25/12: Windows XP activation woes and piracy in Pakistan

Some time back, I acquired a license key for Windows XP through my universities MSDN:AA program. Since my previous installation of Windows XP SP2 was getting sluggish, I thought of installing the new license on my PC (this was at the end of November). The installation went without a hitch. However, at the end, the activation screen popped up asking me to activate my copy of Windows. I proceeded with activation with the end result of getting an error that the copy had already been activated one time too many and to call customer support.

Now, the license I was using had only been used once before on a virtual machine (VMWare Server) on my own PC. I got the number for Pakistan from the drop down list. It was not a toll-free number. Anyhow, I dialled it but got no response except for an automated answering system telling me that the person at the receiving end wasn't picking it up and then terminating the call. I dialled multiple times during office hours but got no response from the activation number nor for talking to a technical support person.

After this, I looked at the Microsoft website (Middle East site) for any help but none was to be found. What I did find, were some numbers for the liaison office in Karachi. I tried dialling those three or four numbers a few times but there was no success. No body even picked up the phone to reply.

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