What's the deal with the MS Activation??
I frequently upgrade my development pc and hardware
does this mean I am goin to have to call and get an
activation # every time I want to upgrade ?
shees.........
Eugene Vital
-JS IATTTWATL
I believe it depends on MS's 'rule-of-the-day.' Someone said it will let
you install 3 pieces of equipment per month (quarter?) before deactivating.
But the basic answer to your question is yes. MS has placed code into
Windows XP that can deactivate your computer based upon whatever logic MS
has behind the scenes. Essentially, the only way to make use of the
computer after that is to contact MS and get a reactivation key (I don't
think they charge for that - yet....). Of course, I think if it
deactivates, you may be able to boot up some floppy, wipe the hard drive,
and reinstall from scratch. Also someone mentioned that even when a PC is
deactivated in this way, it will boot to a minimal state where you can copy
files to the floppy.... ???
Most people claim this will never cause them a problem. I'm sure they'll
continue to claim that until MS changes the logic to deactivate the PC when
it detects competitors software installed.
-Charlie
>What's the deal with the MS Activation??
>I frequently upgrade my development pc and hardware
>does this mean I am goin to have to call and get an
>activation # every time I want to upgrade ?
I had to reactivate by phone once during a weird install. Other than having
to take dictation of a GUID-style long string it was quick and painless and
the person on the phone was very nice.
Cindy Winegarden MCSD, Microsoft Visual FoxPro MVP
cindy.winegarden@mvps.org
-----Original Message-----
From: profox@leafe.com [mailto:profox@leafe.com] On Behalf Of Charlie
Coleman
Sent: December 16, 2002 01:23 PM
To: Multiple recipients of ProFox
Subject: Re: [OT] MS Activation
I believe it depends on MS's 'rule-of-the-day.' Someone said it will let
you install 3 pieces of equipment per month (quarter?) before deactivating.
But the basic answer to your question is yes. MS has placed code into
Windows XP that can deactivate your computer based upon whatever logic MS
has behind the scenes. Essentially, the only way to make use of the
computer after that is to contact MS and get a reactivation key (I don't
think they charge for that - yet....). ....
I have 4 copies of XP - home and pro that I can't use. I had to reinstall for various reasons on the 4 computers. They refused to
give me the keys. They said someone else had used those keys. I told them I had the purchase receipts, boxes, CDs, etc. They said
there was nothing they could do. I was told I would have to purchase another copy. I told them something I won't print here. I just
put the original Win98 back on the computers and they run fine now. I am free to upgrade the hard drives, change NICs, etc anytime
I want without asking for permission from microcrap.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Cindy Winegarden" <cindyw@duke.edu>
To: "Multiple recipients of ProFox" <profox@leafe.com>
Sent: Monday, December 16, 2002 11:46 AM
Subject: RE: [OT] MS Activation
I had to reactivate by phone once during a weird install. Other than having
to take dictation of a GUID-style long string it was quick and painless and
the person on the phone was very nice.
Cindy Winegarden MCSD, Microsoft Visual FoxPro MVP
cindy.winegarden@mvps.org
-----Original Message-----
From: profox@leafe.com [mailto:profox@leafe.com] On Behalf Of Charlie
Coleman
Sent: December 16, 2002 01:23 PM
To: Multiple recipients of ProFox
Subject: Re: [OT] MS Activation
I believe it depends on MS's 'rule-of-the-day.' Someone said it will let
you install 3 pieces of equipment per month (quarter?) before deactivating.
But the basic answer to your question is yes. MS has placed code into
Windows XP that can deactivate your computer based upon whatever logic MS
has behind the scenes. Essentially, the only way to make use of the
computer after that is to contact MS and get a reactivation key (I don't
think they charge for that - yet....). ....
>>I have 4 copies of XP - home and pro that I can't use. I had to =
reinstall for various reasons on the 4 computers. They refused to give =
me the keys. They said someone else had used those keys. I told them I =
had the purchase receipts, boxes, CDs, etc.<<
-- First I've heard of such a thing if you actually own the software. =
Send them to me and I will take care of it. Email me off list and I will =
give you my address.
