Yeah, I know it's not a big step, just a P.I.T.A.....was editing my last message when you posted that one, but here's what I was typing...an outline of my thought processes re: MSOOBE, etc.
Nope, I was only trying to run MSOOBE as I know from past experience that is the Windows Activation program. I'll try to explain in detail:
1. Once I finally got the computer to boot, it was asking me to Activate before it would let me log on to either account on the machine.
2. I did a search and read online that using a command in Run would activate the 30-Day Activation time window, REMOVING the "You have to activate before you log in" option, which would let me at least boot normally to the desktop (I couldn't "Activate before logging in because, when I clicked "Yes", nothing happened)
3. Once booted to the desktop, I checked Speccy to see what the currently-entered Windows CD key is, it doesn't match the one on the side of the case, and I hadn't entered a key during the repair install as it was telling me the key on the side of the case was invalid as the repair install was done with a Retail disk and not the OEM disk.
4. I've read sometimes the "entered" CD key in Windows shows differently from the key on the side of the case for some OEM factory machines as the install AT the factory actually uses a different disk than the one provided to you, so I thought "Ok, I want to see if this is still Activated, or at least try to activate it with the key that is currently entered.
5. I tried running MSOOBE.exe as I know it's the "Windows Activation" program...nothing happened.
6. Did a Google search as to why - most common reason is an updated IE install, most often suggested solution was to update the IE install to IE8 (latest version of IE available for XP)
7. Currently updating IE8 as we speak (IE6 was installed), then going to see if I can run MSOOBE again for reasons mentioned above...
Now that the 30-day timer LETS me log on, I want to run MSOOBE to finish actually registering with my legitimate key or to see if it is somehow still activated already...?Will let you know how it goes...thanks so much for the support considering this isn't even an issue you need to be helping me with, VERY kind of you!
