamity Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Sandy South Posts: 6,277 Blog Entries: 6	Re: XP Mechanics Early in XP I did speak with a few people but after that the automated system worked fine every time. I never use the same key more than once every 6 months and anymore XP is stable enough I usually go around a year between activations.I found the magical timeframe is somewhere between 3-5 months Thanks HL and Corsair! My opinions are my own and not representative of this site or its members.

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