-----Original Message-----
From: Ken McGinnis [mailto:ken@kenmcginnis.com]
Sent: Friday, December 20, 2002 8:16 PM
To: Multiple recipients of ProFox
Subject: Re: [OT] MS Activation
I have 4 copies of XP - home and pro that I can't use. I had to =
reinstall for various reasons on the 4 computers. They refused to
give me the keys. They said someone else had used those keys. I told =
them I had the purchase receipts, boxes, CDs, etc. They said
there was nothing they could do. I was told I would have to purchase =
another copy. I told them something I won't print here. I just
put the original Win98 back on the computers and they run fine now. I am =
free to upgrade the hard drives, change NICs, etc anytime
I want without asking for permission from microcrap.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Cindy Winegarden" <cindyw@duke.edu>
To: "Multiple recipients of ProFox" <profox@leafe.com>
Sent: Monday, December 16, 2002 11:46 AM
Subject: RE: [OT] MS Activation
I had to reactivate by phone once during a weird install. Other than =
having
to take dictation of a GUID-style long string it was quick and painless =
and
the person on the phone was very nice.
Cindy Winegarden MCSD, Microsoft Visual FoxPro MVP
cindy.winegarden@mvps.org
-----Original Message-----
From: profox@leafe.com [mailto:profox@leafe.com] On Behalf Of Charlie
Coleman
Sent: December 16, 2002 01:23 PM
To: Multiple recipients of ProFox
Subject: Re: [OT] MS Activation
I believe it depends on MS's 'rule-of-the-day.' Someone said it will let
you install 3 pieces of equipment per month (quarter?) before =
deactivating.
But the basic answer to your question is yes. MS has placed code into
Windows XP that can deactivate your computer based upon whatever logic =
MS
has behind the scenes. Essentially, the only way to make use of the
computer after that is to contact MS and get a reactivation key (I don't
think they charge for that - yet....). ....
>>Are you the one that can 'take care of it'<<
-- If you are having a licensing problem with a legitimate copy of a =
Microsoft operating system, then most likely I am somebody who can =
resolve the problem.
...................................................
Bill Kuhn - MCSE, MCP+I
bkuhn@kuhngroup.com
The Kuhn Group, Inc.
A Microsoft Certified Partner
...................................................
=20
-----Original Message-----
From: Ken McGinnis [mailto:ken@kenmcginnis.com]
Sent: Friday, December 20, 2002 9:24 PM
To: Bill Kuhn - MCSE
Subject: Re: [OT] MS Activation
Are you the one that can 'take care of it'
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Kuhn - MCSE" <bkuhn@kuhngroup.com>
To: "Multiple recipients of ProFox" <profox@leafe.com>
Sent: Friday, December 20, 2002 7:18 PM
Subject: RE: [OT] MS Activation
>>I have 4 copies of XP - home and pro that I can't use. I had to =
reinstall for various reasons on the 4 computers. They refused to
give me the keys. They said someone else had used those keys. I told =
them I had the purchase receipts, boxes, CDs, etc.<<
-- First I've heard of such a thing if you actually own the software. =
Send them to me and I will take care of it. Email me off list
and I will give you my address.
-----Original Message-----
From: Ken McGinnis [mailto:ken@kenmcginnis.com]
Sent: Friday, December 20, 2002 8:16 PM
To: Multiple recipients of ProFox
Subject: Re: [OT] MS Activation
I have 4 copies of XP - home and pro that I can't use. I had to =
reinstall for various reasons on the 4 computers. They refused to
give me the keys. They said someone else had used those keys. I told =
them I had the purchase receipts, boxes, CDs, etc. They said
there was nothing they could do. I was told I would have to purchase =
another copy. I told them something I won't print here. I just
put the original Win98 back on the computers and they run fine now. I am =
free to upgrade the hard drives, change NICs, etc anytime
I want without asking for permission from microcrap.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Cindy Winegarden" <cindyw@duke.edu>
To: "Multiple recipients of ProFox" <profox@leafe.com>
Sent: Monday, December 16, 2002 11:46 AM
Subject: RE: [OT] MS Activation
I had to reactivate by phone once during a weird install. Other than =
having
to take dictation of a GUID-style long string it was quick and painless =
and
the person on the phone was very nice.
