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Windows XP Product Activation

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by shanghai sam

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My Friend was running 120 day evaluation copy of Windows XP Professional until it expired. So he purchased the retail upgrade version which was subsequently installed on his PC.

Upon first logon after the setup had completed completed an error dialog call "Windows Product Activation" popped up with something like "A problem has prevented the system from registering the product. Error is 0x80004005" (I can't remember the message description exactly, but the error number is correct.)

If you click OK (the only option) the systems logs out! The only way to log on to the system is in safe mode. The problem still appears if you start in Safe mode with Network Support.

Any ideas?

2 replies

by phil.hall

In short, your friend is in trouble. You cannot upgrade an evaluation copy of XP. He will be forced to format his drive an install fresh from a non-evaluation version.

by thechas

The problem is that the evaluation version had expired without being activated.

I concur with formating and starting over with the retail version.
All you need to qualify for the upgrade is a valid copy of one of the qualifying previous OS's.
You do not need to install the older OS, just have the old OS CD handy.

Chas

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