Installed a new mainboard and now Windows won't activate.

The mainboard in my computer died. I installed a new mainboard and restored Windows and now when I click on my profile, a window comes up asking to activate windows, click 'OK' and it just hangs there.

Wilber

 

It is probably because of product activation. After installation windows will poll your hardware and create a unique id that is tied to your copy of windows. If you make a major change to your hardware windows might deduce that you intalled the os onto another machine. I think a call to the ms activation line might help you out.

 

Thanks amdace,

The problem is I can't even get to Activation screen to enter in the MS code.

The box that pops up says:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Windows Product Activation

This copy of Windows must be activated with Microsoft before you can login. Do you want to activate Windows now?

Yes/No
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you pick 'YES' the computer screen goes to the desktop screen and stays there.

If 'NO' the computer returns to Profile page.

Wilber

 

They key is generated by a computer at Microsoft, as a result of a "hardware hash," a long sequence of numbers based on a information found in your computer's hardware. The specific devices used are as follows:
1. Display adapter
2. SCSI adapter (if found)
3. IDE adapter
4. Network adapter MAC address (if available)
5. RAM amount range
6. Processor type
7. Processor serial number
8. Hard drive
9. Hard drive volume serial number
10. CD-ROM, CD-RW, or DVD-ROM
This ensures that one person's key will not work on another system.


Upgrading a single component in your system won't reset the XP activation key. However upgrading your motherboard,or processor, or memory, and video card will probably raise a red flag, and you'll probably have to get a new key. Likewise, if you purchase an entirely new computer and install your existing copy of XP on the new machine, you'll certainly have to obtain a new key from Microsoft.

 

If you have a Windows XP disk (not a system manufacturer's recovery disk), you need to do a repair reinstallation of Windows.

How to replace the motherboard on a computer that is running Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, or Windows 2000 Use the section, Replace a failed motherboard.

 

Boot into safe modeand log in as administrator then

1. Initiate to activation tool

- Create a new dword value under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

- dword value named : Activation Required
- set the dword value as : 1

(or)

- goto HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\Current
Version\WPAEvents\oobe timer
- change atleast one digit of oobe timer value data

2. Delete RESET5 keys

- start > search tool > search for reset5.* > delete all the files

3. Rename/replace WPA.DBL file

ren c:\windows\system32\WPA.dbl wpadbl.old
ren c:\windows\system32\wpa.bak wpabak.old
expand cd drive:\i386\wpa.db_ c:\windows\system32\wpa.dbl

4. Reinstall oobe.inf file

- start > run > type inf > locate oobe.inf > right click > install
- insert the cd when requested

5. Run the activation tool

- run > type c:\windows\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe /A