Windows wont reactivate X(

[ahmed5]

Hello,

A week ago i bought Win XP Home with SP2 OEM and i managed to install and activate it. Recently i had to install new drivers due to a minor issue with graphics card (from Omega to ATI), but when i restarted windows told me that i had to reactivate winxp within 3 days due to a 'change in hardware'. I couldn't reactivate with my current key because it wanted a new key so i called up microsoft. They said because my copy is OEM they couldn't help me out and it was possibly unlegit (i doubt). I called up OcUK (who i bought it off) and the dude said that i should call M$ up and they will reactivate it for me but i had already used my 2 free calls.

What the hell is going on? Why shouldn't i be able to change drivers? It takes the bloody pi$$.

Thank you

 

[jancz3rt]

Hello

It should work without a problem. I would contact MS again and this time reiterate what you have done. They should be able to help you. You should have a legitimate box or a sticker on the computer to prove that your MS product is legitimate. I think they would help you now.

JAN

 

[ahmed5]

but i dont want to pay £200 for a phone call

 

[jancz3rt]

Wow

but i dont want to pay £200 for a phone call

Are you serious about that? I am sure you could try contacting MS through other means such as e-mail.

JAN

 

[ahmed5]

that costs money aswell - £70 i believe it is

heres the link: http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-gb&prid=8430&gprid=37012

 

[lee101]

the link you posted is for XP embedded, which i think is a different product, there should be a support link for the normal XP home somewhere

edit: here is the contact page
http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

looks like 0870 60 10 100 is the UK number

 

[ahmed5]

the link you posted is for XP embedded, which i think is a different product, there should be a support link for the normal XP home somewhere

normal XP home is £50 per call

technically, my copy is embedded - i phoned the helpline for normal but they didn't help

 

[Scrat]

I once had a similar problem where i was reinstalling winxp on the same pc with the OEM version and they wouldnt give me another activation code for the reinstall. However i finally got it working again after some thought.
If you have a legit version and the original sticker/box with the key number.... then ring up the activation phone number and tell them you are reinstalling it, and when they ask if its a OEM version(they aren't allowed to collect and store any info about your system),... (while not look at the cd/box ...so your not lying ) say "i cant see that marked anywhere" and they should give you a new activation key.

 

[ahmed5]

thank you so much it worked!