XP help please

SomberStrekking · Post by **SomberStrekking** » Fri May 26, 2006 12:03 am

Okay fucking windows got an update on my compy about the genuine notification thingy I've searched and looked and cant find a way to get it off of here can anyone help me?????

Vlame · Post by **Vlame** » Fri May 26, 2006 12:37 am

Get a Mac.

BlackAura · Post by **BlackAura** » Fri May 26, 2006 3:53 am

That depends on why the message has come up. You can't uninstall it, so the only way to get rid of it is to rectify the problem. There are basically four possibilities.

You have a legit copy, installed on two PCs.
You shouldn't have Windows XP installed on more than one PC. It doesn't like it. Go down to the local shops, buy yourself another copy of Windows XP (same edition), and change the CD key to the one from your newly purchased copy. I believe that the Windows Activation dialog has an option to change the CD key.

You have a pirate copy.
This is, unfortunately, what you get for using pirate copies. The solution is to go out and buy yourself a new, legit copy of Windows, and install it over the top of the pirate version.

You bought the PC with Windows installed, or a copy of Windows, and didn't realise it was a pirate copy.
Apparently this happens sometimes. Either call Microsoft and tell them where you got the thing (and if you also received authentic-looking CDs and documentation, they'll probably be eager to know about it), or call whoever you bought the PC from and ask them why they sold you a pirated copy of Windows. You may have to buy a new copy of Windows anyway.

You have a totally legit copy of Windows XP, installed on only your machine.
In this case, Microsoft screwed up. Your only recourse is call Microsoft (which will cost you a fair bit, despite it being their fault). This happened on my Dad's laptop - the OEM copy of Windows that came with it stopped working, and it refused to reactivate itself. That copy has only ever been used on that laptop. You may have to buy a new copy of Windows anyway.

The ultimate solution, of course, is simply to not use Windows. Install Linux, or get a Mac. If you want to use Windows, you're going to have to pay for it.

It is possible to bypass, but it's rather difficult to do, and I'm not going to tell you how anyway.

zman · Post by **zman** » Fri May 26, 2006 9:55 am

No matter what you think about Microsoft and their software they produce. It seems to me that consumer protection is not a priority. You would think they would get the security issues resolved before the virus writers, hackers and computer thieves steel everything. No matter how you obtained a copy of windows, it would be nice to have a warning or at least a f.a.q. or help file on what to do next. So I had recieved this genuine notice also. Of course I'm genuine, so I resolved my issue with Microsoft so I can maintain the software protection updates for windows xp. Like the original author of this topic and a million other users out there. I looked for information and found little to none on the subject. At least a proper explanation. Finally, I found out this is another "joke" of a deal. Sort of like "*.pwl" file in the older windows versions that kept your passwords that no one could minipulate or find easily in the root directory of windows. So if you look hard enough, you can deduce what file is in need of a change and all is good. In the end, a legit updated copy is the only way to go. Then you can register your copy and complain weekly to Microsoft on how bad things have gotten on your P.C.

SomberStrekking · Post by **SomberStrekking** » Sat May 27, 2006 9:37 am

Thank you guys for your input but I found a way around it via regedit and a few Windows NT files that needed to be trashed, Microsoft is never unbeatable

ninja · Post by **ninja** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 8:00 pm

Thats great and all, but it would've been a lot easier to just go through the validation process.....