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8.2

Windows XP repair botched activation

Asked by DanielLambert in Windows XP Operating System

Tags: xp repair, xp activation, wga

After running a repair install using an OEM version of XP Professional SP3 on a Toshiba laptop I can no longer log on to Windows.  

The message comes up saying "This copy of windows must be activated with microsoft before you can log on. Do you want to activate windows now?"

When I click Yes, it begins to load but no desktop icons, or explorer bar shows up.  Ctrl-Alt-Delete does not work or any other key combination.  If left overnight it will just sit at this blank desktop screen and never go any further.  This is different than the issue where you get immediately logged back off after this message displays.

The installation went fine up until the end where it hung at the black "Windows XP   Please Wait..." screen where presumably it was trying to activate itself.  I have tried running a couple repair installs even using a non-oem copy of Windows but still cannot log on.

The first time I ran the repair, the installation asked for the product key, which I entered from the sticker on the bottom of the laptop, subsequent installs haven't asked for the product key.

I have attempted to remove wpa.dlb file and change the OOBETimer value in the registry but nothing seems to be working.

I have now ran into this issue a few times with different PC's and have been mostly unsuccessful in resolving it.

It seems to be an incompatibility with activation files between oem and non-oem copies of Windows XP from what Microsoft has said in the past.

Any advice would be helpful.  Thanks.
[+][-]08/05/09 11:28 AM, ID: 25026540Expert Comment

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[+][-]08/05/09 11:30 AM, ID: 25026560Expert Comment

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[+][-]08/05/09 11:52 AM, ID: 25026770Author Comment

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[+][-]08/10/09 09:21 AM, ID: 25061368Accepted Solution

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About this solution

Zone: Windows XP Operating System
Tags: xp repair, xp activation, wga
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Solution Provided By: DanielLambert
Participating Experts: 4
Solution Grade: A
 
 
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