Activate required but already activated (sort of long)???

[BobMCT]

Gentlemen;

I had to replace the hdd in my desktop machine so I decided I would install Linux along with VMware Workstation into which I installed this machine's previous copy of XP Pro from the CDROM. All went normally until the time came to activate this XP install and when tried the message received was "maximum number of times to activate has been exceeded". I then tried again by calling the MS tech number displayed on the screen.
The kind voice asked for the appropriate information and proceeded to provide a seven group of six digits to be entered into the prompt area. This then completed and stated that my XP was now activated and to reboot.

Upon reboot I do get the administrator account displayed and when clicked it states "Activation required, do you want to activate now?" I click Yes and the activation screen appears and states "Already activated, logging off"!

I've spent the vast majority of today searching for solutions and tried at least a dozen of them including renaming dbl files and changing registry values while in safe mode.

But, I always end up with the same thing.

Out of frustration, can someone here perhaps provide a pointer to how one can successfully overcome this situation?

A tired thanks!!!

 

[kjv1611]

I'm guessing that the OEM install there doesn't like being installed in VMWare for some reason.

Probably the easiest way to get around it, assuming you want to dual boot rather than installing one OS on top of the other, is this:

1. Wipe the drive
2. Reinstall XP (you might have to call in to activate - I'd probably just skip direct to a person to save time)
3. Install Ubuntu, but tell it you want to keep your Windows install... if I remember right, it asks for options on how you want to handle everything. I'd try using Ubuntu's boot loader for the 2 OSes.

Anyway, that's my guess at it, as I never have gotten around to dual-booting Windows and Linux on one machine.

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[linney]

Are these the sort of things you have already tried?

Xp Keeps requiring to be activated
thread779-968140

XP Activation Loop
thread779-1004125

 

[BobMCT]

Thank you gents;

I did review and try your suggestions. What I ended up doing was reinstall but NOT selecting to activate and it game me 30 days. No I have some time to figure out how to get over the "maximum activations" error.

B