Ok here we go,

Im fixing a computer for my aunt, so I installed Windows XP Home Edition onto her computer. However when I was done updating it, and installing the drivers, It said " Please activate this version of windows". So i clicked on it, and it said
" This version of windows is already activated" . So I said ok thats fine right; Wrong. It put a 30 day time limit on the computer.
Now 30 days has passed, and when I turn on the computer it will POST, then it will load the User Accounts Menu giving you the option to pick a user account; However, their is only 1 account: Admin. You can click on the account name, but if you do it says " Please activate this version of windows". Click activate and it once again says " This version of windows is already active" then it logs you off the account (in simpler form, it kicks you off the account ( im locked out) ). So I come to the conclusion that microsoft made it so if you register your Windows XP CD Key, then it will only work for the ip it was registed with ( I registed my windows xp cd key, so im thinking microsoft wont let it run on my aunts computer which has a different ip as mine). Please let me know if that previous sentence is false. So I ask my aunt if she has another Windows Operating system instalation disk, she says yes i have a brand new one I got from a friend, So I get it, open up the box and it looks like a boot leg, burnt version of windows XP Professional. It looks like someone burned it to a cd-rw and used CD Stomper to put a label on it. I totally Ignor this and try to install the Operating system anyways. I quickly run into a porblem. I put the disk into the cd drive, restart the computer, im expecting that it will give me the option to boot the computer from the cd in the drivel; However, It simply says "Checking CD drive:...".
Then It simply loads the User Accounts once again, It never gives me the chance to boot from CD. I check the BIOS and the
CD Drive is set to load before the Hard Drive. So I dont understand whats wrong. With this behavior im afraid even if I have my aunt buy a legit copy of Windows Xp from the store with the wrapper and waranty intact, her computer will simply overlook the CD and booting to the User accounts menu, never giving her the chance to install the new operating system (Thus waisting money purchasing a new Windows XP CD).

* Yes Before this incident, you could stick a CD in the drive, restart the computer, and it WOULD give you the option to boot from CD; However, it is not working now that I really need it to work so I can overwrite the version of Windows im locked out on and install a new version.

** The computer does POST just fine.

*** Dell computer

**** Please ask if you need the specs

Thank you, any input is appreciated,

Bubba

"Im fixing a computer for my aunt, so I installed Windows XP Home Edition onto her computer. "

You've seen with your very own eyes that the install "can" work. The burnt copy was a bad burn.....

I think it is false, because as far as I know IP’s are not always static; therefore you can’t really link them to Windows installation. May be what you meant to say is that Windows installation is specific to a certain hardware; in this case it was your machine, and that could be the reason as to why it was giving you this activation error on your aunt’s machine. What you need to do in your situation is to buy a legitimate copy of Windows, wipe the hard drive clean, and then start the installation process, and you should be fine.

Hi
Can you boot into safe mode at all by tapping f8 at computer startup.
if so there are ways to de-activate xp (oobe timer in registry). if you can de-activate it you can then re-activate it with a genuine (legit) xp cd key.


was this a fresh install of an over the top install (repair) is there files on this hard drive you need.

Im just a little afraid because I dont know if it will allow me to boot from CD, and I dont want to have her buy a new version of XP and find out later that her computer cannot install it because it will not boot.
But im sure im going to need a legitimate copy for her anyways. Thanx




My only options on start up is to access the BIOS.

Are you tapping the F8 key right after the POST (Power On Self Test)? This should bring up the Windows Startup Menu where Safe mode is an Option. (The only one you'll really have in your present Activation circumstance.)

EDIT: Sorry, read too fast. I see the question I posed has already been asked.

Welcome back Dan, how was the move?

If you can access the BIOS then you can make sure that the first boot device is a CD in the boot sequence; after that you can try a bootable CD and see if it will boot the machine, which it should do, for your peace of mind. Once you got that sorted out, you can get yourself a Windows XP CD, wipe the hard drive clean, and then proceed with the installation.

Hi Dino,

Move went well. I'm right in the Rocky Mountains now. Beautiful place.

I'm on dial up now though as opposed to cable/broadband. Ugh.

Small town, POP about 100. Grizzly and cougar sitings etc. Pretty neat.

This is "next door", in B.C. (British Columbia, Canada);

Sounds like a fun place Dan, watch out for the bears and good luck with “smelling” the difference between a grizzly and a black bear.

I actually managed to bring up a screen ONE time that gave me 4 options, Safe Mode, Normal boot, Exit and restart, or Boot from CD. I chose boot from CD and nothing happened. I havent since managed to get that screen again.




Yes I can access the BIOS, I believe CD is second in the boot sequence to the Floppy Drive (yes I know Floppys are obselete). So shall I make it first?



**NOTE**
I went to the Dell website, and it said to press " CTRL + F11" well the Dell splash menu loads ( a 2 second image of the Dell Logo well the computer POSTs) to access a seperaet partition on the hard drive which has a opperating system reinstall exe. on it . But I never see the DELL logo flash for a couple second while the computer POSTs. I press CTRL + F11 the entire time the computer takes to go from off to the User Account Menu (which im locked out of) and no master reset, or reinstalliation of the Opperating System pops up. I cannot acess the actual data on the Hard Drives from the BIOS, nor can I access the back up partition from them. Now what?

Are you still trying to use the "burnt" XP cd? If so - stop doing that

This badly burnt copy of xp isn't going to boot no matter what you try.

No, now im trying to access the secondary partition to execute the reinstallation program.