How can I re-activate Vista?

I've had and OEM install of Vista for just 2 days. After install I
succesfully activated it. I then spent a day trying to get my soundcard to
work which involved flashing my BIOS to a newer version and swapping the
soundcard to different PCI slots. Now Vista is demanding I re-activate but
won't accept my product key online or over the phone. I can't talk to a human
about this until Monday and Vista is going to de-activate itself by the end
of today. What the hell am I supposed to do? I am a legitmimate user with a
genuine problem but with this kind of difficulty just using Vista I can see
why people would be so keen to pirate it!

Jim wrote:

> I've had and OEM install of Vista for just 2 days. After install I
> succesfully activated it. I then spent a day trying to get my
> soundcard to work which involved flashing my BIOS to a newer version
> and swapping the soundcard to different PCI slots. Now Vista is
> demanding I re-activate but won't accept my product key online or
> over the phone. I can't talk to a human about this until Monday and
> Vista is going to de-activate itself by the end of today. What the
> hell am I supposed to do? I am a legitmimate user with a genuine
> problem but with this kind of difficulty just using Vista I can see
> why people would be so keen to pirate it!

Can't you reinstall it without a key... you get 30 days use, don't you,
before you have to activate?

--
Paul-B

I suppose I could re-install and not activate it (giving me 30 days as you
say) but its certianly a very unessecarry pain in the backside to do so to
use a product i paid for.

"Paul-B" wrote:

> Jim wrote:
>
> > I've had and OEM install of Vista for just 2 days. After install I
> > succesfully activated it. I then spent a day trying to get my
> > soundcard to work which involved flashing my BIOS to a newer version
> > and swapping the soundcard to different PCI slots. Now Vista is
> > demanding I re-activate but won't accept my product key online or
> > over the phone. I can't talk to a human about this until Monday and
> > Vista is going to de-activate itself by the end of today. What the
> > hell am I supposed to do? I am a legitmimate user with a genuine
> > problem but with this kind of difficulty just using Vista I can see
> > why people would be so keen to pirate it!
>
> Can't you reinstall it without a key... you get 30 days use, don't you,
> before you have to activate?
>
> --
> Paul-B
>

I have often wondered why people activate their installed copy of Windows
"before" they have the operating system configured to their liking. This
includes the installation of hardware and software.

Do all that you need to do. Then activate your system. Then, make an image
of the activated system. Using this image, you can always go back to a
freshly configured (and activated) operating system with all of your
software and hardware drivers already in place.

From there you can start to screw it up anew! (-:

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!



"Jim" <Jim@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:CFF4C2EC-5A13-4A6B-90C7-F54FB4A90A9C@microsoft.com...
>I suppose I could re-install and not activate it (giving me 30 days as you
> say) but its certianly a very unessecarry pain in the backside to do so to
> use a product i paid for.
>
> "Paul-B" wrote:
>
>> Jim wrote:
>>
>> > I've had and OEM install of Vista for just 2 days. After install I
>> > succesfully activated it. I then spent a day trying to get my
>> > soundcard to work which involved flashing my BIOS to a newer version
>> > and swapping the soundcard to different PCI slots. Now Vista is
>> > demanding I re-activate but won't accept my product key online or
>> > over the phone. I can't talk to a human about this until Monday and
>> > Vista is going to de-activate itself by the end of today. What the
>> > hell am I supposed to do? I am a legitmimate user with a genuine
>> > problem but with this kind of difficulty just using Vista I can see
>> > why people would be so keen to pirate it!
>>
>> Can't you reinstall it without a key... you get 30 days use, don't you,
>> before you have to activate?
>>
>> --
>> Paul-B
>>

Well, Richard, many users are just average users. They do
what the OS directs them to do. Your advice is good, but
when a user sees that little activation notification pop up
telling them to activate, they do. They do so because that's
what it says do. It doesn't say do this or that before you
activate. You're an advanced user, most are not.

I have often wondered why, in the year 2007, the largest/richest
software company in the world hasn't come up with a better way.

I also wonder why, at least at launch, there aren't some
Microsoft employees here answering questions in Microsoft's
official forums.


