[BC] Another computer problem

[RichardBJohnson at comcast.net]

I did all the on-line upgrades, now service-pack 3, plus the scary MS Validation, which took over 30 minutes to complete. All is well.

Apparently, many computer vendors simply clone a production hard-disk and ship it with the new computer. The CD/DVD you get has never been used. It simply has a label with a unique CRC'ed license number, the same label that is attached to the computer. All is well until you actually try to use the CD/DVD when rebuilding the computer. At that time, one needs to make the license number in the newly installed software, the same as the license number on the label, BEFORE the on-line validation. Using the regular procedure in its natural order does not re-write the license number on the hard disk so the validation fails. Going the next step to the telephone menu and then backing up, gives you the chance of changing (read rewriting) the number. The validation will now work as long as nobody else in the universe has the same license number as you. If you are good at the zillion-dollar lottery, maybe you will hit the jackpot and get a rejection, but most people will not select the same number. The "letters" are converted to a single CRCed 32-bit number which is stored in the registry. When you "change" the license "number," software converts the AAAAA-BBBBB-CCCC- junk to a 32-bit number with the correct CRC.

Cheers,
Richard B. Johnson
Book: http://www.AbominableFirebug.com/

----- Original Message -----
From: K7qa at aol.com

 
In a message dated 7/28/2009 5:42:24 AM Pacific Daylight Time,  
RichardBJohnson at comcast.net writes:

I fixed  it!

Richard,
Report back after a few rounds of MS Validation Tool Updates and see  if 
your fix sticks. My guess is it may not.