I had issues with my computer not working (rebooting constantly) which was fixed by my Dad's friend that works in IT. Unfortunately the fix seems to have undone the activation of Windows (I have owned this PC since 2007) and I had 30 days to activate.
As my PC is purely for gaming I hadn't updated in a while, so needed to update to SP3 but found I couldn't via the internet as my internet seems to have stopped working (Windows won't monitor it and I can't use the Belkin software to connect either). I ordered a CD version and installed it (via an external USB drive as low and behold seems like my CD drive stopped working at some point as well, but this was before the HDD issue) and that restarted the 30 days activation. I had hoped I could have solved the internet issue before it ran out but I have not, and now I get this:
"A problem has prevented Windows from accurately checking the status of the licence for this computer. To proceed your copy of Windows must be activated with Microsoft."
If I select Yes it just hangs and does nothing, if I select No it hangs for a while then brings me back to the login screen. I guess the problem it's talking about is not having a net connection.
I read about the ie6/7 issue that people came across and tried installing ie8 whilst I still had access to my desktop but no joys. Also, whenever I clicked on the little icon (set of keys) that would pop up in the taskbar along with a message saying how many days I had left, I got no window appearing with either the net or phone option to activate windows.
Here is the MGADiag report I got when I ran it in Safe Mode:
Diagnostic Report (1.9.0027.0):-----------------------------------------
Windows Validation Data-->
Validation Status: Not Activated
Validation Code: 1
Cached Validation Code: N/A
Windows Product Key: *****-*****-FXT83-VJH4R-2628M
Windows Product Key Hash: uCEozeG0MFxGz2qDBOHOVvdhxKQ=
Windows Product ID: 76477-OEM-2142676-35660
Windows Product ID Type: 3
Windows License Type: OEM System Builder
Windows OS version: 5.1.2600.2.00010300.3.0.hom
ID: {EE616D3B-15C5-4FF7-9FCB-4B1069E89682}(3)
Is Admin: Yes
TestCab: 0x0
LegitcheckControl ActiveX: Registered, 1.7.69.2
Signed By: Microsoft
Product Name: N/A
Architecture: N/A
Build lab: N/A
TTS Error: N/A
Validation Diagnostic: 025D1FF3-364-80041028_025D1FF3-229-80041028_025D1FF3-230-1_025D1FF3-238-2_025D1FF3-258-3
Resolution Status: N/A
Vista WgaER Data-->
ThreatID(s): N/A
Version: N/A
Windows XP Notifications Data-->
Cached Result: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
File Exists: No
Version: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
WgaTray.exe Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
WgaLogon.dll Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGA Notifications Data-->
Cached Result: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Version: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGAExec.exe Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGAAddin.dll Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGA Data-->
Office Status: 109 N/A
OGA Version: N/A, 0x80070002
Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Office Diagnostics: B4D0AA8B-604-645_B4D0AA8B-604-645_B4D0AA8B-604-645_025D1FF3-364-80041028_025D1FF3-229-80041028_025D1FF3-230-1_025D1FF3-238-2_025D1FF3-258-3
Browser Data-->
Proxy settings: N/A
User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Win32)
Default Browser: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.exe
Download signed ActiveX controls: Prompt
Download unsigned ActiveX controls: Disabled
Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Allowed
Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe: Disabled
Allow scripting of Internet Explorer Webbrowser control: Disabled
Active scripting: Allowed
Script ActiveX controls marked as safe for scripting: Allowed
File Scan Data-->
Other data-->
Office Details:
Licensing Data-->
N/A
Windows Activation Technologies-->
N/A
HWID Data-->
N/A
OEM Activation 1.0 Data-->
BIOS string matches: yes
Marker string from BIOS: 14490:ASUSTeK Computer Inc|15B77:GENUINE C&C INC
Marker string from OEMBIOS.DAT: N/A, hr = 0x80004005
OEM Activation 2.0 Data-->
N/A
----
Is there any way of getting a) access to the desktop again and b) getting the Activation Window to open so I can get the codes to activate over the phone? My PC is out of warranty so I doubt the company that built my PC would assist me (even if the OS is an OEM version).
edit: Forgot to mention (there was a lot to get down!) I have used the "rundll32...." command line/code in Safe Mode via Run to restart the 30-day activation period twice before whilst I was trying to sort out the internet issue. It was using it the second time that gave me that above 'error' message from Windows - it doesn't work anymore. Even when it did work I still couldn't bring up the Activation Window, via the taskbar message or the option via Start -> All Programs -> Accessories.