Cindy Winegarden MCSD, Microsoft Visual FoxPro MVP
cindy.winegarden@mvps.org
-----Original Message-----
From: profox@leafe.com [mailto:profox@leafe.com] On Behalf Of Charlie
Coleman
Sent: December 16, 2002 01:23 PM
To: Multiple recipients of ProFox
Subject: Re: [OT] MS Activation
I believe it depends on MS's 'rule-of-the-day.' Someone said it will let
you install 3 pieces of equipment per month (quarter?) before =
deactivating.
But the basic answer to your question is yes. MS has placed code into
Windows XP that can deactivate your computer based upon whatever logic =
MS
has behind the scenes. Essentially, the only way to make use of the
computer after that is to contact MS and get a reactivation key (I don't
think they charge for that - yet....). ....
>> I have 4 copies of XP - home and pro that I can't use. I had to reinstall
for various reasons on the 4 >>>>computers. They refused to give me the
keys.
I've never had this happen and I've installed and reinstalled on many of our
systems. First off, I can tell you if you replace a hard drive and
reinstall the o/s a second time, it will still activate over the internet.
In-fact I've done 3 activations (on same machine, after reinstall) over the
internet.
After that I've had to call, takes 5 min, and they've always provided me the
keys. Not a problem!!
They don't have name or address. Registration (providing name, address,
etc...) is optional, during activation. So this is an activation issue not
a privacy issue.
I'm not defending the pricing, XP is a bit steep. But let me tell you from
someone who is in the business, when the guy down the street is selling
systems with pirate copy of Win98, it's hard for us who play by the rules to
compete. They have $100 less in their systems from the start! Combine that
with cheaper parts and you got a system $200 cheaper than what I can sell.
The customer doesn't know the difference until after the sell. They think a
computer is a computer.
Now that the o/s has to be activated, we are getting back to a level playing
field.
I think most, but not all, of the opposition to the activation is from
people who made multiple copies of the previous o/s.
Bill Wells
Wells Microsystems, Inc.
You've no doubt seen the foot-in-the-door approach played out before. It
*always* starts with a small breach into new territory and then expands. If
you think that MS isn't going in a direction of requiring personal ID
attached to (responsible for) every system running their OS, and wouldn't,
as a follow-up at some point, require periodic connections of machines
running MS OS's to MS servers - for "checkups", that may really be innocuous
at first, but establishes a needed connection into your machines and your
life that's the tip of the next iceberg. And, if you think this will satisfy
their appetite, then I've got a bridge for sale you might be interested in.
Sure, MS has an interest in protecting their software, but we have an even
bigger interest in seeing that their solution is anything but a Trojan
Horse. So far, they're ahead.
Bill
>
> >> I have 4 copies of XP - home and pro that I can't use. I had
> to reinstall
> for various reasons on the 4 >>>>computers. They refused to give me the
> keys.
>
> I've never had this happen and I've installed and reinstalled on
> many of our
> systems. First off, I can tell you if you replace a hard drive and
> reinstall the o/s a second time, it will still activate over the internet.
>
> In-fact I've done 3 activations (on same machine, after
> reinstall) over the
> internet.
>
> After that I've had to call, takes 5 min, and they've always
> provided me the
> keys. Not a problem!!
>
> They don't have name or address. Registration (providing name, address,
> etc...) is optional, during activation. So this is an activation
> issue not
> a privacy issue.
>
> I'm not defending the pricing, XP is a bit steep. But let me
> tell you from
> someone who is in the business, when the guy down the street is selling
> systems with pirate copy of Win98, it's hard for us who play by
> the rules to
> compete. They have $100 less in their systems from the start!
> Combine that
> with cheaper parts and you got a system $200 cheaper than what I can sell.
