"Activate Windows" won't activate - Computer Help Needed
 

Hey, I ordered all my computer stuff and got it running. Was having some problems getting windows to find and installed on my RAID 0 array and then games kept crashing the system until I flashed the BIOS. Now I have 2 problems left.

1. I keep getting a popup down in the system tray that says "28 days left to activate windows, click here" I click there get a hourglass for a second and then nothing. If I go into Programs and click "activate windows" I get the same thing. I tracked the program down to "C:/windows/system32/oobe/msoobe" double click it and nothing. It's an OEM copy I bought with my system and I went on MS's site and tried to send their support and email and it says "your version of windows is an OEM copy, please contact your OEM manufacture for support". Any ideas? I'm planning to format and reinstall here in a few days anyway, but it would be nice to avoid it.

2. It takes forever to shut down? At first it shut down and booted in about 10 seconds. Now after selecting shut down, it shows me my desktop and then takes about a minute or so before it actually shuts down? I've been installing programs and drivers and all kinds of stuff, so I have no idea what program caused it (no anitvirus software). I figured a format and reinstall would probably fix that too.

How do you format and reinstall in XP? I know with 98, you booted to a recovery disk and formatted from there, I'm not sure with XP? I'm guessing reboot with the system disk in the CDRW and it will for me but I'm asking anyway.

System spec:
P4 2.8Ghz 800Mhz FSB
ASUS P4P800 Deluxe (865PE chipset)
2 WD 10,000 rpm Raptor SATA drives in a RAID 0
1 Gig Corsair XMS LL memory
Liteon DVD/CDRW combo drive
Coolermaster alumium case
Eremax 460w PS
Hercules Radeon 9800 Pro 128Meg
19" NEC CRT

Thing screams now that it's stable. Any suggestions for the problems above? Thanks.

Get a Windows XP CD that is bootable. When booting up go into the BIOS (hit del while boot up). Make sure you set your boot process to boot from the CD. Then do a "CLEAN" install.

Okay, cool. I'm going to try a repair install first. I'm going to start it here in about 2 seconds and see what happens.

andy for president! :thumbup:

Re: "Activate Windows" won't activate - Computer Help Needed
 

Your computer may have Rage :(

Get an antivirus!!!!

I'm getting an antivirus soon, I just wanted the system up and stable. The repair install fixed the "activate windows" thing but it still won't shut down like it's supposed to. I did a lot of screwing around with this install so I'm going to do a clean install. I'm copying all the drivers and files I need onto my laptop now and I'm going to try the full install. System runs great so hopefully this will fix all my other problems.

Alright, did a full format and reinstall and it's up and smooth. Still copying all the drivers and programs back off my laptop but it's back up. Since I just activated XP with the repair install I had to call Microsoft an get a new activation number (42 freaking digits). Hopefully everything is back up and working here soon.

^^did ja buy oem or retail

i got oem and installed and reinstalled about ten times and i need a new serial:oh:

It's an OEM copy of XP, it's all newegg sold. They guy was real cool about it, he asked if I had ever installed it before and I said yes, I built the machine myself and had to format and reinstall and he said okay and gave me the new number. I tried to get free support from MS through their site and it took my numbers and said "you've got an OEM version, call your OEM manufacture" though so I'm screwed if I need to talk to them.