You are prompted to activate Windows every time you restart your computer (312295)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Web Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, 64-Bit Enterprise Edition
  • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional
This article was previously published under Q312295
Important This article contains information about how to modify the registry. Make sure to back up the registry before you modify it. Make sure that you know how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and modify the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows registry

SYMPTOMS

After you successfully install and activate Windows XP, you may be prompted to activate Windows every time you restart your computer.

RESOLUTION

ACW

Guided Help to remove the script that interferes with Windows activation

Guided Help is available to remove the script that interferes with Windows activation. Guided Help can automatically perform the steps for you.

The actions that this Guided Help performs cannot be undone after Guided Help is finished.

For more information about Guided Help, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

915092 Description of Guided Help for Microsoft Knowledge Base articles

Requirements to install and to use this Guided Help

  • You must be logged on to Windows by using a computer administrator account to install and to use this Guided Help.
  • You must be running Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Media Center Edition, or Windows XP Tablet PC Edition to install and to use this Guided Help.
You must first download Guided Help. To start, click the following link. Download Guided Help

Manual steps to remove the script that interferes with Windows activation

Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

To manually remove the script that interferes with Windows activation, follow these steps.
  1. Delete registry entries for the malicious program. To do this, follow these steps:
    1. Start the computer in Safe mode.
    2. Back up the registry.
    3. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
    4. Locate and then delete the following registry subkey:

      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Notify\RESET5

    5. Locate the following registry subkey:

      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WPAEvents

    6. In the right pane, right-click OOBETimer, and then click Modify.
    7. Change any digit of the value of the OOBETimer registry entry, and then click OK.

      Note This step deactivates Windows.
    8. Quit Registry Editor.
  2. Restore corrupted files. To do this, follow these steps:
    1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
    2. Change to the %Windir%\System32 folder, and then type the following command:

      ren %windir%\system32\WPA.dbl wpa.old

    3. Change the drive and directory to the I386 folder on the installation CD. Find the WPA.db_ compressed file and expand it. To do this, type the following command:

      expand wpa.db_ %windir%\system32\wpa.dbl

    4. Type exit.
  3. Remove malicious files. To do this, follow these steps:
    1. Click Start, click Search, and then search for all the following files in the Windows folder. Delete any files that you find.
      • Reset5.exe
      • Reset5.dll
      • Reset5.dat
      • Reset5.dt*
    2. Delete the %systemroot%\System32\Srvany.exe file.
    3. Restart the computer in Normal mode.
  4. Reactivate Windows. To do this, follow these steps:
    1. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Activate Windows.
    2. If the Windows Product Activation Wizard prompts you to activate Windows, follow the instructions in the wizard and activate Windows XP again.
    3. Restart the computer, and then start the wizard again to confirm that it does not prompt for activation again.
    4. If the Windows Product Activation Wizard displays the "Windows is already activated" message, click OK to quit the wizard.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about Windows Product Activation, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/piracy

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:6/21/2006
Keywords:kbACW kbHowTo kbACWsurvey kbNoLoc kbNoMT kbBug kbfix kbWinServ2003preSP1fix kbmsccsearch kbpubtypekc kbenv kbprb KB312295 kbAudITPRO
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