can't activate windows with this key anymore?

chuck steak

so i've just reformatted and installed windows. but now it's telling me that i've registered with this key too many times. what the fuck? is there a way around this, cause there's no way that i'm buying a new copy of windows.

Glaeal

chuck steak wrote:

so i've just reformatted and installed windows. but now it's telling me that i've registered with this key too many times. what the fuck? is there a way around this, cause there's no way that i'm buying a new copy of windows.

Contact Microsoft?

I'm hoping you don't have the same key in use on another computer.

chuck steak

Glaeal wrote:

chuck steak wrote:

so i've just reformatted and installed windows. but now it's telling me that i've registered with this key too many times. what the fuck? is there a way around this, cause there's no way that i'm buying a new copy of windows.

Contact Microsoft?

I'm hoping you don't have the same key in use on another computer.

i've only ever used it on this computer.

Azio

chuck steak wrote:

Glaeal wrote:

chuck steak wrote:

so i've just reformatted and installed windows. but now it's telling me that i've registered with this key too many times. what the fuck? is there a way around this, cause there's no way that i'm buying a new copy of windows.

Contact Microsoft?

I'm hoping you don't have the same key in use on another computer.

i've only ever used it on this computer.

Just call them. There's a toll-free number.

Tomanta

You'll have to get a registration number by phone. During the activation process you should get an option to do that. You'll have to put in your activation key which it will then reject. Then you will be routed to India and will have to repeat the key to a representative, who will ask you if you have XP installed on any other computers. You will answer no, then they will give you the info you need to activate.

I've had to do this a couple of times now .

exoplasm

I should keep my mouth shut. Always.

Glaeal

exoplasm wrote:

Calling them to do this is the easiest way to pirate Windows XP because "Tom" or "Mike" or whatever from India doesn't know or care to do anything other than activating it for you.

Well... that turned it into a piracy discussion.

I think we're done here.

exoplasm

Damnit, I'm going to get reamed for this now. I can feel it coming already.

Szechuanosaurus

Tomanta wrote:

You'll have to get a registration number by phone. During the activation process you should get an option to do that. You'll have to put in your activation key which it will then reject. Then you will be routed to India and will have to repeat the key to a representative, who will ask you if you have XP installed on any other computers. You will answer no, then they will give you the info you need to activate.

I've had to do this a couple of times now .

That's identical to what happened with me. Makes you wonder why they bother, beyond the obvious pleasure in irritating legitimate customers. I freaked when the message first came up after rebuilding. Especially as it activated fine the first time through and it wasn't until I booted up the following day that my registration code had suddenly and inexplicably expired.

Soviet Waffle

I've had this happen, everyone is right, you just have to make a call. It's fairly obnoxious though, when this message pops up months after you've registered your own bought CD-key, and you're given 3-days to see how Microsoft Goofed