Reactivation Issue: Microsoft Must Burn in Hell!
#61
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The days where you could install anything from Microsoft with a simple 111-11111 key are long gone, and every pirate they stop is at least one more.
It is amazing how people view software piracy when it's the big bad Microsoft that is being screwed over.
Instead of complaining about how bad Windows is, you should be calling your software vendor demanding a version for the Mac.
#62
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Instead of complaining about how bad Windows is, you should be calling your software vendor demanding a version for the Mac.
#63
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iPod? Hmm... unless he's talking about Boot Camp... but Apple doesn't officially support that, do they?
Careful - nowhere did I suggest running an emulator. I suggested WINE, whose recursive acronym happens to be, "Wine Is Not an Emulator." It allows you to access Windows API while using some FreeBSD, Solaris, or - the best part - your favorite flavor of Linux. In real-world usage, as long as the program wasn't designed too shodily, there isn't much of a performance difference, assuming it runs, of course. WINE plays decently well with DirectX; with other drivers, YMMV.
In case you're interested: WINE HQ
Careful - nowhere did I suggest running an emulator. I suggested WINE, whose recursive acronym happens to be, "Wine Is Not an Emulator." It allows you to access Windows API while using some FreeBSD, Solaris, or - the best part - your favorite flavor of Linux. In real-world usage, as long as the program wasn't designed too shodily, there isn't much of a performance difference, assuming it runs, of course. WINE plays decently well with DirectX; with other drivers, YMMV.
In case you're interested: WINE HQ
BTW, what video editing suite are you running?
#64
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I don't know if you've looked at this page http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro...e/xpactiv.mspx , It may answer a few questions of why certain things trigger re-activation etc.
Low-tier support for a lot of companies, and in this case MS, has suffered greatly with the shifts to offshore support. I did note that you mentioned actually going through a US call center, and aside from just bad luck, I can't explain it away.
You probably just got someone who just didn't know how to fix your probem as they don't see a high volume of activation problems.
Since the activation wizard will direct you to call a specific phone number, those calls don't go through the general support queue.
Hopefully if you run into a similar problem in the future, you can have it resolved quicker in this way.
Just as a side note. If anyone pissed at dealing with activations in WinXP, you're going to hate Vista. Several of the licensing methods will cause it to activate frequently, not just when you make hardware changes. Known pirated keys will be deactivated in a more aggressive manner than how they are handled currently.
If you like/need the OS, it's just the sort of thing you have to live with. Personally I'll use just about any OS (anyone remember BeOS, I still have it), but I actually like Windows the most.
#65
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Never, not once have I been asked for any kind of personal information when re-installing XP. Like I said earlier, I have one key here that has been activated over and over again (my test key). The only question they ever ask is whether the old machine it was installed on will not be used with that key, I tell them that the old machine has been erased and that this is the only machine the key is being used on.
Never had a single problem.
Never had a single problem.
#66
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Steve
#67
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Christ, I must be lucky...I upgraded my computer 1.5 years ago...I was running an old P3-866 running a store bought Full Version of XP Pro.
I designed a brand new box with a P4-3.0 and just took the hard drive from the old box and stuck it in the new one (I know it was bad form, but I had some software that I DID NOT want to bother reinstalling and some stuff which I have lost the disks)...
Well XP Pro booted (after some hardware updates) FINE. No new activation...at least to my recollection....I even changed the NIC at one point....
Maybe because it was an old Ver 1 version of XP Pro and it didn't have some of the fancy stuff yet.... I don't know and I don't care!
- HF
I designed a brand new box with a P4-3.0 and just took the hard drive from the old box and stuck it in the new one (I know it was bad form, but I had some software that I DID NOT want to bother reinstalling and some stuff which I have lost the disks)...
Well XP Pro booted (after some hardware updates) FINE. No new activation...at least to my recollection....I even changed the NIC at one point....
Maybe because it was an old Ver 1 version of XP Pro and it didn't have some of the fancy stuff yet.... I don't know and I don't care!
- HF
#68
Join Date: Oct 2006
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Seriously, I can understand the aggravation, but what are you really wanting at this point? Just to rant? (I can certainly understand that .... I probably would too).
#69
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If you did sue or otherwise approach MSFT counsel what would you ask for ... 90 minutes billed at your rate ... or would you honor the EULA yourself and only ask for the original purchase price of the software?
