rec.autos.simulators

> Please be nice and take your spam elsewhere... this is a auto simulation
> group.
> Thanks!

> > Jan is my Wife's name.  8-)
> > --
> > Chris H.
> > Microsoft MVP - Windows XP
> > Associate Expert
> > Expert Zone - www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone

> > As I said, no one forces anyone to purchase and install Windows XP.
> That's
> > a user choice, and by doing homework first like checking the hardware
> > compatibility list (http://www.microsoft.com/hcl/) and doing things like
> > reading this newsgroup, the install is fine.

> Yes, but if one buys new hardware after they have XP up and running nicely
> and this new hardware causes a problem with some other device then they
may
> be required to pull out old hardware and try other hardware until they
track
> the problem down. The activation scheme can cause a big pain in the arse
> because of this. People have already reported that they have been getting
> the heavy hand from MS when they have needed to reactivate over the phone
> because they couldn't online. This is bullshit Chris, most computer users
> here are power users and are continually upgrading hardware.

> Just answer me this one question though, does MS have plans to make their
OS
> rentware in the near future? If yes, then I can stop worrying about all
this
> and vow never to buy another piece of MS software again. Maybe I'll even
buy
> a Mac one of these days. Me, and  millions of others that think like I do
> can make or break MS, tell your buddy Bill that too.

> > No.  It has nothing to do with Remote Desktop.  You may be confusing
> Remote
> > Desktop (which is your access to another of your computers from a
> different
> > location) and Remote Assistance, which is asking someone else who knows
> > Windows XP to come into your system to assist you.

> Well, I disabled remote assistance too. Actually, I've disabled so much XP
> stuff that I may as well go back to Win98. :-)

> > Help and Support is available offline or online from Start/Help and
> Support.
> > If you're online, you can also get related Knowledge Base articles which
> may
> > be of further assistance with understanding whatever issue has come up.

> Yes, I've been reading knowledge base articles and going to XP specific
> sites.

> P.S. I do have one techie question for you that maybe you can answer for
me.
> Why when I burn files to cdrom in XP are they not readable on a Win98
> system? This is using drag and drop method of burning in XP and not 3rd
> party software.

> Then those changes are reset to zero and adding the NIC would not have
> triggered anything because it would only have been count one or two (at
> most) of the four to six allowed changes.  At this moment, I don't see
> anything but activation seeing a "different" system, therefore requiring
the
> telephone call.  I can see where activation may have been triggered by the
> numerous changes within a single, 120-day period, but if you'd like I'll
> continue to track it down so we know for sure.

> It is stuff like this which is keeping me from installing my USB MS
> SideWinder FF wheel and hitting the GPL tracks.  8-)  GPL, with the update
> patch, runs quite well for me on a clean NTFS install of  Windows XP Pro,
an
> AMD Thunderbird 1 GB with 512 PC133 RAM and a GeForce2 MX400 w/64 Megs.
8-)
> --
> Chris H.
> Microsoft MVP - Windows XP
> Associate Expert
> Expert Zone - www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone

> > Chris,

> > There was no error on the card in the device manager.  It was simply my
> > desire to 'freshen' the installation and the drivers for the Intel
> > In-Business 10/100 NIC Card, which did, in the end, fix my Network
> problems.

> > The only hardware changes that have been made to this computer are the
> > installation of a Maxtor ATA/133 Controller and 80GB Maxtor D740X hard
> > drive, and the replacement of an old Pioneer DVD-113 with a new Pioneer
> > DVD-116 DVD drive.

> > I assure you I was suprised as well :)

> > I don't know the exact time, but it was about 9pm this evening.

> > The guy on the phone was nice and all.  No complaints there.  However I
> > didn't get the impression that he understood what I was reporting, and
> that
> > I felt it was a bug in the Activation system.

> > It still all boils down to the fact that we don't need this nonsense.

> > Thanks for your input!

> > -Larry

> > > The NIC does carry extra weight in the calculation, Larry, plus you
made
> > > three other changes, too.

> > That's not six changes is it? We were told we would be allowed to make
six
> > changes every six months.

> > When did Microsoft become an authority in how many changes I can make on
> > MY system?? WTF is that lame crap!

> When you agreed to the 'end user license agreement'.  If you don't like
it,
> then don't run the software.  It's perfectly simple.

> --
> Richard.

> "And he never shows his feelings, But the fool on the hill."

> > > When did Microsoft become an authority in how many changes I can make
on
> > MY
> > > system?? WTF is that lame crap!

> > Yea, they really pissed off a lot of customers with this BS scheme. They
> > think they own us.

> If you read the entire thread you will see that Chris is not the spammer
> here.  The other larry began the thread as an OT and Chris did nothing
more
> than reply to the question and all of the replies.  Just because he is
> standing up to the anti-MS crowd you decide he is the spammer and you
reply
> to him in a faux-polite tone asking him to leave.  Perhaps you should
> re-read the thread and ask the *spammer* to leave instead of the person
who
> replies to the original post.  Just an observation not a war :)

> Mitch

> > Chris,

> > Please be nice and take your spam elsewhere... this is a auto simulation
> > group.
> > Thanks!

> > > Jan is my Wife's name.  8-)
> > > --
> > > Chris H.
> > > Microsoft MVP - Windows XP
> > > Associate Expert
> > > Expert Zone - www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone

> >The NIC does carry extra weight in the calculation, Larry, plus you made
> >three other changes, too.  Remember, if you're going to make a lot of
> >changes, note the date you've activated because after 120 days the system
is
> >reset to "zero" amount of the calculated hardware changes.  This is sort
of
> >saying if you were 100 days into your first activation, changing of the
> >controller, hard drive and adding another drive (don't believe that's
> >counted, but anyway) would count only until the 121st day.

> So how to you troubleshoot problems caused by a new hardware install.
Common
> procedure(as stated by Larry) is to remove one or more components, and
find
> which ones cause the conflict.  Having to re-activate the OS adds another
drawn
> out(and stupid, IMHO) step...
> ...So why do we need this new whiz-bang system...?  I'll stick with
win98se for
> a while...  I change my configuration too often to deal with this shit.

> Eldred
> --
> Dale Earnhardt, Sr. R.I.P. 1951-2001
> Homepage - http://www.umich.edu/~epickett
> GPLRank - under construction...

> Never argue with an idiot.  He brings you down to his level, then beats
you
> with experience...
> Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.

> Tim

> > Well, it was bound to happen.  Windows XP's stupid product activation
was
> > _bound_ to***up eventually.

> > Well, it did.

> > This evening, I was troubleshooting network connectivity problems on my
XP
> > Client Machine.  One of the steps I took was the time-honored tradition
of
> > removing the Ethernet Card entry in the Device Manager, and letting
> Windows
> > re-detect it and reinstall the drivers during restart.

> > Well, instead of Windows XP booting up and redetecting the NIC card and
> > reinstalling the drivers, I got the dreaded Windows XP Activation
notice!

> > It said something about not being able to validate my Hardware
> > Configuration, and asked me if I wanted to re-activate.

> > Sure, why not.

> > However, because this stupid Product Activation would not let the system
> > boot up into Windows, the damned NIC card drivers were not allowed to
> > reinstall and.  This means, of course, that product activation could not
> do
> > it's thing over the Internet.

> > Ok, fine.  I've got 10 minutes to waste (like I really had a choice).

> > I called the toll-free number.

> > Now, I went through the drawn-out automated re-activation process, where
> you
> > punch in this ridiculously long number, and wait for it to read back
your
> > activation key.

> > Except, it said it could not validate my hardware configuration.

> > Now, I had to get passed to a 'human' to get it done.

> > Ok, so now I get to plead my case for the continuing privilage of using
an
> > operating system that I paid good money for to someone on the telephone.
> I
> > didn't get the impression that this person really understood the
technical
> > issue behind this (which I consider a bug in activation), but I did get
> > re-activated.

> > Windows finally booted, installed my NIC card drivers, and I was back on
> the
> > Internet.

> > So, my solution fixed my Network problem, but it was like travelling
from
> > ***ia to Maryland, by way of San Diego.

> > Keep in mind that during this whole process MICROSOFT had all of my data
> > locked up and held hostage by this stupid activation system.

> > If it weren't for the fact that I'd have to go back to Dual-Boot 98/2K
(2K
> > won't run all of my software), I would throw this XP disk in the damned
> > trash can.

> > We don't need this crap.

> > Larry

> > We don't need this crap.

> Except for the small fact that, clearly, you do.

> If you didn't need 'this crap', you wouldn't be running Windows XP.

> Don't like WPA?  Don't use Windows XP.  Heck, just don't use Windows.

> --
> Richard.

> "I am the eggman, they are the eggmen. I am the walrus, goo goo g'joob."

> > > XP without the WPA is available easily on the net. The only ones who
> > > suffer this are the people who buy it, not the people with illegal
> copies.

> > Mmmnnn... not quite.  There are 'legal' users, casual pirates, and
> 'expert'
> > pirates.  It's the latter group who have got the 'non-WPA' versions of
XP,
> > but WPA is probably stopping the casual pirates.

> Anyone who's avoiding even a pirated version of XP because of WPA doesn't
> even deserve the name 'pirate', really.  In fact, I've never seen a
> WPA-enabled version of XP floating around, period...it's as easy to get as
> most games and other programs, maybe even easier, despite being a 500MB
> download.

> Another thing.  I know lots of people using XP...but nobody who purchased
> it...

> Milhouse

> > In any case, I can't think of anything that *requires* Windows XP to
run.
> I
> > only use Windows (Me) for games.  It runs Grand Prix 2/3, GPL, NASCAR 4,
> > Sports Car GT, TOCA 1/2, and a handful of demos, without any problems.
I
> > certainly won't be upgrading (*unless* a stunning new game demands me
to).
> > All my other computing activities are carried out on different
platforms,
> > which free me from Microsoft!  :-)

> > --
> > Richard.

> > "Free As A Bird.  It's the next best thing to be, free as a bird."

> > People have a right to complain, as long as there is no other recourse.

> > You even posted about another recourse aside from whining against WPA...

> > Milhouse

> I shouldn't have to take that recourse though, should I?