windows xp home sp1

[alan cottrill]

Hi.
I have been haveing a problem with my computer since the 31/10/08,when i went on the internet,and something happened to my computer while the NTL home page was booting in,i now keep getting a message to activate my computer,which i have had since 2002/2003 i only updated to sp1 which happened automaticly,before i reset my computer to manual updates,as some can upset the flight sim.
MS will not give any help until i have SP2 in at least,but my priority is keeping my computer running,today is the last day,then i might not have any computer,or flight sim.
Any help to keep it running,i would be very greatful,i do not know just how long i have,i tried doing a restore,in the hope it would fix the problem,it did not fix it,but what ever happened,as caused a big problem.
regards alan.

[DaveB]

Hi Alan

I wouldn't be afraid of installing SP2 mate. All of my systems run with it and run fine. The only pc with odd things happening is the new one built from scratch with SP3 installed as soon as the drivers and OS were put on. Go with SP2 and resist SP3 for as long as is humanly possible ;-)

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[alan cottrill]

Hi Dave.b.
Thanks for advice on SP2,but i was wondering just as to what has happened to my operating system,to ask for an activation code,as though it was a new machine,which it is not,as i have had it since 2002/2003.
I just wondered if it was a virus,or what,as i have heard that there was a scam about this type of message.
My SP2 update that is one my machine,but not yet fully installed is dated 19/08/03,is this the one that is ok to install,or is there a later one.
regards alan.

[DaveB]

There is only one SP2 as far as I'm aware alan. Once you install it, you'll then start getting updates (and there are a few now!) :roll:

Honestly can't say what has happened to your system. I can't see any reason why it would start asking for activation again unless something, somewhere has been changed.. probably in the registry. Hopefully, one of the more clued up bods will be able to offer some meaningful advice there ;-)

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[TSR2]

It may be to do with the fact that SP1 is out of support (has been for ages) and they are now trying to clamp down on folk distributing old copies of XP with SP1. I don't see what the issue is activating it? If you have leagal software it takes less than a minute. Also no idea why your not running SP2 as it made such a vast difference to XP. SP2 re wrote the whole networking stack amongst many other enhancements and has now been superceed by SP3 which is almost 8 months old. Why the reluctance to update and activate? :think:

[alan cottrill]

Hi Ben.
My reluctance to activate windows,is that i was unsure as to weather it was a genuine request or a scam,as i had heard it was a new way of scammers getting your computer data,and all was working well,until i went on the internet on the 31/10/08,and as the home page booted up,something happened to my system.
Now the activation message keeps coming up,the time as now run out,when i contacted MS about this,they said i needed SP2 or SP3,before they would help,and all i was trying to get from them,was is this activation message a genuine one or a scam,before i went ahead with it.
I was not sure if someone or something had stolen my computers ID,as for not putting any updates into my computer,is that i did not wish to take the chance on messing my FS9 up,as this is the main use of my computer.
The only web sites i have gone to,are aircraft or car related,or my NTL home page,which is the default page as it boots onto the internet,and i have had problems from this page before due to faulty ads on that page.
Regards alan.
P.S. I have not shut my computer down,since the time ran out,and as yet,i still seem to have the computer working,but still with this activation message popping uo,i was expecting it to drop to its basic settings with limited function,it still might if i shut it down,and then reboot it,so i will keep it running for now,until i can get it sorted.

[SkippyBing]

If you shut it down the only thing it'll let you do is enter the activation key.
From experience you can use the activation key five times before MS become suspicious that it's being misused, I've upgraded my computer a lot so I've used up about 6 re-installs now and after the fifth time I had to ring a computer at MS to confirm I was the legitimate owner of the disc.
I can't actually see how entering your activation key is going to help a scammer, it's not like they're credit card details and it'd be a pretty convoluted way of getting anything else off your computer.
The restore won't work because if it did you could use it to stop pirate copies needing to be activated.
Contrary to Apple fanboy opinion MS service packs actually fix and improve things with the OS so it's actually good idea to install them, for starters they fix security holes which'll stop people hacking your computer as do the regular monthly updates which is why I leave them turned on.
You'll also notice 95%+ of the FS9 users of this site have installed SP2 without any snags and as it's been around since some time in '03 I'm sure any there are will be fully documented.
Essentially your only option is to enter the activation code as even if you do now install SP2 so MS help staff will speak to you, that will reboot the computer requiring the entry of the activation code. And then install SP2 and to be honest SP3 seems pretty good now as well even if the initial release was a cluster.
Or leave the computer on for ever and just move the nag screen off to one side.

[alan cottrill]

Hi Skippybing.
Thanks for info,i was angry that something came over the internet,which seems to have wiped my registration off,so my computer thinks it is new,which it is not,before i go and re register,with the activation,will i need to do anything to keep my computer settings as they are,and will i need to re register with NTL afterwards,i dont know if my computer will be seen as a different one to NTLs web site or not.
Also my computer system as been altered since the original install,will this be put back to new settings or will it remain as is,minus the annouying message.
And which order will i have to do things,IE revalidate then SP2 or SP2 then revalidate.
regards alan.

[Chris Sykes]

My advise is install SP2 to get your support then ask MS... And also install any windows updates. I do know that my mothers needed to have a new key brought as she was provided with an illegal windows key...

Skippy, keys will depend on how many licences you have, the windows keys ive got for my use are prob able to be used about 10-20 times, but i thing your right with normal packaged O/S...

I have to ask why stay clear of SP3???

[TSR2]

Think there is some confussion here between activation, registration and installation.

Installation is the only time you should have to enter the license key. this is during install.

Activation is where you get the little key symbol in the bottom right hand corner beside the clock. If you use automatic activation, then you do not need to enter your license key again. You only need to enter a license key at activation if you are changing the license key.

Registration is where you put your own personal details against the copy of XP and is not required to be leagal. All you have to sellect is your country so that the EULA is correct.

So what I'm not clear on is where you are being asked to reactive windows. If its a website, its probably dodgy. If its the little key icon with the popup baloon telling you to reactivate, its probably OK.

If you have SP2 you should install it as soon as you can as without it, your PC is probably open to all sorts of worms etc.