I must state from the beginning that this article is not about cracking Windows activation engine because we don't want to break our Windows EULA, do we?. This article tries to show you ways to bypass Windows XP product activation for those emergency situations. I will explain in details below.
Let's suppose that you have a licensed copy of an Windows XP but lately you have installed-activated/uninstalled it for several times. At some point the Microsoft Activation Server just get bored and says "OK, if you want me to activate your license then please pick up the phone and call me!".
What if you get bored (or you are just lazy) to call Microsoft and to justify yourself and to ask them "Please, can you activate the copy that I bought legally? Yes, I have an invoice, in fact I have 10 invoices because it happens that I bought more copies than I'm using right now. No, I'm not a software theft, I cross my heart and hope to die!"
Well, in that situation (let me make myself clear: when you both have the legal right to use that piece of software and you don't break the EULA) you could just try to exploit one of the Windows XP weaknesses. In fact you could try to exploit more than one, I'm sure about that (someone might think that I did it in the past; maybe they're right).
You could find yourself in one of the following situations:
- the 30 days has expired so you cannot access the Desktop anymore
- you are within those 30 days time limit but you want to get rid of this issue ASAP
Your 30 days has expired
So you've got a message like the one below:
Windows Product Activation - before log in
You could also get a message like the one below, I meet that situation several times in the past, unfortunately I haven't tested to see if the trick works also for this particular situation, I guess/hope it does:
Windows Product Activation - on hardware change
Anyway, so you either have exceeded those 30 days after the period when you have been supposed to activate your copy of Windows or, lately, you have changed the hardware such that the Windows has started to annoy you with the Windows Product Activation dialogue.
No matter in which situation you are just press the Yes button, like you are willing to activate your copy of Windows. A new window like the one below will be shown:
Let's activate Windows - click WinKey+u
By pressing simultaneous "Windows key" and "u" (WinKey+u) you will open a window called "Microsoft narrator" where you can click on some hyperlink called "Microsoft web site" which in turn will open your default web browser (hopefully IE otherwise it works but with one more step; we get to this soon).
Note: if by pressing WinKey+u it opens another window named "Narrator" then, in order to get the "Microsoft narrator" window, you have to right-click that window's title-bar and to choose "About narrator" pop-up menu.
So the "Microsoft narrator" window should look like this:
Microsoft Narrator - click the "Microsoft Web site" link
At this point the idea is to get the IE browser opened because the browser has "an issue" that we are going to exploit it. In case that your default browser is Firefox/Chrome/Opera/etc we should do some extra steps in order to open your IE browser because finally the IE is the one we are going to hack. If your browser is just IE then skip the steps below and go to the "IE browser opened".
Non-IE browser opened
- enter "C:" in your browser URL address bar; your browser should show the content of C: directory
- navigate to the C:WindowsSystem32 directory then click "taskmgr.exe" to download it; after it have downloaded just run that application (taskmgr.exe)
- on Task Manager choose File->Run then enter "iexplore.exe" and hit OK; that will open your IE browser; finally you can use it (see below)
IE browser opened
In the URL address bar enter "C:" then hit OK. If you are not using IE8 then that command should exploit a weakness of IE7 (or earlier) which in turn will "crash the Windows" in that way that it will load the Desktop, the task bar, everything.
Note: for some reasons Windows keeps locking itself every 30-60 seconds so you won't be able to see the Desktop nor the task bar. If that is happening just repeat the step mentioned at the paragraph above (enter "C:" in IE browser URL bar). Hacking is not always an easy job, isn't it?
So, you have gained a time frame for ~30-60 seconds of fully functional Windows system, period when, hopefully, you will be able to launch whatever program you want even if ~30-60 seconds later the Windows will lock it again (your application is already up an running so you are happy; Windows has closed its Desktop, he think it's clever, it's happy too; everybody is happy now, right?).
Notes:
- I've seen that if you keep that "Windows Product Activation" window opened, then the Windows Desktop doesn't lock automatically after those ~30-60s. So for example I have had the IE opened and it has remained opened for an undefined period of time, but when I closed (chose OK button) the "Window Product Activation" window then the Windows automatically logged me off so I had to begin the whole process from the beginning. I think it's good to know this "tips" upfront.
- If you start your Windows in "Safe mode" then the Windows Product Activation does not appear any more (regarding the safe-mode).
- Some interesting info here (before check this website alert).
This trick just helps you to use your Windows copy in these emergency situations; I would not recommend anyone working like this on the daily basis because it could just prove to be a nightmare.
You are within those 30 days time limit
In this situation you are reminded (frequently enough) that you have only 30 (or less) days left for activation. The trick to bypass Windows XP product activation is the simplest and the most effective one.
Windows activation reminder - 30 days left
- open Registry Editor (Start->Run then enter regedit and push OK button)
- open the registry key at the location HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionWPAEvents
- edit the OOBETimer key value and set its value to "ff d5 71 d6 8b 6a 8d 6f d5 33 93 fd"
- right-click on the same key WPAEvents and select "Permissions"
- select SYSTEM group/user and check all DENY options (we won't allow XP to mess with us anymore, in fact we deny it firmly :o)
- click Advanced button then uncheck "Inherit from parent the permission...", press OK, when prompted at next step just answer with "Copy"
- in "Permission entries" select the SYSTEM then choose "Edit..."; check all the "Deny" permissions the OK+Apply
It should not ask you anymore for software activation. In fact you could run Start->All Programs -> Activate Windows and you should get an response message like "Windows is already activated". If not working then just try again, maybe you have missed something on the way.
If you are interested on Windows Vista/7 license activation you could read also an article I wrote about this.
[!] WARNING [!]
I would not recommend to anyone to try this procedure in order to gain the access to use an unlicensed copy of Windows. In fact, when dealing with licensed software (like Windows), I would strongly recommend you to contact your software provider to ask it if you are allowed to do something like that or not. I wrote this article only for myself for research/educational purposes so that in case of emergency to be able to rescue my licensed system. When I have refereed the pronoun "you" or "we" I meant "I".
Now, if you think that this article was interesting don't forget to rate it. It shows me that you care and thus I will continue write about these things.
Eugen Mihailescu
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Thanks for Your Help Bro. your fully explained activation bypass method beats those half done gimmicks that oftentimes fails to work, this is my third yet successful attempt because i've must've done something right!!
I'm happy it helped. About those "half done gimmicks", I really know what you mean. That's why I wrote this post in the first place 🙂
Hi Brotha...it may be 4 years since you commented here, but I was able to use your instructions to resurrect my antique pc (running XP SP3) that I did some part swapping to troubleshoot, and wound up having to reactivate, which was unsuccessful by ME. 30 days is now history. Kudos man.
Worked at first. I used it for a couple weeks. Something must have updated on XP on auto-updates. I have set the registry but now I still get the Activation window and when I go into it, it says I'm already activated. When I look at the registry key, it is as you suggested and permissions as you suggested. There must be something else now.
I'm pretty sure that the Windows activation mechanism is not trivial at all and that it has more than a single protection gate. The only methods I've tested were those mentioned in post, though.
I can't seem to find SYSTEM. Can anyone tell me where it is? Thanks in advance.
I suppose you have WinXP, right?
Also make sure you are logged on with an Windows user that has administrative rights on that system, otherwise I don't think you can see the Permission submenu where you can select the SYSTEM user/group.
So, can you see the Permission submenu like in the image bellow?
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/27400627/Screenshots/2011-10-25-19h04m/Windows-XP-Professional.png
i had google chrome as default . it worked to "dload" c:program filesinternet exploreriexplore.exe then open it and it launched
then i typed c: and it let me run the darn driver install for LAN so i could activate online.
IT WORKED..i set everything back in regsitry before doing online activation.
i had dloaded driver for it and saved to c: from hirensbootcd.org
Thanks.. sorta
See? At least there exists something useful/positive about Windows :o))
Thanks for the help this really helped me!
Glad to hear that!
Thanks great help. I had an old pc that i desperately needed to rescue some stuff from. tried everything until this
I'm glad it works :o)
The method had been described 2 years before this at http://www.ehow.com/how_5463503_bypass-windows-xp-sp-activation.html. It rarely works anyway.
The method is described on a myriad websites. For some people it works, for some people it don't. For me it worked exactly as I've described.
Worked perfectly for me, and saved having to risk viruses / malware!
I bought a second hand Windows XP to dual boot on my mac computer. I would love to buy a brand new copy but of course it is far too old.
It installed and worked fine. The product key worked during installation. However it won't let me activate it and now it says I need to activate it in 2 days to keep using it. This is despite having followed your methods above. All I can think is I accidentally left the computer connected to the internet and it did an auto update or something. It is really frustrating that I payed for a copy of windows xp and now it has stopped working and I lost all my installed programs. I can't get windows 7 or 8 as the programs I want to run won't work and I don't even know if windows 7 or 8 would work well on my mac.
Any help would be much appreciated.
If you are within those 30 days then the "You are within those 30 days time limit" should tinker the thing. As long as you are withing that period, if you block your registry (that key) then Windows cannot write to it anymore. So even if those 30 days have passed, maybe it will bother you with that nasty reminder but...it should not be able to do too much about it.
Hi Eugen. Thank you for the information. I tried your method before the 30 days were up. The only thing that was unclear was the part with "edit the OOBETimer key value and set its value to "ff d5 71 d6 8b 6a 8d 6f d5 33 93 fd""
The existing value had 2 lines with 0000 in front. I deleted everything and I was left with a line of 0000. While imputing the new value, it started generated numbers that I could not delete.
I inputed the value you mentioned and clicked saved. and continued to the next steps, without a problem
After restart, the windows activation message prompted me again to activated.
What do I do now? Wait for the 30 days to be over and see if it works? I see you confirmed this in a message above, but can I do something to verify that it won't block access to my windows in 2 days when activation period expires?
Thank you!
Ana
That screen is divided in three columns:
- the 1st is read-only and is automatically calculated by Windows
- the 2nd is where you can input values in hexadecimal format
- the 3rd is the ASCII representation of those hexadecimal values (it may be manually edited although not recommended)
So just ignore the columns in the left and just enter the correct values into the 2nd column, as described above. I hope that you also have set the permission to that registry key (namely WPAEvents) as described in the article, otherwise XP will still prompt you with that alert message. By setting the permissions as described in the article we don't allow Windows to control/alter that key anymore so it will be unable to protect itself. Why do you bother using Windows anyway? Linux is free and believe me, it's faster, need fewer resources, and all the software you need it's usually also free. If you are novice then start with Ubuntu Linux. It's a "next->next->....->finish" installation, it auto-updates automatically (just like Windows) and ships with many applications by default (although you will be able later to install tons of whatever apps you need).
" Why do you bother using Windows anyway? "
Because I'm using it with nesting software CAD/CAM that will cost many thousands to replace, and the version I have on XP works. I've virtualized a running instance, because hardware failure is at some point inevitable. I am still nagged about activation, but if I understand you correctly, it will continue to work beyond 30 days.
That's correct. If it doesn't (due to a myriad variables) try activating again. Sometimes works (there are also testimonies from people who failed).
The problem with "activating again" is a new installation ID is written, which apparently is then referenced by the nesting software, which subsequently won't start. All this software, XP and the nesting program, were paid for.
Long time to reply, but you can't activate again, because the nesting software reads the installation ID in order to run. Activating again will lock you out from the only reason to keep this old VM alive.
One thing that changed now, is the icon in the taskbar with the keys: it's missing now.
Perhaps you finally hack it! Good for you!
Everyone seems to forget the part Where you can not accept the Eula for Microsoft genuine advantage or none of these will work. Someplace in the update process this will try to install if you have already accepted it all these hacks will fail.
You are perfectly right except the statement with "everyone seems to forget the part with EULA". I explicitly mentioned in the article to not break EULA and that the hack should be just temporarily (see also the red warning 🙂
This does not work at all! It simply stops the activation message from popping up. But after 30 days it will still lock you out. Nice try - no cigar.
Hi Eugen -- I used your procedure with 28 days left on a fresh re-install of my totally legal XP-Pro-SP3 32-bit OS as a brute-force solution to frequent blue-screens. Microsoft is not activating XP at all these days, though I was able to accomplish it online just a couple of months ago. I use XP on this old-but-good PC as a simple server for my old-but-good printer and scanner, and as a music server (juke box 🙂 to my old-but-good vintage stereo system. As for me, I'm just old! I use Win 7 - 10 64bit on a newer machine for everything else, and Office Pro etc., so Microsoft is still getting its pound of flesh from me. Back to activation and not being adept at working with the registry, I ran into the same issues/questions as "Ana" above. Your explanation to her ultimately clarified my own procedure, although your terms like "That screen is divided into 3 columns . . ." left me uncertain as to what screen and how to access it. It would have been helpful to lead me by the hand to right-click on "OOBETimer" and so on. Respecting the power of the registry, I took my time and slowly proceeded to follow what I inferred to be your intent. However, there were various differences in the details all along the way. For instance, at WPAEvents - Permissions - Advanced, TWO "SYSTEM " lines appeared, the original one as well as a new one I just apparently created by the access denials. I grabbed myself by the hoo-hoos and deleted the original, pre-denial line. Somewhat to my surprise and definitely to my satisfaction, it works so far, in reporting that it is activated. I'll see what happens in 28 days to seal the deal. Now I can use this old PC as preferred, again. I did take note of your enthusiasm for Linux. I've intended to learn about it since I'm a blank slate now. My really, really old-but-good PC would be a great test bed for this well-regarded free alternative OS, and I think I'll go for it. Thanks very much for your contributions to the horde of IT-challenged enthusiasts like moi! You rock!
Seth
Hi, been trying to log on for 3 days, get activation screen, click yes, brings up another screen, click yes again, says I am already activated. So, I spent the last 3 days trying to fix this problem and nothing worked. So, I called up a buddy at Microsoft finally yesterday, and he told me Microsoft is well aware of this snag and has been for a decade. There is no way to get around it, he said, and TBH, the above op's post didn't work at all. I think why a few people got away with it is because they were accessing the registry stuff etc for the first time. Once you have tried to get around it, there is a builtin blockage, from what I have been told, and final note, Microsoft doesn't work with XP anymore, so that is their escape policy, my 4 cents, DR
Hi, Thanks for sharing this info with us. I recall that I was able to reactivate again even after the first registry hack. Actually after the first registry hack the problem never occurred again as the involved registry key was set as read-only (not even Windows could overwrite its value). Anyway it was long time ago so I don't remember all those small details.
I tried this trick on 2 virtual machines. Both machines locked me out after 30 days.
Personally I don't need XP, I'm running Linux and Win7 in virtualbox. But a friend of my needs to reïnstall his XP but lost his key. Keyfinder is not an option, he allready did the reïnstall 🙁
Sorry about that. It is very important that the procedure is followed to the smallest detail. If you miss something (a tiny step) the result may be another. Anyway, try again the trick and check if you are able to unlock it one more time. What I did was to set that registry key (see my post) to read-only, that way I denied Windows to lock me again. But some newer Windows XP updates may overcome this trick too.
Thanks Eugen
I've reinstalled XP Pro and tonight applied the regedit method: key icon now gone. Crossing fingers! ☺
Here's a weird one back at ya. Previous installation was done over win 98 and I never had a problem. This install has led to frequent Bad Memory Pool BSOD. What stops that from happening is to have the XP (OEM) install disk in CD drive. Could it be the lack of floppy as in your article I recently glanced at? I was able to install several times without a floppy—trying various methods for overcoming BMP BSOD.
Time for me to run through a few reboots and see if the key icon reappears.
BTW folks. You'll find product key (of OEM faik) if you look at bottom of XPOEMCD\i386\data6.cab\unattend.txt.
I have used Windows for decades (literally). Started with Windows 3.x (probably the most people don't know what it is) then '95. '98,etc. As far as I know BSOD was always related to hardware-software conflicts (what you call Bad Memory I would call bad memory driver or just bad kernel, thus BSOD). Probably with older version of Windows using a non genuine license key (like those randomly generated but still valid as keys) it triggers an software exception that is unintentionally handled,which for you as end user will look like BSOD. The lack of floppy should never trigger such error. It will only be a pain in the ass if you have to install the Windows on a SCSI/RAID system (which means you have to have floppy drive; if you don't then you can't install, unless you were lucky enough to read this article first).
The BSOD problem it's mostly generated by two things: bad drivers OR bad hardware OR Windows just found out that somehow you managed to hack it and it generates a software exception. When the cause of BSOD is the latest then I suggest you reinstall the Windows (just take it easy, follow each step as described, don't hurry because the order of steps matter). Why are you still using Windows XP anyway? Nowadays you can find dozens of Linux distro much user-friendly and of course, free (no licensing whatsoever).
I also have used used MS Windows OS for decades. On my shelf of old software I see Win 3.0 along with multiple boxes of other DOS software. I began learning programming when Gates and crew were also still in school. I didn't stay in the art except as a hobbyist. On the more recent OS shelf I see Win 95, 98, 98SE, W2K pro, XP Pro and Win 7 - all in official MS packages: CD, manual, etc. And here are 3 versions of the Posix based Linux and beside these sits two versions of early BeOS. Here's VB and C++ from MS—ALL LEGITIMATE! How many times have you enjoyed COMDEX?
Put your paranoia back in your pocket. I had gone through multiple cycles of install and was still going against the problem. Now that problem is solved, XP activated, No CD required. Next steps kept to myself.
Did you not not notice the sideways shot I made in my side topic comment?
All I really wanted was a way to temporarily shoot down the annoying nag. Back to reading one of my hundreds of books, not the Linux command manual next to SQL manual and a pile of other software manuals—you do know that an OS is software right? Loop de loop.
Your age shows. You need more experience, I started with Win 1.0, right after MS DOS.
Thanks for the tutorial. I have been trying to run a copy of windows XP on a Virtual Machine for a little while, and no matter what I tried it wasn't recognizing my product key, and I couldn't get it to activate at all. I followed your tutorial, and it seems to have worked with one minor glitch. Whenever I log on to the virtual Machine, it still brings me to the activation screen, but the first screen that pops up says "This copy of Windows is already active, Click OK to exit", so I click OK, and it promptly logs me off. Any suggestions?
Following these steps (Activate Now) worked very well with one hiccup: I still get the activation prompt every time - declares windows has been activated, but click OK and it logs the user out immediately. I'm curious to know if anyone has found a way through this.
That happened to me too as far as I can remember. Did you set the permissions to DENY? In my opinion your XP doesn't "see the hack", thus it considers that the XP is not activated.
This is all well and wonderful and I have in fac used this method a number of times, however, as soon as I set my date and time correctly the 30 day period locks me out again -I would love a method of cracking XP that does not involve the timer..
The timer is hard-coded within Windows .dll. So a method which does not involve a timer would imply (I guess) to change the .dll code. However, that would violate M$ license.
Very helpful.
much appreciated
Hello Eugen,
so I have virtualized licence version of windows xp box and used your trick to activate, and worked perfectly fine now since it's a VM ,user ac cess it's through RDP and only problem is system times out means it doesn't ping no RDP when i go the concole of VMWARE and click on vm then it activates and ping and RDP works and as soon console times out both RDP and ping does not work
have you ever heard this before??
The ping reply has nothing to do with the license. Probably a firewall issue.
Thanks big time! Worked like a charm. Had to reactivate computer with original XP and of course in August 2016 there is no support for XP so web activation does not work. The instructions were clear (once I got the NT on the WindowsNT line) and away it went.
Thanks for this. As you can tell, XP is sooo not supported anymore, but I keep it for the Elder Scrolls series, Dawn of War series, Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale series, you get the picture. (I also still have a DOS computer and a 98se beta computer. geek much? 😉 ) I knew there was a regedit activation process, but forgot what key to mod. I have looked everywhere, and I have finally found it again. Needless to say, not only am I saving this this time, but I am also printing out several copies for my files, to hang on the wall, and I'll laminate one and use it for a mouse pad. Thanks again.
I made it work with this method! Thanks. My problem is that I can't sign in to skype because it says that my ie is not updated! Can I turn auto updates on or I will have a problem?
Updates could always undo what you did to make your Win to work. I would stay away from updates unless you know what you are doing.
Thanks...
Thanks from me as well, just trying to keep just one of a number of computers in the house and office running, this one is my old business machine that I am just using for some storage and access to my old accounting software. I get bothered by Microsoft and their on going protection of this old software. This issue just appeared one day, I have not changed anything of note in the last year or so, but this just cropped up one day. I have licenses on every copy on all my machines, including two new ones, After spending over and over, it's painful losing valuable time fixing these issues.
Hopefully this problem is permanently sorted now
Cheers
If you have a legit license the best option is to activate the license by phone (call Microsoft License Activation service in your country). The hack described here is for "emergency" situations.
My Windows copy stopped working and I'm trying to hack it again! But when I press yes in the question of activating, it says windows already activated and pressing ok brings me back to the login page! so I press enter to login and the message for activation pops up again! So I'm trapped into this circle!
Hi, wondering if you could help me? I have a genuine copy of windows that I had to reinstall after replacing a bust hard drive. I got a message saying the copy of windows may be fraudulent (after entering my product code)
I'm getting the first error message but when I click yes, it logs me straight out. I click the username and get the same message, same thing again. Any ideas?
Cheers,
Mike
If you have a legit license the best option is to activate the license by phone (call Microsoft License Activation service in your country). The hack described here is for "emergency" situations.
I have followed your guidance above. If I click activate windows it will show "Windows is already activated. click ok to exit".
if I press ok then it will goes to welcome windows with the list of user acount.
if i choose one of them it goes back to "windows Product Activation" which ask me to activate windows again.
could you help to solve this issue?
Thank you
Depending on Win version, the installed SP and hotfixes, some of its vulnerabilities might be already patched so the method here might not work by the book. Sometimes is even necessary to go one step further, namely to boot from a Linux rescue disk (like Knoppix) and edit OFFLINE the Windows registry. While online (ie. within the running Win) the Windows monitors the registry changes and it just revert the change from an in-memory safe-copy. Hacking is sometimes a mouse-cat game.
thanks for your reply. i'm hopeless anyway. thinking to reinstall the window 😉
I'm having the same problem, can you walk me through on how to fix it?.
I only documented what I've done, I cannot assist you with that 🙁
start narrator (windowskey - U)
select the link where it says "microsoft web page"
it will start internet explorer - write the address "c:\windows\explorer.exe"
click on start - run - regedit
remove everything related to oobe and wpaevents, all keys
restart windows, boot with hirens boot cd to access drive C
go to c:\windows\system32\oobe, replace msoobe.exe with c:\windows\explorer.exe
restart windows xp
sometimes it will prompt you for 30 days activation. when click on the prompt, an error message will say there's no such /a path.
This works if you make significant hardware changes (a new motherboard) on the same windows xp system.
voila, no more trial activation.
Eugen, it worked for me!!! Thanks
If you mean the registry hack that stops Windows asking to be activated, could you verify that it continues to work after 30 days?
I recently installed an old, entirely legal copy of Windows XP in a virtual machine, and it refused to activate via the internet, so I tried the registry hack described above. As others here have said, it only prevents the activation prompt at start-up without actually activating Windows. After 30 days, it still stopped working. I used telephone activation in the end, which wasn't as painful as I expected it to be.
Out of curiosity, I thought I'd test the hack more thoroughly. My Windows installation disc is a Service Pack 1 version, so I decided to make multiple installations (5 of them): XP SP1 with no updates, XP SP2, XP SP3, and XP SP3 with all automatic Windows Updates (the ones that happen in the background when you enable automatic updates), and finally XP SP3 with every possible update, including optional ones: notably Windows Genuine Advantage.
I applied the hack to each of these installations (making absolutely sure I followed each step), and left them unused for 30 days. They *all* stopped working after that 30 day period.
If this hack ever worked (which I doubt), it must have been patched in Service Pack 1.
Oh, but it works and worked for me and other hundred people. The problem is that each system is different (I don't know what could be so different that sometimes it doesn't work) and thus we should expect different results. I did my best to document what I've done with the hope that some people in the same situation might find it helpful.
You said in a reply above (Sep 15, 2015) that you tried this a long time ago and don't remember all the details, but can you remember whether your version of XP was earlier than the Service Pack 1 release? Did it definitely continue to work for you after 30 days? Please don't think that I don't believe you 😉 - it's just that I've seen this hack posted in various places on the internet, and I suspect that a lot of the people who claim that it works haven't waited for the full 30 days, and just didn't bother to return and retract their claims after it stopped working.
My installation disc is for XP Home Edition, version 2002.
To anyone else who reads this reply and tries the registry hack: I'm sure it would be useful to others if you could say which version of XP you have, and ensure that you wait for the full 30 days before deciding that it works.
The hack was post-SP1. It's hard to prove it now without retesting the whole thing again, which unfortunately I cannot afford it right now due to lack of spare time.
when i followed your steps i had another 30 trial days. i have repeated these steps around 4 or 5 times to get more days accessing windows (total days >120). and now i can not apply these step anymore. any guide for me ?
Sorry, probably the Windows devil slashed its tail. It is always a good idea to disable the Windows Update service because sometimes Windows uses that to download and install some "fixes", but now I guess it's too late, right?
I just want to thank you for sharing and explaining this, i accideantly triggered the activation by installing daemon tools("newhardware"). It was a buiseness computer, used for work and your post saved it before the three days deadline. Thank you for helping ! 😉
i followed all yo steps ... now i cant log on. it shows me the small Windows Activation window ... asking if i must activate now.... yes/no.
if i click YES. it logs off.
(and NO obviously also logs off)
🙁 caught in a continuous loop 🙁
Well, the solution sometimes works, sometimes it doesn't. Every Windows is different although it's only Windows. You might have some security hot fixes installed, I might not, and thus although it looks like we have the same Windows we have different environments/setup.
yip... must be the silly XP Home Edtn....
tried with XP Pro .... and ALL GOOD.
THNX
I have 3 copies of xp home. some of my older games will only install under 32 bit or < installers.
only way around this is xp. tried several times to activate it legitly.
thank you sir. exactly what the doctor ordered!
Well, I got it to work. I need XP to grab old video on mp3 streaming from a Sony and I like the moviemaker on it. You did good and it works! I will let you know if it continues to work. I am on SP2
BTW, I have a legit copy since it came out.
Since I am doing a rebuild after support has ended for XP, this has been extremely useful.
This only gets rid of the nag after 30 you are blocked from accessing anything on your computer. Although a window comes up asking if you want to activate but clicking "Yes" logs you out.
What is annoying is I have a legitimate Product ID but it won't accept it.
Thanks for wasting my time.
I have made a DOS boot CD that allows you to boot up in DOS to an A: prompt ,,at that point you can setup win98 OR winxp without the activation .. It is as good as gold and all on one CD..If you comment back and want to learn how I did it then I might help OH Ialmost forgot ..you can run win98 with this boot CD what I mean is if you delete your win98 boot files on drive C: or whatever root drive ..you can still run win98 ..in fact if you run on the CD if you remove the CD it's the same thing as removeing the boot part on C: and a virus cant work if it can't rewite the files on a burned CD
Eugen, I cannot even begin to tell you how grateful I am, dude: I paid a lot of money for my pc (and XP) back in the day and even more for all my music software like Cubase and Reason. All I want to do is carry on making more albums and you have allowed me to do that. Thanks man!!
Respect and still assisting people of Science with a non bloat ware solution. Simple and works as of Nov 2018.
You are the man! A few differences in my version, but not hard to figure out what to do. A thousand thanks.
Brilliant! Worked like a charm in a virtualized WinXP I am using to kill and bury Win10.
Great help. I'm now finaly free of activation nightmare. It worked perfectly. Thanks !!!
dear sir,
the problem is that windows is activated only for 30days , after 21days a message is shown to activate windows in 7 days. give me a hand in it, please.
best regard
There seem to be mixed results here, with some failures on virtual machines. I tried it on a virtual instance of XP SP2 running on VirtualBox and continued getting the warnings counting down the days, though the message telling me it was already activated when I accepted the invitation to activate. I was apprehensive that I might get locked out when my time was up, but the messages stopped once I upgraded to SP3.
So thanks very much - you have solved a big problem for me!
Same shit as sometime before.NEVER GET skip activation with thatone hkey reg oobeetimer value change.
have test many times several times never work.What kind drugs you take whit those asshole stories
All must done myself.
I tried your solution on xp-sp2 legit copy and worked fine so far! I hope it still does so after the 30day limit. Many thanks for your invaluable help!
I have a winxp setup on a USBstick all oem files no grub or linics or winto usb or rufus .. My verion has no activation or product key needed ,,. it goes through setup automaticly ..,It is the only version you would need can put it on as many computers as you wish.. for a shipping fee of 20.00 I will send you one but it has to be sent on the USB Ican not send it in a ISO file becuose each one is created not copyed .. If you think you can just copy what I send you you would be wrong , it dwill not work correctly if you people are interested let me know of course you do understand that aOS will not be avaliable in the near future do you notice that alot of labtop noke book , don't have A USB ALL OF A SUDDEN 20.00 BUCKS AIN'T SO BAD OF A DEAL...
SUPERB!! it was just so straightforward following the lengthy number of steps for the still 'within 30 days' situation.
with these windows fix how-to's theres usually something that prevents the process working. maybe wrong update level, eg, worked ok with sp2 but wont with sp3. or just badly written set of steps that dont match at all well theory with practice.
have been trying to fix this 'changed hardware need to reactivate windows' thing for ages when making a back-up clone hard drive for my beloved xp machine.
i am just so impressed.
will check the page/site to see if i can repay the favour somehow.
THANKS!!
I’ve been trying for ages to get rid of the windows registration request and tried all sorts, but this registry fix worked 1st time..
So grateful, thanks..
All these choosing beggars 😉
Thank you so much! I have a virtual XP machine that I had to move from one system to another. WIndows wanted to reregister, which is impossible now, even though I have a legal copy. Your mentod worked once out of several tries, (?) but I then used the method suggested by Gogu, above, for the rest, which seems to have worked. Thank you (and thank you Gogu)
Nice! Worked in 02/2021!
I have a licenced winXp Pro SP3 and couldn't activate it. Just worked with this hack.
CHEERS!
I am running a legit version of XP (3) in VMWare and having the activation problem. I have followed your instructions to the letter but I still have the activation window on the restart. What I have found is that when I checked the registry again after a restart, all my changes had reverted and so SYSTEM for instance had been added back in with full control, despite still being there with a DENY option. So the question is what is changing the registry entry back again and is it possible to stop it?
Thank you! Now that I can't activate XP over the internet and I couldn't understand the person at microsoft, Your hack was easier and quicker than using microsoft! I have 2 computers in my workshop and one in the house, there is also one in my boat providing GPS and navigation AND music and digital TV. All XP. I am 69 now and I am not going to spend money on 64 bit replacments or windows 10. Again, thank you!