xirtam Posted February 5, 2007 Author Share Posted February 5, 2007 ^^ you said it! :yes: Internet activation will work. Internet Activation Didn't work, that was the first thing I tried! Also you do know that hardware manufacturers like to lock stuff using drivers yeh? So if they release a driver that unlocks some stuff obviously windows will think its a new piece of hardware. Why obviously, its still the same hardware isn't it? (so the detection is hyper sensitive I guess) So before jumping on teh bandwagon and blaming MS...do a tad bit of research first. But why wouldn't you blame MS! Its there activation system thats a pain! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sniper101 Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 Meh thats why i choose to network then activate rather then using the phone :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pewe Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 Its an OEM version! I had similar problems with XP OEM so this time decided to go with a Full version of Vista - until - Someone at an MS software dealership told me to buy an upgrade and it would install as a full version on a newly formatted HD. So I tried it and it worked. I installed it and activated it with no problem. It seems that MS have - for some unknown reason - allowed the installation of an Upgrade to be carried out - as long as you do not enter the product key during installation, and uncheck the boxes to activate on completion and check for updates Once installed your re-install it, this time using the product code and selecting 'upgrade'. Once installed it activates and updates as normal. An upgrade is not quite as cheap as OEM, but is no where near as expensive as the full version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foub Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 I had similar problems with XP OEM so this time decided to go with a Full version of Vista - until -Someone at an MS software dealership told me to buy an upgrade and it would install as a full version on a newly formatted HD. So I tried it and it worked. I installed it and activated it with no problem. It seems that MS have - for some unknown reason - allowed the installation of an Upgrade to be carried out - as long as you do not enter the product key during installation, and uncheck the boxes to activate on completion and check for updates Once installed your re-install it, this time using the product code and selecting 'upgrade'. Once installed it activates and updates as normal. An upgrade is not quite as cheap as OEM, but is no where near as expensive as the full version. Where I live the Upgrade version was $30CAN cheaper than the OEM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the evn show Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 Nothing like having to get Microsoft India's permission to use your own system. Its not a quick painless process You have to enter 40 digits then answer a bunch of questions designed to prove you are a thief. Then you get transferred and have to do it again. Then if you are really lucky you get to tell the rep your product key. Oh the joys of southern dialect to indian. You missed the two best parts: Being told that activation is down and you'll have to call back X hours later (choose a value of X that is far enough from now that you have no interest in hanging around your computer) That "bell" that dings whenever you correctly read a chunk of the monstrous activation number to the robot. Nothing like being made to feel like a panting dog when you're trying to fix your computer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Gibs Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 ^^ you said it! :yes: Internet Activation Didn't work, that was the first thing I tried! Why obviously, its still the same hardware isn't it? (so the detection is hyper sensitive I guess) But why wouldn't you blame MS! Its there activation system thats a pain! Because I have xp running on 4 computers, and vista on one computer for years now. [obviously not vista] My friends have had xp since 2001 and none of us have had any problem with activation. --- And technically its not the same hardware even though the name is the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nekrosoft13 Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Thats not the point... having to reactivate the entire operating system everytime you do a minor driver update on the same computer with no physical changes is the point... I'd consider that pretty annoying... especially considering you have to repeat a 40 mile long number to them when activating... and then get a crapload of number back to type in... all for a driver update. that happened to me in XP, because i went another road, MS really knows how to annoy their customers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazket Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 You might want to send Microsft a report about that cause it might look as an OS Vulnerabilty... a Driver application (Installer) that messes up your Windows Vista Activation... How the heck is that supposed to be Hardware Change... Did it say something like this: "A change in your current activation key or license or whatever has been detected or happened, you need to activate Windows again..." some crap like that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julius Caro Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 I had something happen today which is even stranger. I was using my PC on which I installed Vista 4 days ago, I had checked that Vista should activate automatically during setup. Today I had put my PC to sleep and later when I woke it up there was a pop up message in the taskbar that Windows needed to be activated. I checked it and then got a message that activation was successful. I didn't install any drivers or anything, all I did was put the PC to sleep. That's not so strange. Vista doesn't activate during setup, it automatically attempts to activate once the thing is installed and you get internet connection. It shouldn't have taken 4 days though... if you installed it with a key, you have 3 days to activate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julius Caro Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Oh , and about people saying "it's the same hardware"... well,it is. But if windows has to