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Question

Use and Activate, 2 Questions

Apr 12, 2014 6:56PM PDT

I read about 20 different "Activate XP" Questions using search. Might fall into call MS or MFG category.
1st, If you do not activate XP Home, and let time expire, can you still use the computer IF it is not connected to the internet or networked, to do things ? like Music, Photo Video, Word, Office suites etc ?

2nd, Try to make this short. I had 2 computers networked using internet through a router and cable modem. Months ago my 2nd computer had some issue might be usb related or bad shut down, and now even though I click my use name on start up it changed my desktop and is using a "temp" directory, even though start menu says my username, I thin I can copy from my username and make it work properly. But Today I was trying to connect it to the internet and it would not connect no matter what "repair, unplug every connect and power on modem, reboot computer etc. but Simply plug in my 1st one and it connect right away. So I pulled out the computer to get access to the Ethernet cable and for whatever reason it turned off and rebooted and never pull out the cable or anything might have hit power button with knee or something. So when it restarts it gives me this, "This copy of Windows is not activated" garbage, and ofcourse a "Lets Activate" window. I notice it says "If you want to activate, you can still use Windows, but you will receive periodic reminders. (That don't make sense) Then it says, "After 3 day(s) you must activate Windows before you can continue to use it." (Yes it says Three days, not 30, 60, or 90) What to do ? I got it from a friend who bought it from Walmart years ago, it's a Dell 4500. When I check System properties on the General tab, it says does not say anything about "OEM" or "Genuine" anywhere. Under registered to, it has a 20 digit number divided into 4 sections. if that helps. So Um Help ?

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
Forgot to add this
Apr 12, 2014 7:06PM PDT

After the Activate notice I believe it said there were significant changes, but technically there not, other than it maybe had a bad shutdown and got confused or lost some information. I have had in the past a couple "recovered from serious error" problems. Nothing has been done to this computer not even installing updates or programs in a very long time.

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Answer
No
Apr 12, 2014 10:55PM PDT

No, as I recall, after the grace period the only thing it will let you do is activate. You'll be locked out of every other function. That 3-day grace period is actually a change MS implemented in SP2 IIRC, it used to lock you out immediately if for some reason the activation key got nuked.

Your networking issue sounds like you have some kind of Internet Connection Sharing setup, where if the first computer isn't turned on to act as a bridge, the second computer doesn't have any kind of useful network signal. This was a feature introduced with XP and then quickly abandoned by MS because it was incredibly flaky and would frequently stop working for like no reason and the only way to fix it was to reinstall the OS. So, while the feature still exists in later versions of Windows, Microsoft does its best to really make you work to find it, and with the flood of cheap routers it's really unnecessary these days.

It honestly sounds like that second computer is probably in need of a fresh OS install, and might even be suffering from some early stages of hardware failure. Given this system looks like it's from the era of bad caps (google it), it wouldn't surprise me if that is a big chunk of your problems. At the very least, you should probably call the number you're given to get someone to try and help with the activation issue. This system should have come with XP, so they should be able to provide an activation code based off the product key sticker that's on the case somewhere. If you don't have that, then I hope you have the original restore media because you're looking at having to reinstall the OS so that the automatic activation for volume license keys can kick in again. If you don't have the restore media, there's always Linux.

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Answer
About reactivation issues.
Apr 13, 2014 12:42AM PDT

As Microsoft discovered new exploits folk tried to get around activation the activation code seems to fire more often. I've seen it fire due to malware as well.

Remember it's a non-issue for legitimate licenses. It re-activates and it's done.

Why is there any issue here?
Bob

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Hello Mr. Proffitt
Apr 15, 2014 8:23AM PDT

Been a while. Are you saying it will automatically RE-Activate without going through all the calling etc ? Are you saying or implying I am trying to get around something ? like activation ? I have had this computer for geez what about 6-7-8 years I guess . It was a friends who bought it from Walmart, as I explained.

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Just a few weeks back
Apr 15, 2014 9:21AM PDT

One of out last XP laptosp re-activated without much interaction. I can't remember exactly how many OKs or such but it just re-activated and we were done.

I would never imply but brought it up because sometimes there is some other part to the story.
Bob

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Answer
go Linux
Apr 19, 2014 8:23AM PDT

You won't regret it in today's world.

Ubuntu and Kubuntu are good ones and version 14 just came out and supported till 2014

Mint Linux has an interim version 16 which I use the 32bit MATE desktop version of and it's extremely stable. Never have to worry with activation nor genuine advantage virus from MSFT. You can first run and try it out from a LIVE DVD or LIVE USB installation to a flashdrive. If you like it, you can install to the hard drive. This shows how little RAM I'm using with both Firefox 28 and Thunderbird 24 both open. Less than a gig of RAM with 3 gigs of RAM for other stuff if I need it.

"mint16@mint16 ~ $ inxi
CPU~Single core AMD Sempron 140 (-UP-) clocked at 2712.055 Mhz Kernel~3.11.0-12-generic i686 Up~6 days Mem~745.5/3907.5MB HDD~280.1GB(5.0% used) Procs~163 Client~Shell inxi~1.8.4 "


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eB6RR-3vJZ4