-Michael


"Richard Urban" <richardurbanREMOVETHIS@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:eiSmBT6RHHA.1200@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>I have often wondered why people activate their installed copy of Windows "before" they have
>the operating system configured to their liking. This includes the installation of hardware
>and software.
>
> Do all that you need to do. Then activate your system. Then, make an image of the activated
> system. Using this image, you can always go back to a freshly configured (and activated)
> operating system with all of your software and hardware drivers already in place.
>
> From there you can start to screw it up anew! (-:
>
> --
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Richard Urban
> Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
> (For email, remove the obvious from my address)
>
> Quote from George Ankner:
> If you knew as much as you think you know,
> You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
>
>
>
> "Jim" <Jim@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:CFF4C2EC-5A13-4A6B-90C7-F54FB4A90A9C@microsoft.com...
>>I suppose I could re-install and not activate it (giving me 30 days as you
>> say) but its certianly a very unessecarry pain in the backside to do so to
>> use a product i paid for.
>>
>> "Paul-B" wrote:
>>
>>> Jim wrote:
>>>
>>> > I've had and OEM install of Vista for just 2 days. After install I
>>> > succesfully activated it. I then spent a day trying to get my
>>> > soundcard to work which involved flashing my BIOS to a newer version
>>> > and swapping the soundcard to different PCI slots. Now Vista is
>>> > demanding I re-activate but won't accept my product key online or
>>> > over the phone. I can't talk to a human about this until Monday and
>>> > Vista is going to de-activate itself by the end of today. What the
>>> > hell am I supposed to do? I am a legitmimate user with a genuine
>>> > problem but with this kind of difficulty just using Vista I can see
>>> > why people would be so keen to pirate it!
>>>
>>> Can't you reinstall it without a key... you get 30 days use, don't you,
>>> before you have to activate?
>>>
>>> --
>>> Paul-B
>>>
>

If you read most posts, as the MVP's do, you would see that Microsoft
employees stop in occasionally on their own time. They are not required to
(as far as I know). They answer questions in their field of expertise, as we
all do.

Even with an answer as I have given, though it is too late to help the
original poster, others - if they read - may find enlightenment from the
information.

Read and you will see them here.

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!



"MICHAEL" <u158627_emr@dslr.net> wrote in message
news:eLJbwa6RHHA.1228@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> Well, Richard, many users are just average users. They do
> what the OS directs them to do. Your advice is good, but
> when a user sees that little activation notification pop up
> telling them to activate, they do. They do so because that's
> what it says do. It doesn't say do this or that before you
> activate. You're an advanced user, most are not.
>
> I have often wondered why, in the year 2007, the largest/richest
> software company in the world hasn't come up with a better way.
>
> I also wonder why, at least at launch, there aren't some
> Microsoft employees here answering questions in Microsoft's
> official forums.
>
>
> -Michael
>
>
> "Richard Urban" <richardurbanREMOVETHIS@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:eiSmBT6RHHA.1200@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>I have often wondered why people activate their installed copy of Windows
>>"before" they have the operating system configured to their liking. This
>>includes the installation of hardware and software.
>>
>> Do all that you need to do. Then activate your system. Then, make an
>> image of the activated system. Using this image, you can always go back
>> to a freshly configured (and activated) operating system with all of your
>> software and hardware drivers already in place.
>>
>> From there you can start to screw it up anew! (-:
>>
>> --
>>
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Richard Urban
>> Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
>> (For email, remove the obvious from my address)
>>
>> Quote from George Ankner:
>> If you knew as much as you think you know,
>> You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
>>
>>
>>
>> "Jim" <Jim@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:CFF4C2EC-5A13-4A6B-90C7-F54FB4A90A9C@microsoft.com...
>>>I suppose I could re-install and not activate it (giving me 30 days as
>>>you
>>> say) but its certianly a very unessecarry pain in the backside to do so
>>> to
>>> use a product i paid for.
>>>
>>> "Paul-B" wrote:
>>>
>>>> Jim wrote:
>>>>
>>>> > I've had and OEM install of Vista for just 2 days. After install I
>>>> > succesfully activated it. I then spent a day trying to get my
>>>> > soundcard to work which involved flashing my BIOS to a newer version
>>>> > and swapping the soundcard to different PCI slots. Now Vista is
>>>> > demanding I re-activate but won't accept my product key online or
>>>> > over the phone. I can't talk to a human about this until Monday and
>>>> > Vista is going to de-activate itself by the end of today. What the
>>>> > hell am I supposed to do? I am a legitmimate user with a genuine
>>>> > problem but with this kind of difficulty just using Vista I can see
>>>> > why people would be so keen to pirate it!
>>>>
>>>> Can't you reinstall it without a key... you get 30 days use, don't you,
>>>> before you have to activate?
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Paul-B
>>>>
>>
>

I have been participating in these forums since June.

I have seen maybe a handful of Microsoft employees,
very sporadic postings.

Whether or not they are required to be here is irrelevant.
They should be here full force en masse at launch.


