Windows 7 Activation Procedure

[Matt Pilotte]

Hi all,

We've posted a procedure on the FRC Control System Hardware Resources page which should resolve the activations issues experienced by many teams.

If you encounter any issues or have questions, please post them in this thread.

Thanks,
-Matt

[Robert Steverson]

Just tried to activate Windows again using the new procedure. Everything went almost as described in the instructions, except the Dialog box opened before the prompt to hit "enter" to close the window. Restarted the computer and nothing happened. The Windows Activation Dialog box never opened. Went to the Start Menu, Right-clicked on Computer, selected Properties, then Activate Windows. Same exact results as before. Windows Activation Error 0x8007007B "The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect."

[NLake]

Hello all,

I'm the rookie mentor to rookie team 4973, out of San Francisco.

I need to know how to find out exactly what image is installed on our Classmate, so I know how it needs to be updated. I am also having trouble with the Windows validation procedure (despite following the steps on http://www.usfirst.org/sites/default...edure_Rev0.pdf this link, our copy of Windows will not validate, and this document contains no provisions for continual failure to register. What happened to Robert Steverson happened to me, too, exactly: "Just tried to activate Windows again using the new procedure. Everything went almost as described in the instructions, except the Dialog box opened before the prompt to hit "enter" to close the window. Restarted the computer and nothing happened. The Windows Activation Dialog box never opened. Went to the Start Menu, Right-clicked on Computer, selected Properties, then Activate Windows. Same exact results as before. Windows Activation Error 0x8007007B "The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect."

Any help would be appreciated. If I can be walked through steps, I can provide information on the computer, but I quite simple when it comes to computers.

[gto70ski]

Robert,

When the dialog box opens, close it and then go back and mouse click inside the command prompt window to grab back command prompt selection. Wait several seconds and you should see the command prompt line item telling to you to hit "enter". Hit "Enter".

You should then see the rest of the activation steps proceed correctly.

Happy Computing!!

[Robert Steverson]

Robert,

When the dialog box opens, close it and then go back and mouse click inside the command prompt window to grab back command prompt selection. Wait several seconds and you should see the command prompt line item telling to you to hit "enter". Hit "Enter".

You should then see the rest of the activation steps proceed correctly.

Happy Computing!!

Did that also. No difference. The copy of Windows on our Classmate simply will not activate. I have NO idea what to do next. The error message "The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect." is vague to say the least. What filename, directory name, or volume label is the activation process referencing?

[Matt Pilotte]

Did that also. No difference. The copy of Windows on our Classmate simply will not activate. I have NO idea what to do next. The error message "The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect." is vague to say the least. What filename, directory name, or volume label is the activation process referencing?

Hi Robert,

From the Rookie Image thread you mentioned trying both images. Which one are you using now?

Also, for Windows Product Activation to succeed, the network you are using must be configured to allow traffic to pass over ports 80 and 443.

You can use your web browser to test connectivity through these ports.

To test whether port 80 is open:

Open a browser and type http://www.microsoft.com:80 in the Address bar, and then press ENTER.

To test whether port 443 is open:

Open a browser and type https://www.microsoft.com:443 in the Address bar, and then press ENTER.

If you can access the Microsoft site each time, ports 80 and 443 are accessible.

[Robert Steverson]

Hi Robert,

From the Rookie Image thread you mentioned trying both images. Which one are you using now?

Also, for Windows Product Activation to succeed, the network you are using must be configured to allow traffic to pass over ports 80 and 443.

You can use your web browser to test connectivity through these ports.

To test whether port 80 is open:

Open a browser and type http://www.microsoft.com:80 in the Address bar, and then press ENTER.

To test whether port 443 is open:

Open a browser and type https://www.microsoft.com:443 in the Address bar, and then press ENTER.

If you can access the Microsoft site each time, ports 80 and 443 are accessible.

We are using an image made from E12_DRV_2014_171213.7z . Using the procedures you provided I can access Microsoft.com using both ports 80 and 443 without any problems.

[Road Kill 5169]

HELP! We have bee run around all day by CTL and FIRST. I have now been told that I need to post a note here to get our clamshell to work....

We are rookie team #5169 Road Kill Robotics. As a rookie team we spent the first week reading the manual and discussing strategy because we were attending the Build Day at Hammond High Magnet School. Therefore we had not reason to start the Clamshell.

We got to HHMS and the team discovered that the clamshell does not work. Even with the collective computer skills in that room no one could get it to start. We get the following message:

BOOTMGR is missing
Press ctrl+Alt+Del to restart

Upon doing that we get the same screen again.

I have contacted CTL and they tell me it is an entirely FIRST software issue. They pointed me to a link from FIRST that supposedly fixes this problem. This link however is about Windows 7 activation and requires that I get to a desktop screen and have a connection to the internet. I have neither.

My team is totally frustrated and cannot get started on their programming. Can someone here or at FIRST help us?

[Matt Pilotte]

We are using an image made from E12_DRV_2014_171213.7z . Using the procedures you provided I can access Microsoft.com using both ports 80 and 443 without any problems.

Hi Robert,

Send me an email, mpilotte at usfirst dot org, and I can worth with you directly on this issue.

Regards,
-Matt

[Matt Pilotte]

HELP! We have bee run around all day by CTL and FIRST. I have now been told that I need to post a note here to get our clamshell to work....

We are rookie team #5169 Road Kill Robotics. As a rookie team we spent the first week reading the manual and discussing strategy because we were attending the Build Day at Hammond High Magnet School. Therefore we had not reason to start the Clamshell.

We got to HHMS and the team discovered that the clamshell does not work. Even with the collective computer skills in that room no one could get it to start. We get the following message:

BOOTMGR is missing
Press ctrl+Alt+Del to restart

Upon doing that we get the same screen again.

I have contacted CTL and they tell me it is an entirely FIRST software issue. They pointed me to a link from FIRST that supposedly fixes this problem. This link however is about Windows 7 activation and requires that I get to a desktop screen and have a connection to the internet. I have neither.

My team is totally frustrated and cannot get started on their programming. Can someone here or at FIRST help us?

Hi, it sounds like there is an issue with the boot record on your Classmate. I suggest that you reimage it following this procedure, then use the procedure at the start of this thread to activate Windows.