I just ran through the upgrade from Window 2003 SBS R2 to Windows Server 2003
R2 using the SBS 2003 R2 Transition Pack. After it was all done and rebooted
the last time, I can't log into the server due to an activation problem:

When I log in from the console, after accepting an validating the password
it shows a dialog reading:

This copy of Windows must be activated with Microsoft before you can
continue. You cannot log on until you activate Windows. Do you want to
activate Windows now?
To shut down the computer, click Cancel.
[Yes][No][Cancel]

Yes and No have the same effect - get a saving settings message and then
returns to the Enter Ctrl-Alt-Del to logon dialog box. Cancel shuts down as
it says. Nothing actually lets me activate over the internet nor gives me a
way to activate over the phone, just logs me out.

During the installation I entered the new Window Server Standard product
license that comes in the transition pack and said yes to activate and
register. Everything else went fine and the upgrade proceded through all the
steps and reboots (I didn't have Backup Exec installed and didn't experience
the problem described in KB 914990).

The system seems to be running fine otherwise. Exchange and OWA appear to
be working, for example. Trying to logon from Remote Desktop has the same
problem.

I really need to get this fixed fast but I don't know what to try from where
I am.

Did anyone come up with solution for this problem. I also upgraded to Windows Server 2003 R2 and have the same problem!

EggHeadCafe.com - .NET Developer Portal of Choice
http://www.eggheadcafe.com

Hello David,
See this article:
914990 Installation of the Windows SBS 2003 Transition Pack may silently
fail on a Windows SBS 2003-based computer
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;914990

Since R2 includes SP1 it may apply

Thanks,
Darrell Gorter[MSFT]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
--------------------
|>Thread-Topic: Help! Windows Server 2003 R2 activation broken after
upgrade of SB
|>thread-index: Acct9X6cX7TUWQs9QoK0PJqBbKK26A==
|>X-WBNR-Posting-Host: 63.82.2.34
|>From: =?Utf-8?B?RGF2aWRNb3JhbmRp?=
<DavidMorandi@discussions.microsoft.com>
|>Subject: Help! Windows Server 2003 R2 activation broken after upgrade of
SB
|>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2007 14:38:01 -0800
|>Lines: 30
|>Message-ID: <B95EA3EE-5954-4EC9-88FC-60A400232877@microsoft.com>
|>MIME-Version: 1.0
|>Content-Type: text/plain;
|> charset="Utf-8"
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|>X-Newsreader: Microsoft CDO for Windows 2000
|>Content-Class: urn:content-classes:message
|>Importance: normal
|>Priority: normal
|>X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.3790.2757
|>Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windows.server.general
|>Path: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl
|>Xref: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl microsoft.public.windows.server.general:2181
|>NNTP-Posting-Host: tk2msftsbfm01.phx.gbl 10.40.244.148
|>X-Tomcat-NG: microsoft.public.windows.server.general
|>
|>I just ran through the upgrade from Window 2003 SBS R2 to Windows Server
2003
|>R2 using the SBS 2003 R2 Transition Pack. After it was all done and
rebooted
|>the last time, I can't log into the server due to an activation problem:
|>
|>When I log in from the console, after accepting an validating the
password
|>it shows a dialog reading:
|>
|>This copy of Windows must be activated with Microsoft before you can
|>continue. You cannot log on until you activate Windows. Do you want to
|>activate Windows now?
|>To shut down the computer, click Cancel.
|>[Yes][No][Cancel]
|>
|>Yes and No have the same effect - get a saving settings message and then
|>returns to the Enter Ctrl-Alt-Del to logon dialog box. Cancel shuts down
as
|>it says. Nothing actually lets me activate over the internet nor gives
me a
|>way to activate over the phone, just logs me out.
|>
|>During the installation I entered the new Window Server Standard product
|>license that comes in the transition pack and said yes to activate and
|>register. Everything else went fine and the upgrade proceded through all
the
|>steps and reboots (I didn't have Backup Exec installed and didn't
experience
|>the problem described in KB 914990).
|>
|>The system seems to be running fine otherwise. Exchange and OWA appear
to
|>be working, for example. Trying to logon from Remote Desktop has the
same
|>problem.
|>
|>I really need to get this fixed fast but I don't know what to try from
where
|>I am.
|>

Hello,
Activation is not available in Safe Mode. Since the driver
installed\loaded in Safe Mode are different than in normal mode activating
in Safe mode would present a different hardware ID when booting normal. So
Activation is not running while in Safe Mode.
Thanks,
Darrell Gorter[MSFT]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
--------------------
|>Thread-Topic: Help! Windows Server 2003 R2 activation broken after
upgrade of SB
|>thread-index: Accum3TRMupeyMhtQbOmrzl+zs5MAw==
|>X-WBNR-Posting-Host: 69.15.29.110
|>From: =?Utf-8?B?bXRzdHJlYW0=?= <mtstream@discussions.microsoft.com>
|>References: <B95EA3EE-5954-4EC9-88FC-60A400232877@microsoft.com>
|>Subject: RE: Help! Windows Server 2003 R2 activation broken after upgrade
of SB
|>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2007 10:26:01 -0800
|>Lines: 36
|>Message-ID: <548A520B-AE0B-45FA-84E5-A34DA8B7A84D@microsoft.com>
|>MIME-Version: 1.0
|>Content-Type: text/plain;
|> charset="Utf-8"
|>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
|>X-Newsreader: Microsoft CDO for Windows 2000
|>Content-Class: urn:content-classes:message
|>Importance: normal
|>Priority: normal
|>X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.3790.2757
|>Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windows.server.general
|>Path: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl
|>Xref: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl microsoft.public.windows.server.general:2216
|>NNTP-Posting-Host: tk2msftsbfm01.phx.gbl 10.40.244.148
|>X-Tomcat-NG: microsoft.public.windows.server.general
|>
|>Try doing the activation from Safe Mode with Network support. If you get
the
|>same response you'll need to run the install and do a repair - the
activation
|>has become corrupted.
|>
|>"DavidMorandi" wrote:
|>
|>> I just ran through the upgrade from Window 2003 SBS R2 to Windows
Server 2003
|>> R2 using the SBS 2003 R2 Transition Pack. After it was all done and
rebooted
|>> the last time, I can't log into the server due to an activation problem:
|>>
|>> When I log in from the console, after accepting an validating the
password
|>> it shows a dialog reading:
|>>
|>> This copy of Windows must be activated with Microsoft before you can
|>> continue. You cannot log on until you activate Windows. Do you want
to
|>> activate Windows now?
|>> To shut down the computer, click Cancel.
|>> [Yes][No][Cancel]
|>>
|>> Yes and No have the same effect - get a saving settings message and
then
|>> returns to the Enter Ctrl-Alt-Del to logon dialog box. Cancel shuts
down as
|>> it says. Nothing actually lets me activate over the internet nor gives
me a
|>> way to activate over the phone, just logs me out.
|>>
|>> During the installation I entered the new Window Server Standard
product
|>> license that comes in the transition pack and said yes to activate and
|>> register. Everything else went fine and the upgrade proceded through
all the
|>> steps and reboots (I didn't have Backup Exec installed and didn't
experience
|>> the problem described in KB 914990).
|>>
|>> The system seems to be running fine otherwise. Exchange and OWA appear
to
|>> be working, for example. Trying to logon from Remote Desktop has the
same
|>> problem.
|>>
|>> I really need to get this fixed fast but I don't know what to try from
where
|>> I am.
|>

HEllo Bob>
See this article:
914990 Installation of the Windows SBS 2003 Transition Pack may silently
fail on a Windows SBS 2003-based computer
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;914990

Since R2 includes SP1 it may apply
Thanks,
Darrell Gorter[MSFT]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
--------------------
|>From: Bob
|>Subject: HELP!!
|>References: <B95EA3EE-5954-4EC9-88FC-60A400232877@microsoft.com>
|>Message-ID: <200711214928bobrobbins@adelphia.net>
|>Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windows.server.general
|>Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2007 11:09:29 -0800
|>NNTP-Posting-Host: robbemorris.com 205.244.243.196
|>Lines: 1
|>Path: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTNGP01.phx.gbl!TK2MSF TNGP06.phx.gbl
|>Xref: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl microsoft.public.windows.server.general:2982
|>X-Tomcat-NG: microsoft.public.windows.server.general
|>
|>Did anyone come up with solution for this problem. I also upgraded to
Windows Server 2003 R2 and have the same problem!
|>
|>EggHeadCafe.com - .NET Developer Portal of Choice
|>http://www.eggheadcafe.com
|>