Help! Stuck in endless XP authorization loop!

[signmeup]

It's been 30 days since my last confession... No that's not it. I have an XP computer from Hell. It wants to authenticate itself but when I click OK it says it is already authenticated. This goes on in an endless loop and the machine will not boot. I have the machine running in safe mode. Any suggestions? (I've already thought of "drop something heavy on it")

 

[jiarby]

Windows stores the activation information in two files in the c:\windows\system32 folder: Wpa.dbl and Wpa.bak. If those files are locked, or permissions are incorrect, Windows may not be able to save its activation information.

You might also want to check the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFTNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
(change Activation Required value to zero)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion
(change RegDone value to 1)

Boot into safe mode, click Start→Run and type regedit then check these values.

 

[signmeup]

Windows stores the activation information in two files in the c:\windows\system32 folder: Wpa.dbl and Wpa.bak. If those files are locked, or permissions are incorrect, Windows may not be able to save its activation information.

You might also want to check the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFTNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
(change Activation Required value to zero)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion
(change RegDone value to 1)

Boot into safe mode, click Start→Run and type regedit then check these values.

Thanks jiarby but I can't find the 2 things in red above. I found the other item and changed it but it didn't help.

 

[jiarby]

what are the permissions on the WPA?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/312295

 

[signmeup]

what are the permissions on the WPA?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/312295

Permissions are all full control.

I read the link you posted. It looks like I won't be doing this myself. I don't have an XP disc.

 

[signswi]

If it's an OEM computer you should have a recovery partition (that you can run repair from), if it's not...you should have a disk. If it's pirated...don't ask for help!

 

[J Hill Designs]

did you try this one?

Run Reg Edit and browse to this key:
"HKey_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\Current Version\WPAEvents"

Change ANYTHING (any one digit) of the value: oobetimer
(this will de-activate XP

Reboot and see if the next Online Activation takes.

 

[signmeup]

I took it to the repair shop.

I also ordered a newer version of Flexi and a usb adapter for my plotter. The only reason I still have XP is to run my plotter. I'll probably ditch XP once the plotter works from Windows 7.