Office 2003 - Activation Request

[Bob Huntley]

I installed Office 2003 on my computer when I first bought it (circa
September 2005), and installed it and activated it without any problems.

Suddenly, for no apparent reason I got a request to re-activate it tonight -
and I had to use the telephone help line because Internet activation
wouldn't work.

I've updated the hardware slightly since the initial install (new graphics
card + extra RAM) in December, but haven't changed anything since then so
the hardware configuration has been fixed for at least 4 weeks. Any ideas
why its suddenly demanding activation again, and anything I can to prevent
this annoyance.

NB - Only possible change I can think of is that I disabled the
motherboard's Ethernet port (using Device Manager) yesterday. Its a crude
attempt to stop frequent Windows XP pauses - which actually seems to work. I
only use that port once a week or so (just use it to share my Internet
Connection with a laptop and allow that machine to download virus updates,
MS Security Patches etc) so I thought it no great loss to shut it down
between times.
If this is the reason, I'm now concerned that re-enabling it may also
confuse the Office Activation software - is there a way round this gotcha?

Bob,

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Bob,

Have you used any disk or registry 'cleanup' utilities? They can sometimes delete the .dat or .bak or other files used with the
activation records, as an example.

===========
I installed Office 2003 on my computer when I first bought it (circa
September 2005), and installed it and activated it without any problems.

Suddenly, for no apparent reason I got a request to re-activate it tonight -
and I had to use the telephone help line because Internet activation
wouldn't work.

I've updated the hardware slightly since the initial install (new graphics
card + extra RAM) in December, but haven't changed anything since then so
the hardware configuration has been fixed for at least 4 weeks. Any ideas
why its suddenly demanding activation again, and anything I can to prevent
this annoyance.

NB - Only possible change I can think of is that I disabled the
motherboard's Ethernet port (using Device Manager) yesterday. Its a crude
attempt to stop frequent Windows XP pauses - which actually seems to work. I
only use that port once a week or so (just use it to share my Internet
Connection with a laptop and allow that machine to download virus updates,
MS Security Patches etc) so I thought it no great loss to shut it down
between times.
If this is the reason, I'm now concerned that re-enabling it may also
confuse the Office Activation software - is there a way round this gotcha?

Bob>>

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Bob,

Have you used any disk or registry 'cleanup' utilities? They can sometimes delete the .dat or .bak or other files used with the
activation records, as an example.

===========
I installed Office 2003 on my computer when I first bought it (circa
September 2005), and installed it and activated it without any problems.

Suddenly, for no apparent reason I got a request to re-activate it tonight -
and I had to use the telephone help line because Internet activation
wouldn't work.

I've updated the hardware slightly since the initial install (new graphics
card + extra RAM) in December, but haven't changed anything since then so
the hardware configuration has been fixed for at least 4 weeks. Any ideas
why its suddenly demanding activation again, and anything I can to prevent
this annoyance.

NB - Only possible change I can think of is that I disabled the
motherboard's Ethernet port (using Device Manager) yesterday. Its a crude
attempt to stop frequent Windows XP pauses - which actually seems to work. I
only use that port once a week or so (just use it to share my Internet
Connection with a laptop and allow that machine to download virus updates,
MS Security Patches etc) so I thought it no great loss to shut it down
between times.
If this is the reason, I'm now concerned that re-enabling it may also
confuse the Office Activation software - is there a way round this gotcha?

Bob>>

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Bob,

Have you used any disk or registry 'cleanup' utilities? They can sometimes delete the .dat or .bak or other files used with the
activation records, as an example.

===========
I installed Office 2003 on my computer when I first bought it (circa
September 2005), and installed it and activated it without any problems.

Suddenly, for no apparent reason I got a request to re-activate it tonight -
and I had to use the telephone help line because Internet activation
wouldn't work.

I've updated the hardware slightly since the initial install (new graphics
card + extra RAM) in December, but haven't changed anything since then so
the hardware configuration has been fixed for at least 4 weeks. Any ideas
why its suddenly demanding activation again, and anything I can to prevent
this annoyance.

NB - Only possible change I can think of is that I disabled the
motherboard's Ethernet port (using Device Manager) yesterday. Its a crude
attempt to stop frequent Windows XP pauses - which actually seems to work. I
only use that port once a week or so (just use it to share my Internet
Connection with a laptop and allow that machine to download virus updates,
MS Security Patches etc) so I thought it no great loss to shut it down
between times.
If this is the reason, I'm now concerned that re-enabling it may also
confuse the Office Activation software - is there a way round this gotcha?

Bob>>

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Bob,

Have you used any disk or registry 'cleanup' utilities? They can sometimes delete the .dat or .bak or other files used with the
activation records, as an example.

===========
I installed Office 2003 on my computer when I first bought it (circa
September 2005), and installed it and activated it without any problems.

Suddenly, for no apparent reason I got a request to re-activate it tonight -
and I had to use the telephone help line because Internet activation
wouldn't work.

I've updated the hardware slightly since the initial install (new graphics
card + extra RAM) in December, but haven't changed anything since then so
the hardware configuration has been fixed for at least 4 weeks. Any ideas
why its suddenly demanding activation again, and anything I can to prevent
this annoyance.

NB - Only possible change I can think of is that I disabled the
motherboard's Ethernet port (using Device Manager) yesterday. Its a crude
attempt to stop frequent Windows XP pauses - which actually seems to work. I
only use that port once a week or so (just use it to share my Internet
Connection with a laptop and allow that machine to download virus updates,
MS Security Patches etc) so I thought it no great loss to shut it down
between times.
If this is the reason, I'm now concerned that re-enabling it may also
confuse the Office Activation software - is there a way round this gotcha?

