WGA..is it a scam??

[Fred_Flintstone]

Hi Gang.
I had ro reboot my pc earlier today and when it started up I got the message "Need to activate windows"..(or words to that effect).

Back last month I was "notified" during update that I had an illegal copy of XP Pro.. fair comment as the pc was not new etc.. I went as suggested to the Windows Genuine Advantage site and shelled out my £100 for a legal copy and new key.

So far, so good.....it's worked fine since i did the reinstall from the CD supplied by Microsoft... until now!!

I have 3 days left to "activate" before it goes "bosoms to the sky" (thats tits up to the uninitiated).. :D :D

Problem appears to be.. I have used the key too many times to install???..bit off to me as I have only installed the original OS when the CD was received.. and a repair job when I was having probs!

How the hell can they sell you something and then tell you that you can't use it??.. :mad: :mad:

Anyone else had any experience of this??
I am awaiting a reply on the microsoft website..but it must be said... if they treat genuine customers who pay for their software like this... why are they surprised at the number of pirates out there!!??? :eek:

[mjc]

Activation is a separate issue...that has been a pain in the backside since XP was released.

Short of it...now after shelling out your hard earned clams, you need to go back to the Headmaster and beg, plead, grovel, etc to be allowed to use it.

Yes, it is a simple process...but it still...well, <deep cleansing breath><deep cleansing breath> needs to be done if you want to stay legal.

[Fred_Flintstone]

Hi MJC..
Just got a reply on MS site.. :rolleyes:

Quote:
Have you tried Telephone Activation? They will be able to activate your machine (away from the "Exceeded Activation Message") after answering a few questions about your machine.
Unquote.

And they wonder why peeps don't bother to get the genuine article..!!
I paid best part of £100 (think thats about $150) to get legal and now treated like a bloody criminal!!.. :D :D ..

Didn't realise windows was a disposable product that you could only use a certain number of times then had to "throw it away" and pay again!!

LIKE HELL I WILL PAY AGAIN!!!.. :mad:

[Budfred]

Activation doesn't cost anything... It is just MS's way of making sure that you have a legal copy... Just calm yourself down enough to be civil, call them and tell them you need to activate... I did the phone activation once and it took about 1 minute...

[jlreich]

Phone activation is a bit of a PIA but it works. I have used it many times over the years for those people that refuse to do backups and refuse to stop going to, well lets just say unsafe sites. :rolleyes:

[Fred_Flintstone]

Just going to try activation over the phone..was a bit too wound up earlier..
<BREATHE....BREATHE...>.. :p

Be civil...<BREATHE>.... :D

Here goes... ;)

[jlreich]

Just do the internet activation, when it doesn't let you, keep the screen up as you will need to have it up for the telephone activation.

[Fred_Flintstone]

Well, just activated over the phone and have to say.. it was relatively painless ;)
Nice gentleman (Prob from Bangalore as it was a UK freephone number :D ) activated my software after about 3 minutes on the phone.

Realise that MS need to check these things, but still don't understand what happened,

1: Key "expired" so won't work and need to activate (only used it twice).

2: When doing it online..system ID not recognised so activation fails.

3: Typed in ID on phone, not recognised so activation fails.

4: Go to "live" Customer service rep..."Are you only using XP one one machine"??.."yes"... ok type this number in then... :eek:

.. Yabba-Dabba-Do..!! :D :D

But, correct me if I am wrong,.. but if the ID wasn't recognised they still only have my word for it that this copy is genuinely only used on one machine and therefore legit???

Rather seems to defeat the object?? :confused:

Anyway, happy outcome and all is now well with the world (for a while).!! :D

[ErnieK]

I THINK! that the number they supply you with is tied\linked to your key number and this is the number that is identified by MS's "LegitCheck" (GenuineCheck) file that is installed by Win Updates and this ( I refrain from voicing my opinion about it) then notifies MS that your installation is genuine. If more than one computer has has the key number and the second person tries to register it MS's computer will throw up the fact that the key number is already in use and linked\tied to someone else.

If this GenuineCheck file is not installed onto your computer you cannot get a lot of the updates. You are (at present) only allowed to download the critical security updates without it.

If I am wrong in this assumption then I know (hope) someone corrects me :)