> The customer doesn't know the difference until after the sell.
> They think a
> computer is a computer.
>
> Now that the o/s has to be activated, we are getting back to a
> level playing
> field.
>
> I think most, but not all, of the opposition to the activation is from
> people who made multiple copies of the previous o/s.
>
>
> Bill Wells
> Wells Microsystems, Inc.
>
>
>
This sounds like a case for the Attorney General, no?
> I have 4 copies of XP - home and pro that I can't use. I had=20
> to reinstall for various reasons on the 4 computers. They refused to
> give me the keys. They said someone else had used those keys.=20
> I told them I had the purchase receipts, boxes, CDs, etc. They said
> there was nothing they could do. I was told I would have to=20
> purchase another copy. I told them something I won't print=20
> here. I just
> put the original Win98 back on the computers and they run=20
> fine now. I am free to upgrade the hard drives, change NICs,=20
> etc anytime
> I want without asking for permission from microcrap.
Interesting how crying wolf about things Microsoft might someday =
possibly do if they were really dumb enough seems OK while what Saddam =
Hussein is currently doing and has been doing for years is nothing to be =
concerned about.
-----Original Message-----
From: Bill (Wells Micro) [mailto:bill.wells@wellsmicro.com]
Sent: Saturday, December 21, 2002 10:41 PM
To: Multiple recipients of ProFox
Subject: RE: [OT] MS Activation
What breach of privacy has the activation caused? Can you name one?
Not talking about could have, would have, or might.
You don't have to reply. I already know the answer. But let me assure =
you,
when there is one, I'll use that bridge to get over to your side on this
issue.
Bill
-----Original Message-----
From: profox@leafe.com [mailto:profox@leafe.com]On Behalf Of Bill Arnold
Sent: Saturday, December 21, 2002 2:11 AM
To: Multiple recipients of ProFox
Subject: RE: [OT] MS Activation
You've no doubt seen the foot-in-the-door approach played out before. It
*always* starts with a small breach into new territory and then expands. =
If
you think that MS isn't going in a direction of requiring personal ID
attached to (responsible for) every system running their OS, and =
wouldn't,
as a follow-up at some point, require periodic connections of machines
running MS OS's to MS servers - for "checkups", that may really be =
innocuous
at first, but establishes a needed connection into your machines and =
your
life that's the tip of the next iceberg. And, if you think this will =
satisfy
their appetite, then I've got a bridge for sale you might be interested =
in.
Sure, MS has an interest in protecting their software, but we have an =
even
bigger interest in seeing that their solution is anything but a Trojan
Horse. So far, they're ahead.
Bill
>
> >> I have 4 copies of XP - home and pro that I can't use. I had
> to reinstall
> for various reasons on the 4 >>>>computers. They refused to give me =
the
> keys.
>
> I've never had this happen and I've installed and reinstalled on
> many of our
> systems. First off, I can tell you if you replace a hard drive and
> reinstall the o/s a second time, it will still activate over the =
internet.
>
> In-fact I've done 3 activations (on same machine, after
> reinstall) over the
> internet.
>
> After that I've had to call, takes 5 min, and they've always
> provided me the
> keys. Not a problem!!
>
> They don't have name or address. Registration (providing name, =
address,
> etc...) is optional, during activation. So this is an activation
> issue not
> a privacy issue.
>
> I'm not defending the pricing, XP is a bit steep. But let me
> tell you from
> someone who is in the business, when the guy down the street is =
selling
> systems with pirate copy of Win98, it's hard for us who play by
> the rules to
> compete. They have $100 less in their systems from the start!
> Combine that
> with cheaper parts and you got a system $200 cheaper than what I can =
sell.
> The customer doesn't know the difference until after the sell.
> They think a
> computer is a computer.
>
> Now that the o/s has to be activated, we are getting back to a
> level playing
> field.
>
> I think most, but not all, of the opposition to the activation is from
> people who made multiple copies of the previous o/s.
>
>
> Bill Wells
> Wells Microsystems, Inc.
>
>
>