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:
- Phone Microsoft
- Key in the Activation Number given by the XP Activation Wizard
- Be told it was invalid
- Get transferred to a “Customer Services Representative”
- Read them the activation number
- Tell them it was an OEM key from a manufactured PC
- Change the product key (from something to the one on the old case)
- Generate a new activation key
- Read this back to the CSR
- Have them enter it incorrectly
- Re-read it to them
- Confirm they made a mistake
- Enter their half of the key
- 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!