Having re-cased a computer for a neighbour I was shocked to find out that it wouldnt simply re-activate (the only change to the hardware was the motherboard). In order to get through the activation process I had to:

1. Phone Microsoft
2. Key in the Activation Number given by the XP Activation Wizard
3. Be told it was invalid
4. Get transferred to a “Customer Services Representative”
5. Read them the activation number
6. Tell them it was an OEM key from a manufactured PC
7. Change the product key (from something to the one on the old case)
8. Generate a new activation key
9. Read this back to the CSR
10. Have them enter it incorrectly
11. Re-read it to them
12. Confirm they made a mistake
13. Enter their half of the key
14. Finsh

Or so I thought! The new problem came when I tried to Windows Update and I was told that somebody was trying to give me a counterfeit key and that I should look for a genuine key.

Only after a few reboots and ignoring their “you are illegal” messages did I successfully get it to WU and repatch itself

Why can MS not just make a system that works first time!