-Michael

"Richard Urban" <richardurbanREMOVETHIS@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:e6TRtf6RHHA.4844@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> If you read most posts, as the MVP's do, you would see that Microsoft employees stop in
> occasionally on their own time. They are not required to (as far as I know). They answer
> questions in their field of expertise, as we all do.
>
> Even with an answer as I have given, though it is too late to help the original poster,
> others - if they read - may find enlightenment from the information.
>
> Read and you will see them here.
>
> --
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Richard Urban
> Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
> (For email, remove the obvious from my address)
>
> Quote from George Ankner:
> If you knew as much as you think you know,
> You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
>
>
>
> "MICHAEL" <u158627_emr@dslr.net> wrote in message
> news:eLJbwa6RHHA.1228@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>> Well, Richard, many users are just average users. They do
>> what the OS directs them to do. Your advice is good, but
>> when a user sees that little activation notification pop up
>> telling them to activate, they do. They do so because that's
>> what it says do. It doesn't say do this or that before you
>> activate. You're an advanced user, most are not.
>>
>> I have often wondered why, in the year 2007, the largest/richest
>> software company in the world hasn't come up with a better way.
>>
>> I also wonder why, at least at launch, there aren't some
>> Microsoft employees here answering questions in Microsoft's
>> official forums.
>>
>>
>> -Michael
>>
>>
>> "Richard Urban" <richardurbanREMOVETHIS@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:eiSmBT6RHHA.1200@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>>I have often wondered why people activate their installed copy of Windows "before" they have
>>>the operating system configured to their liking. This includes the installation of hardware
>>>and software.
>>>
>>> Do all that you need to do. Then activate your system. Then, make an image of the activated
>>> system. Using this image, you can always go back to a freshly configured (and activated)
>>> operating system with all of your software and hardware drivers already in place.
>>>
>>> From there you can start to screw it up anew! (-:
>>>
>>> --
>>>
>>>
>>> Regards,
>>>
>>> Richard Urban
>>> Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
>>> (For email, remove the obvious from my address)
>>>
>>> Quote from George Ankner:
>>> If you knew as much as you think you know,
>>> You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> "Jim" <Jim@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>>> news:CFF4C2EC-5A13-4A6B-90C7-F54FB4A90A9C@microsoft.com...
>>>>I suppose I could re-install and not activate it (giving me 30 days as you
>>>> say) but its certianly a very unessecarry pain in the backside to do so to
>>>> use a product i paid for.
>>>>
>>>> "Paul-B" wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Jim wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> > I've had and OEM install of Vista for just 2 days. After install I
>>>>> > succesfully activated it. I then spent a day trying to get my
>>>>> > soundcard to work which involved flashing my BIOS to a newer version
>>>>> > and swapping the soundcard to different PCI slots. Now Vista is
>>>>> > demanding I re-activate but won't accept my product key online or
>>>>> > over the phone. I can't talk to a human about this until Monday and
>>>>> > Vista is going to de-activate itself by the end of today. What the
>>>>> > hell am I supposed to do? I am a legitmimate user with a genuine
>>>>> > problem but with this kind of difficulty just using Vista I can see
>>>>> > why people would be so keen to pirate it!
>>>>>
>>>>> Can't you reinstall it without a key... you get 30 days use, don't you,
>>>>> before you have to activate?
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> Paul-B
>>>>>
>>>
>>
>

And unless you think to turn it off, you get automatic activation by default
with Vista, if I recall.


"MICHAEL" <u158627_emr@dslr.net> wrote in message
news:eLJbwa6RHHA.1228@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> Well, Richard, many users are just average users. They do
> what the OS directs them to do. Your advice is good, but
> when a user sees that little activation notification pop up
> telling them to activate, they do. They do so because that's
> what it says do. It doesn't say do this or that before you
> activate. You're an advanced user, most are not.
>
> I have often wondered why, in the year 2007, the largest/richest
> software company in the world hasn't come up with a better way.
>
> I also wonder why, at least at launch, there aren't some
> Microsoft employees here answering questions in Microsoft's
> official forums.
>
>
> -Michael
>
>
> "Richard Urban" <richardurbanREMOVETHIS@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:eiSmBT6RHHA.1200@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>I have often wondered why people activate their installed copy of Windows
>>"before" they have the operating system configured to their liking. This
>>includes the installation of hardware and software.
>>
>> Do all that you need to do. Then activate your system. Then, make an
>> image of the activated system. Using this image, you can always go back
>> to a freshly configured (and activated) operating system with all of your
>> software and hardware drivers already in place.
>>
>> From there you can start to screw it up anew! (-:
>>
>> --
>>
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Richard Urban
>> Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
>> (For email, remove the obvious from my address)
>>
>> Quote from George Ankner:
>> If you knew as much as you think you know,
>> You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
>>
>>
>>
>> "Jim" <Jim@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:CFF4C2EC-5A13-4A6B-90C7-F54FB4A90A9C@microsoft.com...
>>>I suppose I could re-install and not activate it (giving me 30 days as
>>>you
>>> say) but its certianly a very unessecarry pain in the backside to do so
>>> to
>>> use a product i paid for.
>>>
>>> "Paul-B" wrote:
>>>
>>>> Jim wrote:
>>>>
>>>> > I've had and OEM install of Vista for just 2 days. After install I
>>>> > succesfully activated it. I then spent a day trying to get my
>>>> > soundcard to work which involved flashing my BIOS to a newer version
>>>> > and swapping the soundcard to different PCI slots. Now Vista is
>>>> > demanding I re-activate but won't accept my product key online or
>>>> > over the phone. I can't talk to a human about this until Monday and
>>>> > Vista is going to de-activate itself by the end of today. What the
>>>> > hell am I supposed to do? I am a legitmimate user with a genuine
>>>> > problem but with this kind of difficulty just using Vista I can see
>>>> > why people would be so keen to pirate it!
>>>>
>>>> Can't you reinstall it without a key... you get 30 days use, don't you,
>>>> before you have to activate?
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Paul-B
>>>>
>>
>

That's correct. I forgot about that. Colin B. even mentioned
as he has been testing some things that he had to make sure
to uncheck that.

-Michael

"John Barnes" <jbarnes@email.net> wrote in message
news:eOm7J96RHHA.1600@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> And unless you think to turn it off, you get automatic activation by default with Vista, if I
> recall.
>
>
> "MICHAEL" <u158627_emr@dslr.net> wrote in message
> news:eLJbwa6RHHA.1228@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>> Well, Richard, many users are just average users. They do
>> what the OS directs them to do. Your advice is good, but
>> when a user sees that little activation notification pop up
>> telling them to activate, they do. They do so because that's
>> what it says do. It doesn't say do this or that before you
>> activate. You're an advanced user, most are not.
>>
>> I have often wondered why, in the year 2007, the largest/richest
>> software company in the world hasn't come up with a better way.
>>
>> I also wonder why, at least at launch, there aren't some
>> Microsoft employees here answering questions in Microsoft's
>> official forums.
>>
>>
>> -Michael
>>
>>
>> "Richard Urban" <richardurbanREMOVETHIS@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:eiSmBT6RHHA.1200@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>>I have often wondered why people activate their installed copy of Windows "before" they have
>>>the operating system configured to their liking. This includes the installation of hardware
>>>and software.
>>>
>>> Do all that you need to do. Then activate your system. Then, make an image of the activated
>>> system. Using this image, you can always go back to a freshly configured (and activated)
>>> operating system with all of your software and hardware drivers already in place.
>>>
>>> From there you can start to screw it up anew! (-:
>>>
>>> --
>>>
>>>
>>> Regards,
>>>
>>> Richard Urban
>>> Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
>>> (For email, remove the obvious from my address)
>>>
>>> Quote from George Ankner:
>>> If you knew as much as you think you know,
>>> You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> "Jim" <Jim@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>>> news:CFF4C2EC-5A13-4A6B-90C7-F54FB4A90A9C@microsoft.com...
>>>>I suppose I could re-install and not activate it (giving me 30 days as you
>>>> say) but its certianly a very unessecarry pain in the backside to do so to
>>>> use a product i paid for.
>>>>
>>>> "Paul-B" wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Jim wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> > I've had and OEM install of Vista for just 2 days. After install I
>>>>> > succesfully activated it. I then spent a day trying to get my
>>>>> > soundcard to work which involved flashing my BIOS to a newer version
>>>>> > and swapping the soundcard to different PCI slots. Now Vista is
>>>>> > demanding I re-activate but won't accept my product key online or
>>>>> > over the phone. I can't talk to a human about this until Monday and
>>>>> > Vista is going to de-activate itself by the end of today. What the
>>>>> > hell am I supposed to do? I am a legitmimate user with a genuine
>>>>> > problem but with this kind of difficulty just using Vista I can see
>>>>> > why people would be so keen to pirate it!
>>>>>
>>>>> Can't you reinstall it without a key... you get 30 days use, don't you,
>>>>> before you have to activate?
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> Paul-B
>>>>>
>>>
>>
>

I'm all busted up inside reading your letter. One of the keen new features
that Microsoft touted in their hype over Vista was the enhanced SECURITY
features of the new product. The public be damned. But, I'm sure I'm not
telling you anything you didn't already know. I've been in this newsgroup
thirty minutes, long enough to find out that Vista's not for me. Thanks for
the heads up.
Screw you, Bill.

"Jim" <Jim@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:F711C411-AF2B-4C33-A943-354915143C9C@microsoft.com...
> I've had and OEM install of Vista for just 2 days. After install I
> succesfully activated it. I then spent a day trying to get my soundcard to
> work which involved flashing my BIOS to a newer version and swapping the
> soundcard to different PCI slots. Now Vista is demanding I re-activate but
> won't accept my product key online or over the phone. I can't talk to a
human
> about this until Monday and Vista is going to de-activate itself by the
end
> of today. What the hell am I supposed to do? I am a legitmimate user with
a
> genuine problem but with this kind of difficulty just using Vista I can
see
> why people would be so keen to pirate it!