| Author |
need some assistance please |
Mersenne Twister
Fleet Admiral
Joined: May 11, 2003
Posts: 1161
From: Sector C Test Labs and Contol Facilities
|  Posted: 2008-09-03 13:33
have reinstalled winXP at least 4 times this week already, looking at number 5 if i cant get this sorted out
currently, after installing drivers (particularly chipset/ethernet drivers) SP3 and selectivly restoring by backup (user profiles + program files), i just rebooted to make sure XP hadnt "lost" the network adapter (has during the prior 3 reinstallations).
on reboot, attempting to log in, windows says i need to activate windows before being able to log in. have activated the first two times (its a legit copy, i can do that), 3rd was unable to because windows lost the network adapter (this was late last night). held off activating this time for just that reason.
anyway, xp says i need to activate, i click ok. XP does not display the activation window and immedietly logs off. so i cant log in, i cant use the computer, cant activate windows, and cant even check to see if it still able to talk to the outside world (internets)
i have(had) system restore enabled, and have created restore points after installing drivers, sp3, and after restoring my files, but that doesnt do me any good if i cant even log in.
so far as im aware, while the activation files should have been backed up, im pretty sure i didnt restore them, so XP should still be saying ive got 30days left to activate before locking me out like this.
i need a way in, either to access the system restore (assuming that will help) or temporarily bypass windows activation (again, totally legit cd/product key)
_________________
I wouldn't screw with it if I were you. The doctor already holds you in poor favor. Messing with this might really fry his shorts.
|
Winters Rapture
Fleet Admiral
United Nations Space Command
Joined: December 09, 2007
Posts: 355
| Posted: 2008-09-03 15:31
well, sense this problem seems kinda new to me i would recommend you get your hands on an industrial copy of XP. i have one and it requires no activation, unfortunatly i have not purchased it recently so i have no idea how much it will run you, but if you do get it it will shave the problem you are having right now and saves some time too.
that or just get a new regular copy of XP and hope that its your old disk and not your PC :'(
_________________
Time for revenge. . .
|
Nax
Marshal
Joined: May 12, 2005
Posts: 768
| Posted: 2008-09-03 17:43
You should be able to run WinXP for 30 days before needing to activate.
I'd recommend NOT installing SP3 - making sure you have a copy of the network drivers/adapter/etc and working the machine up to speed without doing a single windows update patch.
From time to time, Windows Profiles can get corrupted - it may or may not be a good idea to restore them - I'd seriously consider starting fresh and only backing up critical files - not restoring the profiles.
There's also another benefit - clutter. Most people end up with a lot of unneeded applications over time. After you get everything working, then start patching.
_________________
|
BackSlash
Marshal
Galactic Navy
Joined: March 23, 2003
Posts: 11183
From: Bristol, England
| Posted: 2008-09-03 18:12
You can call Microsoft for free for an offline activation. I've had to do it so many times after having to format 4-5 times in a day due to misc. issues with my comp.
_________________
|
Doran
Chief Marshal
Galactic Navy
Joined: March 29, 2003
Posts: 4032
From: The Gideon Unit
| Posted: 2008-09-03 20:29
5th try, so far so good.
_________________
|
Leonide
Grand Admiral
Templar Knights
Joined: October 01, 2005
Posts: 1553
From: Newport News, Virginia
| Posted: 2008-09-03 20:53
Quote:
|
On 2008-09-03 13:33, Mersenne Twister wrote:
currently, after installing drivers (particularly chipset/ethernet drivers) SP3 and selectivly restoring by backup |
|
that's your problem right there...
_________________
captain of the ICC Assault Cruiser C.S.S. Sledgehammer
|
Doran
Chief Marshal
Galactic Navy
Joined: March 29, 2003
Posts: 4032
From: The Gideon Unit
| Posted: 2008-09-03 22:23
nope. managed to fubar it up again. goddamit and i had everything in too, then something touched a system file and bam. locked out and unable to get the activation screen again.
number 6....
_________________
|
Eledore Massis [R33]
Grand Admiral
Templar Knights
Joined: May 26, 2002
Posts: 2695
From: tsohlacoLocalhost
| Posted: 2008-09-04 07:59
- How about just install network drivers and then activate winhoos.
- you could disable automatic login, this part of the registry is accessible from safe-mode.
- when restoring be sjure there are no systemfiles inside the backups.
Might want to uncheck "Hide protected operating system files (recommended)".
and i agree with Nax, restoring profiles can be tricky.
For just consumer standalone installations, best is to backup only files and start fresh after the installation.
p.s. most people don't know it but you can move/redirect your my-documents and Desktop folder.
p.p.s. Roaming Profiles anyone?
_________________
DS Discordion
|
BackSlash
Marshal
Galactic Navy
Joined: March 23, 2003
Posts: 11183
From: Bristol, England
| Posted: 2008-09-04 09:49
Install DirectX, and all drivers before you install SP3?
_________________
|
Doran
Chief Marshal
Galactic Navy
Joined: March 29, 2003
Posts: 4032
From: The Gideon Unit
| Posted: 2008-09-04 14:31
think i have it this time. sp3, drivers, all my programs reinstalled (nearly all anyway), windows activated the 3rd time this week.
pray i can get thru windows updates with no new problems...
_________________
|
BackSlash
Marshal
Galactic Navy
Joined: March 23, 2003
Posts: 11183
From: Bristol, England
| Posted: 2008-09-04 14:47
Try a streamline install (XP with SP3 on startup). There are instructions on how to do this on the internet (might also be called slipstreaming).
Failing that, I'll throw you a PM on a method of getting it to work.
_________________
|
English
Deutsch
Nederlands
)