interact with that hardware to get the model, of the serial numbers, or whatever, I guess that's where drivers come into play. You can have two computers that have exactly the same hardware on them, and it's not like you can install and hope to activate vista on both of them... That said, changing your drivers will obviously not change your hardware. But that may change what windows knows about your hardware. And hence the "re-activation". I hate the system though. A pain in the *** for legal customers and easily bypass-able for the warezboy next door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToneKnee Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Thats not the point... having to reactivate the entire operating system everytime you do a minor driver update on the same computer with no physical changes is the point... I'd consider that pretty annoying... especially considering you have to repeat a 40 mile long number to them when activating... and then get a crapload of number back to type in... all for a driver update. Might of been a dodgy driver? I've been updating my drivers (motherboard, graphics card, sound card and so on) without any problems. :s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlerner Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Same thing happened to me, I just used system restore and rolled back to just before the driver update. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xirtam Posted February 6, 2007 Author Share Posted February 6, 2007 Because I have xp running on 4 computers, and vista on one computer for years now. [obviously not vista]My friends have had xp since 2001 and none of us have had any problem with activation. --- And technically its not the same hardware even though the name is the same. I haven't had a problem with activation, i just find it annoying! Actually technically it is the same hardware, the only thing thats changed is the information within Vista, its not like I updated the BIOS! Did it say something like this:"A change in your current activation key or license or whatever has been detected or happened, you need to activate Windows again..." some crap like that? Yeah it said something like this: "One or more hardware changes have been detected, you need to re-activate windows, you have 3 days...." think that's basically what it said! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
»X« Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 **** that. Im a guy who often reformats. And I remember in the early days of XP, when I bought it I had to phone up some number on a monthly basis. I soon bypassed that. Vista will be the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joker999 Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 I don't like phone to Microsoft to Re-Activation because im deaf and i cant speak on PHONE geez Microsoft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom B Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Ditto. I had no issue using the activation crack on my perfectly legal copy of Windows XP. I don't like begging to microsoft just because I had to reinstall windows. Activation is a pain. Why is it even there? It just annoys the paying customers. The pirates bypass it and all the problems it causes. *sigh* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtk Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 I don't like phone to Microsoft to Re-Activation because im deaf and i cant speak on PHONEgeez Microsoft TTY services have been available and accessible since activation came online.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ObiWanToby Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 It is probably a good idea to activate after all the drivers are installed. To the OS, it might look like a new motherboard was installed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heavensblade23 Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Just had the same thing happen when I installed my nForce4 drivers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nekrosoft13 Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 It is probably a good idea to activate after all the drivers are installed. To the OS, it might look like a new motherboard was installed. you do know that drivers are released every month or every few months, to fix issues? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrCobra Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 It is probably a good idea to activate after all the drivers are installed. To the OS, it might look like a new motherboard was installed. Then who ever programmed the logic in Vista to determine HW changes and considers that an updated driver constitues a HW change is an absolute idiot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZombieFly Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 Because I have xp running on 4 computers, and vista on one computer for years now. [obviously not vista]My friends have had xp since 2001 and none of us have had any problem with activation. --- And technically its not the same hardware even though the name is the same. are you sure they allowed kids under the age of 5 to register windows? Just because YOU or your 1337 friends don't have a problem, it doesn't exist? :sleep: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pewe Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 Just had the same thing happen when I installed my nForce4 drivers. There seems to be no identifiable logic to determine what constitutes a hardware change where drivers are concerned. Does this only happen in OEM versions? I have a Home premium u/g which I used to do a clean install, and after activation I updated my graphics card driver and it did not affect activation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ObiWanToby Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 Then who ever programmed the logic in Vista to determine HW changes and considers that an updated driver constitues a HW change is an absolute idiot. I agree, whoever programed that they are stupid. I had to reactivate too....urgh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phalesafe Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 It did the same thing to me on my laptop with my technet sub - it now says that it fails WGA as well. Meh this is annoying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts