Very OT: Microsoft product activation hell
Discussion
I have to get this off my chest. I just have to, OK? If you don't "do" computers, just browse on by 
Microsoft has just wasted two and a half hours of my life. The cause? I added more memory to my computer. The effect? I lose effective access to my e-mail because Outlook 2002 goes into "stop thief!" mode.
Now, in Microsoft's new "product activation" land, adding memory means that I have changed the configuration of my computer. The idea is, if the detected configuration changes too much, the product assumes that it's actually been copied to a different machine, and refuses to do much useful until I've re-registered it with microsoft, either on the internet or over the phone.
Of course, I didn't imagine that I'd have to ring 'em up just because I'd added memory, after all, nothing else had changed. Ah, except the DVD writer two months ago. Er, and the change of graphics card a couple of weeks back. Count 'em, that's three changes, which all equals M$'s damn software thinking I've copied it.
So, the initial phase had Outlook asking for the CD as part of the re-activation process. Fine. I took me a while to find, as I have CDs coming out of my ears. Oh, and I'd reorganised my office since installing it the first time. (A re-org is always a good way to lose some stuff, and re-discover some other stuff left over from the re-org before that: pens, CDs, final demands, cats, etc.)
Eeny, meeny, miny, mo. Which damn CD drive should I feed it to? An arbitrary choice saw me using the top one. Click "Next" said Outlook. A little blue progress bar slithered menacingly across the screen. Menacing... because before they ever get to 100% you just know something's likely to go...
...BANG! "Error 1706: Setup cannot find the required files. Check your connection to the network or CD-ROM drive"
Network? It had just asked me for a CD. Never mind - I thought I'd try the other drive, just in case. One's a SCSI CD writer and the other is an IDE DVD writer, both different in a host of ways.
...BANG! "Error 1706"
WTF??? I tried again and again, but the first phase of the activation process repeatedly crapped out, which meant that it was going to be hard for me to get to the point of activating by phone or internet. I began to swear, quietly. At first.
Sod it. Re-install software? Had to be worth a go, I reckoned. I had to "pause" to back up 1.2Gb of e-mail folders first though...
The install CD has a repair option, so off we went. Except we didn't because it fell over midway through, failing (guess what!) to "find the required files". This suggested that the CD might in fact be dodgy.
So I copied all the files from the CD to a hard disc, and re-ran the repair option from there. No problem at all, smooth as you like. Of course, I wasn't out of the woods yet: I would still have to go back through product activation upon running my newly "fixed" Outlook.
However, upon actually firing up Outlook, the product activation code appeared to be working properly at last. I fed it the CD when prompted, and this time around, it presented me with a choice of activating over the 'net or over the phone. The 'net activation (Plan A) failed, telling me that this "product's already been installed" ("I fecking know. I admit it! It was me - I installed it! On this sodding machine!").
So, Plan B kicked into force. I told it that I was in the UK, and dialled the relevant number presented to me in the window - an international freephone number that connects me to a call centre.... in the UK! Inspired. First choice was between activating (press "1") Office XP or (press "2") Windows XP. Er, no, Outlook 2002 actually. I plumped for the Office option on the basis that it was more right than the other one. I got led through some instructions by a bored sounding office temp type, before getting the chance to punch some numbers into the phone.
After squinting at my screen and typing a million (well, 44) digits in, I was told that my product had already been activated ("I know!") and that I'm being transferred to a customer services automoton, er, employee. Except... "the customer services office is only open between the hours of 8am and midnight."
The neighbours probably heard what I yelled next. I want to send e-mail bloody now, not at bloody 8am.
I decided to lie about my location, and dialled the USA, being unperturbed by the trans-atlantic call rates by this time. Same automated phone system, different recorded office temp. Had to do the typing lots of digits into the phone thing, got bounced again, but this time did get to speak to a human.
And she was very helpful, and did get my software working again, by supplying another long string of numbers. Of course, in the process she tried to get me to attach my name and address to the product code "in case someone else tries to install your software". I pointed out that there was no-one else here to try and install it. And what if I sold it? Nah, bugger that, thanks. That aside, dammit, she was so nice that I didn't have the heart to yell at her, which I so badly wanted to do before she picked up the phone.
So, finally, after over 2.5 hours of swearing, searching the web for remedy, and general faffing around, I'd fixed it.
A number of things spring to mind, as I sit here with the time gone 3am.
1) F*ckers. Unbelieveable complete arsing feckers. High cost, low quality, draconian licensing, complete distrust of legitimate users. And to cap it all, telephone support costs £45 per incident. Ho bleedin' ho. Nice little earner for Bill, that one.
2) How dare they arbitrarily stop my paid-for software working with no grace period and no warning. This could have happened in the middle of the day just when I was trying to get an urgent quote out to a potential customer. How dare they, in an automated and roundabout way, say "we don't trust you, ring us and convince us you haven't nicked that software". Bastards.
3) How in the hell do ordinary users manage? I grew up with computers, have a CompSci degree, write software, build my own machines, install my own operating systems, etc, etc, and this **still** had me tearing my hair out. I really really pity ordinary people(*) with PCs. It must be so completely and totally baffling and life-threateningly stressful.
4) I'm never using any more Microsh1te software that relies on this product activation mechanism. I'm sticking with Win 2000 and Office 2000. Microsoft will cease to support these at some point, but at £45 per call... who the hell cares anyway?
5) Arrrrrrrrrrgh.
6) Why are you still reading? I'm done. I've run out of words. (Plenty of anger left though...
)
----
* One friend of mine got one of the recent mass-mailing viruses on his PC. It took 6 hours to recover to a usable state. Another friend had something over 30 different viruses on his machine... and hadn't even noticed.
>>> Edited by Marshy on Sunday 19th May 03:54
Microsoft has just wasted two and a half hours of my life. The cause? I added more memory to my computer. The effect? I lose effective access to my e-mail because Outlook 2002 goes into "stop thief!" mode.
Now, in Microsoft's new "product activation" land, adding memory means that I have changed the configuration of my computer. The idea is, if the detected configuration changes too much, the product assumes that it's actually been copied to a different machine, and refuses to do much useful until I've re-registered it with microsoft, either on the internet or over the phone.
Of course, I didn't imagine that I'd have to ring 'em up just because I'd added memory, after all, nothing else had changed. Ah, except the DVD writer two months ago. Er, and the change of graphics card a couple of weeks back. Count 'em, that's three changes, which all equals M$'s damn software thinking I've copied it.
So, the initial phase had Outlook asking for the CD as part of the re-activation process. Fine. I took me a while to find, as I have CDs coming out of my ears. Oh, and I'd reorganised my office since installing it the first time. (A re-org is always a good way to lose some stuff, and re-discover some other stuff left over from the re-org before that: pens, CDs, final demands, cats, etc.)
Eeny, meeny, miny, mo. Which damn CD drive should I feed it to? An arbitrary choice saw me using the top one. Click "Next" said Outlook. A little blue progress bar slithered menacingly across the screen. Menacing... because before they ever get to 100% you just know something's likely to go...
...BANG! "Error 1706: Setup cannot find the required files. Check your connection to the network or CD-ROM drive"
Network? It had just asked me for a CD. Never mind - I thought I'd try the other drive, just in case. One's a SCSI CD writer and the other is an IDE DVD writer, both different in a host of ways.
...BANG! "Error 1706"
WTF??? I tried again and again, but the first phase of the activation process repeatedly crapped out, which meant that it was going to be hard for me to get to the point of activating by phone or internet. I began to swear, quietly. At first.
Sod it. Re-install software? Had to be worth a go, I reckoned. I had to "pause" to back up 1.2Gb of e-mail folders first though...
The install CD has a repair option, so off we went. Except we didn't because it fell over midway through, failing (guess what!) to "find the required files". This suggested that the CD might in fact be dodgy.
So I copied all the files from the CD to a hard disc, and re-ran the repair option from there. No problem at all, smooth as you like. Of course, I wasn't out of the woods yet: I would still have to go back through product activation upon running my newly "fixed" Outlook.
However, upon actually firing up Outlook, the product activation code appeared to be working properly at last. I fed it the CD when prompted, and this time around, it presented me with a choice of activating over the 'net or over the phone. The 'net activation (Plan A) failed, telling me that this "product's already been installed" ("I fecking know. I admit it! It was me - I installed it! On this sodding machine!").
So, Plan B kicked into force. I told it that I was in the UK, and dialled the relevant number presented to me in the window - an international freephone number that connects me to a call centre.... in the UK! Inspired. First choice was between activating (press "1") Office XP or (press "2") Windows XP. Er, no, Outlook 2002 actually. I plumped for the Office option on the basis that it was more right than the other one. I got led through some instructions by a bored sounding office temp type, before getting the chance to punch some numbers into the phone.
After squinting at my screen and typing a million (well, 44) digits in, I was told that my product had already been activated ("I know!") and that I'm being transferred to a customer services automoton, er, employee. Except... "the customer services office is only open between the hours of 8am and midnight."
The neighbours probably heard what I yelled next. I want to send e-mail bloody now, not at bloody 8am.
I decided to lie about my location, and dialled the USA, being unperturbed by the trans-atlantic call rates by this time. Same automated phone system, different recorded office temp. Had to do the typing lots of digits into the phone thing, got bounced again, but this time did get to speak to a human.
And she was very helpful, and did get my software working again, by supplying another long string of numbers. Of course, in the process she tried to get me to attach my name and address to the product code "in case someone else tries to install your software". I pointed out that there was no-one else here to try and install it. And what if I sold it? Nah, bugger that, thanks. That aside, dammit, she was so nice that I didn't have the heart to yell at her, which I so badly wanted to do before she picked up the phone.
So, finally, after over 2.5 hours of swearing, searching the web for remedy, and general faffing around, I'd fixed it.
A number of things spring to mind, as I sit here with the time gone 3am.
1) F*ckers. Unbelieveable complete arsing feckers. High cost, low quality, draconian licensing, complete distrust of legitimate users. And to cap it all, telephone support costs £45 per incident. Ho bleedin' ho. Nice little earner for Bill, that one.
2) How dare they arbitrarily stop my paid-for software working with no grace period and no warning. This could have happened in the middle of the day just when I was trying to get an urgent quote out to a potential customer. How dare they, in an automated and roundabout way, say "we don't trust you, ring us and convince us you haven't nicked that software". Bastards.
3) How in the hell do ordinary users manage? I grew up with computers, have a CompSci degree, write software, build my own machines, install my own operating systems, etc, etc, and this **still** had me tearing my hair out. I really really pity ordinary people(*) with PCs. It must be so completely and totally baffling and life-threateningly stressful.
4) I'm never using any more Microsh1te software that relies on this product activation mechanism. I'm sticking with Win 2000 and Office 2000. Microsoft will cease to support these at some point, but at £45 per call... who the hell cares anyway?
5) Arrrrrrrrrrgh.
6) Why are you still reading? I'm done. I've run out of words. (Plenty of anger left though...
) ----
* One friend of mine got one of the recent mass-mailing viruses on his PC. It took 6 hours to recover to a usable state. Another friend had something over 30 different viruses on his machine... and hadn't even noticed.
>>> Edited by Marshy on Sunday 19th May 03:54
Top Rant Marshy!
I can't remember if my Outlook is even bloody registered! Hmmm! I think I'm using OL 2000 though!
I agree with sticking with Win2000 and Orifice 2000, and the support will end at the end of 2003 (apparently!)
Can't say I've ever had that much trouble though! I built my system from scratch in a day or so, but incredibly have never had a Hardware Problem (touch wood) any problems have always been MS/Windows related! They are a pain in the backside!
I can't remember if my Outlook is even bloody registered! Hmmm! I think I'm using OL 2000 though!
I agree with sticking with Win2000 and Orifice 2000, and the support will end at the end of 2003 (apparently!)
Can't say I've ever had that much trouble though! I built my system from scratch in a day or so, but incredibly have never had a Hardware Problem (touch wood) any problems have always been MS/Windows related! They are a pain in the backside!
[rant]
I do not understand, why you're not using Linux for your PC.
It's safe, reliable, comfortable and advanced, also independent in platforms. Forget license hassle and blue screens.
The only reason, that it is not (yet) commonly used, is that people grew up with that DOS/Microsoft-Sh!t, and frighten any changes.
At least they can not evaluate differences! Most people I know, think that Linux is a terminal-based OS
There is no reason to rely on
Windows!
unless you need to play the latest 3D-games.
Check http://linux.com for distributors (I recommend www.suse.com), get a DVD, install it in 20min. beside your current OS, experience some weeks, delete Windows. Done.
:Illgetmycoat:
Bodo
[/rant]
quote:
I grew up with computers, have a CompSci degree, write software, build my own machines, install my own operating systems, etc, etc, and this **still** had me tearing my hair out.
I do not understand, why you're not using Linux for your PC.
It's safe, reliable, comfortable and advanced, also independent in platforms. Forget license hassle and blue screens.
The only reason, that it is not (yet) commonly used, is that people grew up with that DOS/Microsoft-Sh!t, and frighten any changes.
At least they can not evaluate differences! Most people I know, think that Linux is a terminal-based OS
There is no reason to rely on
Windows! unless you need to play the latest 3D-games.
Check http://linux.com for distributors (I recommend www.suse.com), get a DVD, install it in 20min. beside your current OS, experience some weeks, delete Windows. Done.
:Illgetmycoat:
Bodo
[/rant]
Windows has been, and will always be pants.
Anyone see the Bill Gates sketch on 2DTV last night?
They had him in a house that ran on his latest O/S and nothing worked proberly. The furniture in one room didnt appear, so Bill said "lets go out the room and come back in" and when they did the room threw up an error message "This room has experienced a general protection fault EO238901989" and the room then disapeared.
So true
Anyone see the Bill Gates sketch on 2DTV last night?
They had him in a house that ran on his latest O/S and nothing worked proberly. The furniture in one room didnt appear, so Bill said "lets go out the room and come back in" and when they did the room threw up an error message "This room has experienced a general protection fault EO238901989" and the room then disapeared.
So true
(made me smile!) 
quote:
dont get your coat - get a MAC!
Why pay for it? MAC OS X is based on UNIX, as Linux is from the very beginnig.
BTW: DOS was based on UNIX, too.
In the late 1970s some scrote thought he should design a simplified OS for the oncoming homecomputers. Another one with thick glasses on his nose thought, he should buy that...
:illgetmyunix:
Bodo
No way am I ever "upgrading" to XP. 2000 does pretty well what I want, and I am not contributing one more penny to Mr Gates obscene wealth. I reckon he's had £3000 of my money over the years (Visual Studio, Office, MSDN, upgrades, etc).
This activation malarkey goes further than taking the piss and I am not having it.
Any software that pisses about with activations and intrusive licencing has no place on my systems, and out it goes. My computers never stay the same from one week to the next, and I've lost count of the rebuilds from scratch I've done over the years. Six hours into a rebuild the last thing you need is something you paid for insisting it be activated by a company who, if they are still trading, won't be in until 9 the next day.
If you don't *need* XP, ditch it. F
d MicroSh1te, do they really need more money? Until XP I was on the fence on MicroSoft, I even used to nag people about copying their software (hell, I've paid thousands for that stuff on that bootleg CD you are peddling), bit now they (MS) can get stuffed.
>> Edited by philshort on Sunday 19th May 11:47
This activation malarkey goes further than taking the piss and I am not having it.
Any software that pisses about with activations and intrusive licencing has no place on my systems, and out it goes. My computers never stay the same from one week to the next, and I've lost count of the rebuilds from scratch I've done over the years. Six hours into a rebuild the last thing you need is something you paid for insisting it be activated by a company who, if they are still trading, won't be in until 9 the next day.
If you don't *need* XP, ditch it. F
d MicroSh1te, do they really need more money? Until XP I was on the fence on MicroSoft, I even used to nag people about copying their software (hell, I've paid thousands for that stuff on that bootleg CD you are peddling), bit now they (MS) can get stuffed. >> Edited by philshort on Sunday 19th May 11:47
I used macs for my GCSE and A Level in computing! I find Windows much easier to use, and more user friendly! (Better GUI in Win98 than in some really old Mac OS)
This is probably because I grew up with Windows 3.1 and Dos and have moved through every Win OS since! I have a fully licensed version of XP, but I'm going to do something about my harddrive first!!
I don't get that many blue sreens any more, haven't hadone for over a month now, no windows protection errors, I get alot of "This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down" They usually come from Windows Media Player and Kazaa!!
In my (limited) experience, well built (hardware) system, with everything set correctly and the latest and correct drivers from the start will run any MS OS without ANY problems!
I built a system for my mate, £823 Hardware and Software! I trawled the Internet for all the latest drivers etc for everything that was going in and he has NEVER touch wood, had a blue screen, performed and illegal or any other error MS related!!
I would consider a mac, but like my PC tooooo much!!
This is probably because I grew up with Windows 3.1 and Dos and have moved through every Win OS since! I have a fully licensed version of XP, but I'm going to do something about my harddrive first!!
I don't get that many blue sreens any more, haven't hadone for over a month now, no windows protection errors, I get alot of "This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down" They usually come from Windows Media Player and Kazaa!!
In my (limited) experience, well built (hardware) system, with everything set correctly and the latest and correct drivers from the start will run any MS OS without ANY problems!
I built a system for my mate, £823 Hardware and Software! I trawled the Internet for all the latest drivers etc for everything that was going in and he has NEVER touch wood, had a blue screen, performed and illegal or any other error MS related!!
I would consider a mac, but like my PC tooooo much!!
quote:
quote:
dont get your coat - get a MAC!
Why pay for it? MAC OS X is based on UNIX, as Linux is from the very beginnig.
BTW: DOS was based on UNIX, too.
In the late 1970s some scrote thought he should design a simplified OS for the oncoming homecomputers. Another one with thick glasses on his nose thought, he should buy that...
:illgetmyunix:
Bodo
Mac processors are use non-multiplexed pins on the processor, whereas intels are multiplexed (way more complicated to use). - Yea, linux is more stable than windows - but have you actualy managed to get drivers for all your hardware?? - time for a new modem & CD writer so I can use linux??..
Yea, Macs are better, but they are not compatable with the rest of the planet, and they cost more to...
Pete
(stickin with windows 98SE for now..)
but its not like Gates is gonna miss my cash... Oh I forgot.... As far a linux goes, forget that one!!!
My whole college class was given a copy of Suse 7.1, we all put it on seperate partitions on out computers and only ONE person out of 20 has managed to get all there hardware working through it!!!
It makes the internet look crap, you can't play proper games and most of the software people are using today isn't compatible!
Unix/Linux based systems are good for security, firewalls etc but I would never use it as a standalone system (and I have, and have used several versions of Linux!)
Thats purely my opinion of Linux! Not intending to start a war, but I shall don my Kevlar and Chest Rig just in case....
My whole college class was given a copy of Suse 7.1, we all put it on seperate partitions on out computers and only ONE person out of 20 has managed to get all there hardware working through it!!!
It makes the internet look crap, you can't play proper games and most of the software people are using today isn't compatible!
Unix/Linux based systems are good for security, firewalls etc but I would never use it as a standalone system (and I have, and have used several versions of Linux!)
Thats purely my opinion of Linux! Not intending to start a war, but I shall don my Kevlar and Chest Rig just in case....
I tried Warez once for a laugh to see if you really could get some software but it was all popups and porn clicks and I never got anything in the end (girlfriend complained of a headache!! ha ha ). No really, none of the links worked. Its good to hear someone has managed coz I formed the opinion that it was all a load of bollocks, for want of a better expression.
ha ha ). No really, none of the links worked. Its good to hear someone has managed coz I formed the opinion that it was all a load of bollocks, for want of a better expression. To those that would advocate Linux: it's a damn fine server operating system, and I use it a lot for that. However, ease of use and compatibility has yet to hit the bigtime in the desktop market. Don't ever pretend, even for a second, that Linux is suitable for joe soap ordinary user. It is not. Not yet. End of story.
Additionally, I work in the I.T. industry. People send me powerpoint files to edit, S/MIME based e-mail, other office documents, Visio diagrams, and so on and so forth. Native Linux simply does not have the application base to support these formats. OpenOffice and StarOffice still do not offer full compatibility with Office apps. Additionally, if I were to run Windows within VMWare (say) I'd need to significantly up-spec my machine to make that work. Oh, and I can't play games then, my video capture hardware won't work, and it'll be the devil's own job getting all the other hardware to fly.
So as to the suggestion "why don't you just run linux", go away and think about how people use computers in the **real world** not fantasyland.
As for those that advocate using a Mac: more tempting. OS X is looking good (Bodo: you're paying for a decent GUI on top, much better than KDE or Gnome, plus you get support, etc. Remeber also that Linux has always been free, but the BSD derivatives never were. BSD is also architected differently, so there may be good reasons why Apple chose it.) Trouble is, I have a large investment in PC hardware... I'd need to move to a desktop Mac and a portable one. That'd be *pricey*.
So, that's why I'm using Windows. OK?
>> Edited by Marshy on Sunday 19th May 18:19
Additionally, I work in the I.T. industry. People send me powerpoint files to edit, S/MIME based e-mail, other office documents, Visio diagrams, and so on and so forth. Native Linux simply does not have the application base to support these formats. OpenOffice and StarOffice still do not offer full compatibility with Office apps. Additionally, if I were to run Windows within VMWare (say) I'd need to significantly up-spec my machine to make that work. Oh, and I can't play games then, my video capture hardware won't work, and it'll be the devil's own job getting all the other hardware to fly.
So as to the suggestion "why don't you just run linux", go away and think about how people use computers in the **real world** not fantasyland.
As for those that advocate using a Mac: more tempting. OS X is looking good (Bodo: you're paying for a decent GUI on top, much better than KDE or Gnome, plus you get support, etc. Remeber also that Linux has always been free, but the BSD derivatives never were. BSD is also architected differently, so there may be good reasons why Apple chose it.) Trouble is, I have a large investment in PC hardware... I'd need to move to a desktop Mac and a portable one. That'd be *pricey*.
So, that's why I'm using Windows. OK?
>> Edited by Marshy on Sunday 19th May 18:19
I love XP, and have no probs at all (including the various upgrades over the past 7 months - RAM, MB, HD, Graphics Card, Scanner, Network card etc).
Online activation works 1st time when required and with my copy there's no crapping around with an International number to activate manually anyway - there's a direct UK telephone number...
Oh and the College I lecture at, has just popped 60 copies onto machines - same story; faster in use, no crashes, no incompatability probs; the OS just works. Students and Staff love it.
Online activation works 1st time when required and with my copy there's no crapping around with an International number to activate manually anyway - there's a direct UK telephone number...
Oh and the College I lecture at, has just popped 60 copies onto machines - same story; faster in use, no crashes, no incompatability probs; the OS just works. Students and Staff love it.
quote:
Why pay for it? MAC OS X is based on UNIX, as Linux is from the very beginnig.
Linux was designed to "look like" Unix, and conform to the system call interface and so on, but be free - something that no other Unix derivative (BSD or System V derived) was at the time. It was not "based on" anything, rather being written from scratch.
quote:
BTW: DOS was based on UNIX, too.
CP/M was the precursor to DOS, and some command names and file system structure was actually modelled on DEC's VMS operating system. (VMS: small number of commands, lots of switches to change what they do; 8.3 filenames. Sound familiar?) Subsequently, when IBM's 8086 PC came along, a company wrote their own version of CP/M for the 8086 and called it QDOS, as they were fed up with waiting for a true 8086 version of CP/M. QDOS was what Microsoft bought.
I suggest these links for people who are interested in this sort of stuff:-
http://members.fortunecity.com/pcmuseum/dos.htm
http://members.fortunecity.com/pcmuseum/kildall.htm
Oh, and an aside. A certain Bill Gates approached a certain small Cambridge computer manufacturer in the very early eighties. He wanted to know if Acorn wanted to license his MS-DOS. He was sent packing because their in house equivalent was far superior. (As was still the case in 1990 in the case of RISC OS versus Windows, but by that time Intel hardware was too firmly entrenched in the desktop market.)
quote:
Online activation works 1st time when required and with my copy there's no crapping around with an International number to activate manually anyway - there's a direct UK telephone number...
You mis-read what I said. There *is* a UK number (actually, it's an international freephone number starting 00800) but they were asleep when I wanted to activate my product, and since their Internet activation mechanism thought I was installing it on a second machine, I *had* to phone. UK asleep, ergo, phone the states. It's a natural thing to do, I think you'll agree.
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