Bob>>

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Bob,

Have you used any disk or registry 'cleanup' utilities? They can sometimes delete the .dat or .bak or other files used with the
activation records, as an example.

===========
I installed Office 2003 on my computer when I first bought it (circa
September 2005), and installed it and activated it without any problems.

Suddenly, for no apparent reason I got a request to re-activate it tonight -
and I had to use the telephone help line because Internet activation
wouldn't work.

I've updated the hardware slightly since the initial install (new graphics
card + extra RAM) in December, but haven't changed anything since then so
the hardware configuration has been fixed for at least 4 weeks. Any ideas
why its suddenly demanding activation again, and anything I can to prevent
this annoyance.

NB - Only possible change I can think of is that I disabled the
motherboard's Ethernet port (using Device Manager) yesterday. Its a crude
attempt to stop frequent Windows XP pauses - which actually seems to work. I
only use that port once a week or so (just use it to share my Internet
Connection with a laptop and allow that machine to download virus updates,
MS Security Patches etc) so I thought it no great loss to shut it down
between times.
If this is the reason, I'm now concerned that re-enabling it may also
confuse the Office Activation software - is there a way round this gotcha?

Bob>>

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Bob,

Have you used any disk or registry 'cleanup' utilities? They can sometimes delete the .dat or .bak or other files used with the
activation records, as an example.

===========
I installed Office 2003 on my computer when I first bought it (circa
September 2005), and installed it and activated it without any problems.

Suddenly, for no apparent reason I got a request to re-activate it tonight -
and I had to use the telephone help line because Internet activation
wouldn't work.

I've updated the hardware slightly since the initial install (new graphics
card + extra RAM) in December, but haven't changed anything since then so
the hardware configuration has been fixed for at least 4 weeks. Any ideas
why its suddenly demanding activation again, and anything I can to prevent
this annoyance.

NB - Only possible change I can think of is that I disabled the
motherboard's Ethernet port (using Device Manager) yesterday. Its a crude
attempt to stop frequent Windows XP pauses - which actually seems to work. I
only use that port once a week or so (just use it to share my Internet
Connection with a laptop and allow that machine to download virus updates,
MS Security Patches etc) so I thought it no great loss to shut it down
between times.
If this is the reason, I'm now concerned that re-enabling it may also
confuse the Office Activation software - is there a way round this gotcha?

Bob>>

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Bob,

Have you used any disk or registry 'cleanup' utilities? They can sometimes delete the .dat or .bak or other files used with the
activation records, as an example.

===========
I installed Office 2003 on my computer when I first bought it (circa
September 2005), and installed it and activated it without any problems.

Suddenly, for no apparent reason I got a request to re-activate it tonight -
and I had to use the telephone help line because Internet activation
wouldn't work.

I've updated the hardware slightly since the initial install (new graphics
card + extra RAM) in December, but haven't changed anything since then so
the hardware configuration has been fixed for at least 4 weeks. Any ideas
why its suddenly demanding activation again, and anything I can to prevent
this annoyance.

NB - Only possible change I can think of is that I disabled the
motherboard's Ethernet port (using Device Manager) yesterday. Its a crude
attempt to stop frequent Windows XP pauses - which actually seems to work. I
only use that port once a week or so (just use it to share my Internet
Connection with a laptop and allow that machine to download virus updates,
MS Security Patches etc) so I thought it no great loss to shut it down
between times.
If this is the reason, I'm now concerned that re-enabling it may also
confuse the Office Activation software - is there a way round this gotcha?

Bob>>

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Bob,

Have you used any disk or registry 'cleanup' utilities? They can sometimes delete the .dat or .bak or other files used with the
activation records, as an example.

===========
I installed Office 2003 on my computer when I first bought it (circa
September 2005), and installed it and activated it without any problems.

Suddenly, for no apparent reason I got a request to re-activate it tonight -
and I had to use the telephone help line because Internet activation
wouldn't work.

I've updated the hardware slightly since the initial install (new graphics
card + extra RAM) in December, but haven't changed anything since then so
the hardware configuration has been fixed for at least 4 weeks. Any ideas
why its suddenly demanding activation again, and anything I can to prevent
this annoyance.

NB - Only possible change I can think of is that I disabled the
motherboard's Ethernet port (using Device Manager) yesterday. Its a crude
attempt to stop frequent Windows XP pauses - which actually seems to work. I
only use that port once a week or so (just use it to share my Internet
Connection with a laptop and allow that machine to download virus updates,
MS Security Patches etc) so I thought it no great loss to shut it down
between times.
If this is the reason, I'm now concerned that re-enabling it may also
confuse the Office Activation software - is there a way round this gotcha?

Bob>>

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Bob,

Have you used any disk or registry 'cleanup' utilities? They can sometimes delete the .dat or .bak or other files used with the
activation records, as an example.

===========
I installed Office 2003 on my computer when I first bought it (circa
September 2005), and installed it and activated it without any problems.

Suddenly, for no apparent reason I got a request to re-activate it tonight -
and I had to use the telephone help line because Internet activation
wouldn't work.

I've updated the hardware slightly since the initial install (new graphics
card + extra RAM) in December, but haven't changed anything since then so
the hardware configuration has been fixed for at least 4 weeks. Any ideas
why its suddenly demanding activation again, and anything I can to prevent
this annoyance.

NB - Only possible change I can think of is that I disabled the
motherboard's Ethernet port (using Device Manager) yesterday. Its a crude
attempt to stop frequent Windows XP pauses - which actually seems to work. I
only use that port once a week or so (just use it to share my Internet
Connection with a laptop and allow that machine to download virus updates,
MS Security Patches etc) so I thought it no great loss to shut it down
between times.
If this is the reason, I'm now concerned that re-enabling it may also
confuse the Office Activation software - is there a way round this gotcha?

Bob>>