Windows is Un-Registering itself... (G1S, expert help requested)

About a week ago, I booted on my computer only to find windows asking for a new access code... the code on the bottom of my g1s didn't work, the phone system didn't recognize mine, so in a panic, I called the support guys. they were really friendly, hey said other people were having this issue w/ OEM installs, something about windows update. They said the only solution was to reinstall Vista.

I just did that. I don't want to do that again, dangit. A friend helped me get to a cmd prompt, whereapon I ran explorer.exe, gained access to my "limited access" computer, and googled a solution. I ran (in an elevated cmd.exe) slmgr -rearm, which worked. For a couple days. The error has been popping up at random every couple days since. Not at boot up. But just at random times. In the middle of a work session. If anyone has a silver bullet to keep this monster at bay, please let me know.

 

Restore from your original disks?

There is no silver bullet. These versions of Windows are VLM and are pre-activated, or in the case of Vista and ASUS, they supposedly use something in the BIOS for activation. If the system is asking for reactivation, then something is probably messed up enough that you will need a reinstall.

 

I think that the OP already reinstalled if I understood him correctly?

I know some people had similar issues on the V1S after updating BIOS. If the OP updated BIOS recently, perhaps it helps if s/he tries to downgrade to the stock version and reinstall Vista with that BIOS.

"hese versions of Windows are VLM and are pre-activated, or in the case of Vista and ASUS, they supposedly use something in the BIOS for activation."

Do you know what that "something" is?
Because I recently bought an ASUS+Vista and it said "not genuine copy" for a while, and it did not say it after I did my first Windows updates. So I'd rather think that it activates automatically as soon as it connects to Microsoft (& might send a bunch of private data about the machine without you knowing it, as well, but oh well what can you do).

 

This occurs with any minor change that system, no matter what manufacturer, recognizes as a hardware change. In most cases it may just be a software update that did it. The most prominant examples are AHCI Driver update, BIOS update, sound driver or video updates.

Your system recognizes any of these, and many others as new hardware detected when you, or your system, uploads new drivers and you are required to reboot.

Because it is "new hardware detected" which you may not even notice (and its really not) you are required to call in and activate.

If it says that copy is not recognized or legal, ask the person you call to show how to create a new number. It is simple.

 

I know how activation works. In my opinion it should NOT get triggered by driver updates, but only actual hardware changes. And a BIOS update can change the way the hardware reports its state to Vista (e.g., change some hardware IDs), which may trigger re-activation.

But I don't think a driver update should do that. Technically not even a BIOS update should, but we all know how buggy ASUS BIOSes can be...

Furthermore, usually "small" updates like RAM or HDD can be done without triggering activation. Usually it takes a major change (e.g., motherboard), or several smaller changes to trigger re-activation.

And I agree that Microsoft should give you a new activation code without much fuss once you have explained the situation.

 

I agree with the theory but Vista created this. It doesnt matter whether you have an Asus or Dell/HP like myself or any other machine. As long as Vista is made to recognize that a hardware change has occurred, you have to reactivate.

Ive tried several methods with them to alter this but they sat their is nothing you can do. I use one copy of Vista on one system as per legal agreement. I have change my ram amounts a few times, bios 3 times, hard drive/ssds no less than 15 times switching, and so on. With each within a day came the infamous popup.

 

Well, i can say nothing but "Vista activation is poorly (read: paranoid) implemented." Typical Microsoft bulls... uh, crap.

 

Having the same problem with my ASUS V1S. RMA'ed it back to ASUS with the recovery DVD's, still waiting for it to come back. Will let you know how the situation turns out.

 

Uhh.... Now I'm in big trouble. I re-installed vista using my recovery cd, and windows won't start up. It just goes to a black screen w/ a stretched cursor, and sits there for 30 mins until it reboots. One time a terminal came up, and said something about the driver cd being messed up. specifically sleep.exe. or something like that. (I'm on my ubuntu desktop currently, I really need help on this before the weekdays start, as I use that computer at work.)

Has anyone compiled a custom drivers cd I could use?

 

Hi.

I had the same problem as you. In fact I was the very first person who had something like this said thechnical support.

How to fix it.

Put in the windows vista cd. Go under tools and run system recovery.
The problem for me was the large company of hereos patch had messed up the the system files while trying to update the directx. Try to recover to a earlier date or all dates untill it works.

 

uhhh have you read the entire post? I don't have a vista cd, I have an OEM vista dvd. I can't run system recovery, the whole thing has to be reinstalled. It somehow can't complete the installation, and I've tried reinstalling the entire OS twice today. I'm getting really annoyed. Thanks for trying to help anyway. Anyone else?

 

I tried to reinstall windows, it won't complete, so my computer is useless right now. I *don't* want to RMA again.

 

Well... Instead of following the Windows installation has failed, I hit restart later, quit the batch install, and managed to get into vista. Huzzah!... I'm installing drivers one by one... crazy stuff. Hopefully it's all resolved though.