Results 1 to 15 of 15
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    St. Louis, Missouri
    Posts
    1,815

    Re-activating XP?

    I bought an emachines pc with preinstalled xp and such. Now I bought a new motherboard that supports 8x AGP cause the last one only supported 4x AGP. So now it asks me to re-activate windows. Do I have to buy a new windows, or can I use emachines restore cd, plus emachines came with a valid XP serial number too. Is it really necessary to spend $300 or so just to install a new mobo?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Liverpool, England, UK.
    Posts
    2,571
    You should be able to phone up Microsoft Windows Activation help line and explain the changes to them. They will then be able to re-activate it for you.

    I am not sure if you can do it via the online activation process, but it may be worth a try, however it would be better to phone up in my opinion.

    Xcellweb.net - Quality Web Solutions That Work!
    █ Web Hosting | Web Servers | Shoutcast | Domain Names

    Providing High Quality Web Solutions Since July 2002!
    AgilityHosting.net - UK & European cPanel Web Hosting

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    St. Louis, Missouri
    Posts
    1,815
    How does it work though? Do they just give me some number to insert and that's it or do i need cds? Cause emachines tech said emachines restore Cd's only work with the default motherboard which is pretty stupid imo.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Posts
    477
    yep
    you have to make phone call
    online process will not work

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Liverpool, England, UK.
    Posts
    2,571
    Originally posted by WHTer
    How does it work though? Do they just give me some number to insert and that's it or do i need cds? Cause emachines tech said emachines restore Cd's only work with the default motherboard which is pretty stupid imo.
    I think it will be a case of inserting a new license number, however I cannot confirm this as I have never had to do it.

    Good luck anyway
    Xcellweb.net - Quality Web Solutions That Work!
    █ Web Hosting | Web Servers | Shoutcast | Domain Names

    Providing High Quality Web Solutions Since July 2002!
    AgilityHosting.net - UK & European cPanel Web Hosting

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    Southampton, UK
    Posts
    1,025
    Cause emachines tech said emachines restore Cd's only work with the default motherboard which is pretty stupid imo.
    It's not stupid at all. They do this to stop the CD being copied an then distributed illegally.
    Regards,
    Stephen Marsh

    UrbanServers.com - Premium UK SSD Virtual Servers

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    9,851
    Originally posted by stephenM
    It's not stupid at all. They do this to stop the CD being copied an then distributed illegally.

    Exactly. It's a piracy prevention measure.
    Dell does it as I'm sure most of the big providers do.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2000
    Location
    Tacoma, Washington
    Posts
    9,576
    Originally posted by samdax
    online process will not work
    Why not? It's always worked for me when I've been asked to reactivate Windows. If you're online, just push the button, wait a few seconds and you're done.

    If for some reason it won't allow you to do it, then just make the call.

    I've never seen the reason why people have such an issue with this thing.
    Former Webhost... now, just a guy.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    St. Louis, Missouri
    Posts
    1,815
    Originally posted by stephenM
    It's not stupid at all. They do this to stop the CD being copied an then distributed illegally.
    It's stupid because it does not allowe you to install a new motherboard.

    I tried calling their little robot phone thing, it didn't work it said invalid installation code. I couldn't talk to a real human to explain the situation.

    Online doesn't work because I have to install ethernet, USB, etc. when I installed a new mobo. So my dsl can't connect online without installing those things first.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    Southampton, UK
    Posts
    1,025
    Online doesn't work because I have to install ethernet, USB, etc. when I installed a new mobo. So my dsl can't connect online without installing those things first.
    Mainboards always come with a CD to install all the necessary drivers; have you used this?
    Regards,
    Stephen Marsh

    UrbanServers.com - Premium UK SSD Virtual Servers

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Liverpool, England, UK.
    Posts
    2,571
    Originally posted by stephenM
    Mainboards always come with a CD to install all the necessary drivers; have you used this?
    I think he means he cant install them because he cannot get into Windows to do this.

    I may be wrong, but I thought they allowed you 30 days to re-activate it before completely shutting off access? As I say, I maybe wrong though.

    Xcellweb.net - Quality Web Solutions That Work!
    █ Web Hosting | Web Servers | Shoutcast | Domain Names

    Providing High Quality Web Solutions Since July 2002!
    AgilityHosting.net - UK & European cPanel Web Hosting

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    Southampton, UK
    Posts
    1,025
    I think he means he cant install them because he cannot get into Windows to do this.
    Ah ofcource, I forgot about that!

    I may be wrong, but I thought they allowed you 30 days to re-activate it before completely shutting off access?
    I believe so.
    Regards,
    Stephen Marsh

    UrbanServers.com - Premium UK SSD Virtual Servers

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    St. Louis, Missouri
    Posts
    1,815
    Nope, I can't get into windows at all. And if I could get into it, I could install all the drivers needed. So everything's kinda messed up here. lol

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Posts
    1,389
    Windows should still launch - it'll just refuse to use that hardware - or that's what it did with me when I added new hardware until I reactivated Windows.

    Regardless, just phone up the Microsoft Activation line and explain the problem - see what they say.

    Chris

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    The Ozarks
    Posts
    888
    You'll need a copy of the version of XP you have installed (Home or Pro) not the emachines restore disk. Boot from this disk, and choose to install Windows, not "Use recovery Console" Windows will search and find your installation, and ask if you want to repair it, say yes. Windows will install over the top, keeping your settings and files, but installing all the new drivers you have, usually....it doesn't have some of the latest drivers, but it will install usb drivers that you can use in safe mode. After install, on first full reboot, Windows will say you need to activate before using. You can call the number provided, and there is an option to speak with a tech to activate it. You can also boot into safe mode without activating it, however, you can't boot into safe mode with networking support without activating it.
    Hope this is of some use to you.
    Need Control Panel help? Tutorials, FAQS, user guides. and more
    Don't have the control panel you use listed? Let us know.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •