Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

Registering win xp

Feb 5, 2014 7:39AM PST

Hp Pavilion 533W
Win XP Home
All of a sudden when I log on a window pops up and says" Microsoft requires the operating system needs to be Activated" Yes - No
Does not make any difference which I choose a screen pops us and says this copy has already been activated.
Any suggestions on what to do besides re installing?

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Clarification Request
Reinstalling may not fix this.
Feb 5, 2014 7:42AM PST

The story is a little unclear. If it's the issued HP OS then reinstalling might fix it. However with the end of XP looming you must cure this fast.

Other causes are those rather horrible but well meaning techs that installed some "Blue" version of XP. Called by many names such as Blue, Technician's version, Black and such these do fail like this and can cost the owner far more later.
Bob

- Collapse -
Clarification request
Feb 5, 2014 8:17AM PST

Thanks Bob.
I had origionaly installed the OP from a legal disk. As I clean up old computer to donate to needy families
and I was ready to disperse this one when it suddenly went into this loop bot in regular boot and safe mode boot.

- Collapse -
All disks are LEGAL!
Feb 5, 2014 8:22AM PST

It's the license that bites back. At I can't guess what's going on except it's not the OS that came with the PC then it's likely that it's another one of those "LEGAL" CD issues.

OK, are we going to have to guess where this LEGAL CD came from?
Bob

- Collapse -
All Disk are Legal
Feb 5, 2014 8:59AM PST

You bring up a good point. It was given to me from a person that supposedly gets multiple disks from Microsoft for testing. Who knows??

- Collapse -
Sounds like that Volume License
Feb 5, 2014 9:07AM PST

Those are revoked as folk share them. Again, all the CDs are legal but the keys are revoked as need be.

To finish this, if you are in the right, Microsoft will issue you a replacement key. There is never an issue here.
Bob

- Collapse -
Sounds like that Volume License
Feb 5, 2014 9:19AM PST

The only thing that seems odd is this machine has never been on the internet.
Case closed. Thanks again Bob

- Collapse -
Sorry but there is a date limit too.
Feb 5, 2014 9:29AM PST

You can research that further if need be. But again, a legal valid XP CD with a VLK is never an issue. Microsoft will hand legitimate owners a new key for a short time. That time is closing as XP fades away.
Bob

- Collapse -
Put Linux on it
Feb 5, 2014 11:40AM PST

Favorites are Mint, Ubuntu, Mageia. Visit distrowatch.com and learn more about all versions of Linux. Heck, you can even make it look like windows XP if desired, LOL. A real fun trick is to make a screen shot of a windows XP desktop and then set it as background on Linux desktop and watch the fun begin. Good for laughs on a slow day with the unsuspecting. See how long it takes them to realize they aren't in Kansas anymore (or should that be Redmond?)