Seriously, I can understand the aggravation, but what are you really wanting at this point? Just to rant? (I can certainly understand that .... I probably would too).
#70
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,481
As I've explained several times, here in California (and in most other jurisdictions) there is a warranty of merchantability and a couple of other implied warranties. The EULA, itself, is a license to use the software. By de-activating the software without reason, Microsoft has breached that license. By demanding personal information to un-de-activate the software, Microsoft has breached that license.
If I did sue, it would either be in small claims court for fraud (for which punitive damages are available), or as a class action suit.
Well, of course I want to rant. That's why I wrote the OP and put it between \rant and \rant-off. You're kidding, right?
If I did sue, it would either be in small claims court for fraud (for which punitive damages are available), or as a class action suit.
Well, of course I want to rant. That's why I wrote the OP and put it between \rant and \rant-off. You're kidding, right?
I'd agree on 1 out of three of your points (the one demanding personal info to reactivate) but the EULA explcitly states there is a possibility of a reactivation requirement after hardware changes. How do you see any fraud in any of this? Some sort of MSFT conspiracy to boost sales through deactivation? ... do you really think that is sellable?
The comments I made about ranting were an attempt to soften the post so I wouldnt appear confrontational ... you know .... I didnt want to appear to be being an ... ...
#71
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I had looked at the website -- I hadn't heard of WINE before. The software I run isn't shoddily written, but it is "optimized," meaning it needs to be on a very compatible system -- there are PC/Windows systems on which it won't run. "Not much performance difference," could also translate into a considerable performance difference when you're talking about working with video.
Premiere Pro 1.5, AfterEffects 6.5, Encore for authoring, Audition for audio, tmpgenc for transcoding, and a variety of single-task programs for specific effects, e.g. Particle Illusion, Cool 3d Edit, various morphing programs and things like that. Also PhotoShop CS2, a variety of stitching programs, Scenealyzer and Scenealyzer Live and some other programs I'm probably not remembering at the moment.
Premiere Pro 1.5, AfterEffects 6.5, Encore for authoring, Audition for audio, tmpgenc for transcoding, and a variety of single-task programs for specific effects, e.g. Particle Illusion, Cool 3d Edit, various morphing programs and things like that. Also PhotoShop CS2, a variety of stitching programs, Scenealyzer and Scenealyzer Live and some other programs I'm probably not remembering at the moment.
I understand you don't have much interest in doing this, and I don't blame you. It would be somewhat painful. I sometimes put up with some pain in order to avoid companies I don't like. If you feel the same, switching is an option, and many Mac users would be willing to help you. It's something to think about before shelling out for Vista.
#72
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Not trying to be argumentative, but this has truly piqued my curiosity. I am especially interested in your line of thinking in the matter since you are an attorney.
I'd agree on 1 out of three of your points (the one demanding personal info to reactivate) but the EULA explcitly states there is a possibility of a reactivation requirement after hardware changes. How do you see any fraud in any of this? Some sort of MSFT conspiracy to boost sales through deactivation? ... do you really think that is sellable?
The comments I made about ranting were an attempt to soften the post so I wouldnt appear confrontational ... you know .... I didnt want to appear to be being an ... ...
I'd agree on 1 out of three of your points (the one demanding personal info to reactivate) but the EULA explcitly states there is a possibility of a reactivation requirement after hardware changes. How do you see any fraud in any of this? Some sort of MSFT conspiracy to boost sales through deactivation? ... do you really think that is sellable?
The comments I made about ranting were an attempt to soften the post so I wouldnt appear confrontational ... you know .... I didnt want to appear to be being an ... ...
#74
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Out of curiosity, when you turned the machine back on after installing the new nic, did you install the new NIC drivers BEFORE attempting to activate it?
I have a sneaking feeling that you turned it on and tried the activation before the new nic was correctly installed. It is (to me) the only way to describe the faliure of the activation wizard. If the machine can't contact the internet then it makes sense that the activation will fail.
I have a sneaking feeling that you turned it on and tried the activation before the new nic was correctly installed. It is (to me) the only way to describe the faliure of the activation wizard. If the machine can't contact the internet then it makes sense that the activation will fail.
#75
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I'm (seriously) very interested in learning how California law can invalidate an EULA that applies to the rest of the world. If Microsoft were randomly turning off machines for the fun of it then I'd be in line to sue them, but the user is on record explaining what he did to make it deactivate itself.