[Ksingler]

So my uncle brought me a one of his friend's computer to try to fix. First boot up I got past the Welcome screen, but then got an error box saying that windows needed to be activated. So I clicked yes to activate it and got to the desktop screen, but didn't show any icons or anything.. the blue activation box opened, but it already said that windows was activated, so I clicked OK to exit out of it. But after clicking exit, it took me back to the screen where you click on a user. This kept happening on the Administrator and then on the Owner user. It just kept repeating, whether I clicked yes or no to activate windows. Don't know why this is happening if after I click yes to activate it, it already says it's activated.

So I restarted the computer and booted into safe mode. I got into that just fine and ran scans. Deleted a lot of viruses and whatnot. Followed the guide. So I restarted the comp and tried to boot into safe mode with networking but got an error saying that I needed to first activate windows.

Any ideas on why this won't go away? I'm stumped.


EDIT: Seems like I have finally found the instructions to fix this on microsoft's webiste.

EDIT 2: Didn't work. I'm open to suggestions. Thanks.

[S0ULphIRE]

You could try doing a repair.
Put the windows installation disk in, boot off it. Press enter to setup a new installation, f8 to agree etc. Then it should search for previously installed versions of windows. When it finds the install choose the 'repair' option. It'll keep all the user data, so don't worry about that.

DON'T choose the first repair option (e.g. the first screen that pops up says 'press R to go to try a repair' or something. Don't do that, choose the 'press Enter to setup a new copy of windows' option)

You'll have to reactivate windows, but so long as you have the key it'll be fine.

[Mak213]

This is happening cause the activation has already been used. Which means that only contacting Microsoft through the Toll Free Number they provide will allow you to active the machine properly to use it again.

A Repair install will require you to have the serial up front to start the process. If you dont have it you will be in trouble when it reaches that part as you cant roll back the repair to get to a desktop to get the serial.

[Ksingler]

Mak, what do you mean by serial? The serial number of the computer? If so, that is on the back of the computer along with the product key of windows XP. It's an old VIAO computer. If you ask me, I would throw the junk in the dumpster.

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll give them a try.

[Mak213]

The serial of XP. since it is a pre-built the serial will be located on the back and a repair install can easily be done by just reading the number off the back.

Sometimes people dont realize that they need their serial when doing a repair install and as such start the process without first having their serial handy. Which causes more problem down the line.

So your best options right now will be a Restore Point or a Repair install.

[Ksingler]

Repair install worked like a charm. Thanks again.