Ok,

I had some major issues last night which completely ripped my computer apart. So I install my new hard drive and when I get to windows it gives me the classic message "Your hardware has changed too much and you must reactivate windows". WTF

I've had to reactivate windows 2 times before because I'm always upgrading my system (new amd 64 4000+ and new 160 gb hd)

So I go to reactivate it and I am unable to get in. It says that I must reactivate before I can login. I click ok, and the think auto logs out and won' let me in. I can't access the reactivation screen to reactivate it. So I go into safe mode, little do I know that windows WILL NOT let you reactive it in safe mode. In short, I'm screwed because I can't reactivate the thing to get into windows. I ended up staying up till 1:30 last night (6 hours) reinstalling the entire OS all over again, getting all the updates, and reinstalling all my games for the upcoming lan. I still have to download patches for everything and finish installing some minor software (keyboard, joypad). I hate windows, If they didn't have such a strong hold on the gaming world, my system would be completely Suse. I have yet to be able to activate windows by the way (got it fixed so I can login and operate but I have the usual 30 days to activate) I tried online but It doesn't work, so I'll probilly have to put up with some Indian guy asking me if I have a legit copy of xp and asking me why I have to reactivate the product (took 20 min last time I had to call to do this)...So WTF

I read in PC Gamer that windows is suppost to try to breathe more life into pc gaming. The main issue is THAT YOU HAVE TO UPGRADE CONSTANTLY TO PLAY UP TO DATE GAMES!!! Here's a bright concept, why don't you stop punishing those who actually want to upgrade constantly to play pc games and STOP MAKING THEM HAVE TO REACTIVATE WINDOWS ALL THE FREAKIN TIME. Sorry about my rant. I just thought you guys would like to know. I'm dreading the 20 min call to Microsoft :-(

Would like your input...Thanks again    

David

F3ar0n

And it's no biggie, they ask you for the code. They ask how many computers is this installed on... ALWAYS ANSWER ONE!!!!! Then they give you a activation code. Take about 15 min.

I had that reactivation thing come up this past weekend. I moved a power plug from an unused hard drive to my cd burner :P

I didn't have a problem with activation though, it let me activate it right away.

I had to deal with this for a customer's computer about a month ago.  They had a store-bought manufactured PC and I had to install a new Mobo for them.

Got the activation message, fooled around with it for awhile and called the manufacturer.  They got me know where so I got the direct no-charge line to Microsoft and gave them a call.  They asked if it was a manufactured PC that the copy of XP was on and I replied yes...but I had already contacted the manufacturer and they brought me to you...so I'm not going back.  The lady simply replied Okay, sir we'll see what we can do.  She gave me a different activation code to try and Bang, it worked.

I was really surprised at actually how helpful they were...big difference from what I'm used to with Microsoft.

Ok,

So I was having issues with windows activation and I said I "solved " it. Well I was mistaken. About 2 days ago, I had an issue with windows and I ended up installing windows all over again. the thing that was wierd is that it seemed like it installed a new version over the old version I had. i didn't have to reinstall anything so the reg was original and everything. But the computer was lagging out so bad, it was unbearable. I'm running a amd 64 4000+ and 1 gb of DDR 400. It did't make much sense so I did a few diagnostics. I ran 3 different spyware prog (ad-aware, Spybot, and Windows spyware beta) and avg antivirus. Did full scans with em all and came up with a few issues, but immediatly fixed em (rescaned to double check). I then ran regcleaner and cleared out reg entries which were old and not in use. Along with this, I checked out msconfig and took out start items which were a nuasance. After doing all this, the comp was still lagging out. I reinstalled the drivers for my graphics card thinking it may be a display thing, it wasn't. It would take 1 min just to load the my computer screen and load the hd (would take 10 min to file through hard drive contents. So I thought it might be an issue with the hd...so I ran a scandisk and defrag on the hd. It still was giving me issues. Keep in mind that I just got done doing a complete reinstall from scratch about a week ago. In anycase, when I ctr-alt-del, there were 3 programs that kept on being launched off an on. I tried to end em, and they would autostart. It felt as if there were 2 copies of windows running at the extact same time. So, I started from scratch yet again. I transfered all my stuff to my secondary hd and formated my orginal. I then installed windows xp home edition. After I installed my drivers, I ran windows xp corp edition which I  "aquired". I was amazed to find out that when I ran windows xp coorp with service pack 2, I ended up not having to activate windows (I know that windows coorp doesn't make you activate windows, but didn't think if you installed updated windows xp with service pack 2 that you wouldn't have to activate it). So it looks like I'm set (explorer windows launch instantly like they should)

The only main downfall is that I quickly have to reinstall all my games before the lan (which is in 2 days) shouldn't have too many issues, but I have to download all the patches and map packs over again (forgot to transfer my patch and map pack  folder to my other hd). So hopefully I'll be up and running.

I tried to run fear last night when I was havving my mass problem with xp, and it was lagging so bad (have a 6800 gt so I should'nt have any troubles). I reinstalled it and tried it out real quick and it ran perfect (before, it took a little over a min just to load the credits screen...took 3 sec with the new install). So, I'm a happy camper as I have a ligit windows xp (which I'll never have to activate) and my kick ass gaming machine is up and running (now all I have to do is upgrade to a 7800 with a fx 55, and I'll be set)

Thanks for reading this long post

F3ar0n

David