activation fails vista beta 2 upgrade win xp sp2

After the upgrade completes and logging into windows it comes up with this screen
A change has occurred to your windows license - it then asks for a new key. I put in the key and click next and it sits there for about 7 minutes before coming back with an error
Authentication Failed with the following error 0x800705B4
I am able to launch ie by using a link in the help system and through that I am able to browse the internet. So I know I am connected to the internet.
Is there a number I can call to manually active this so I can get to the windows desktop?
Or something else I can do to get past this reactivation window?

After the upgrade completes and logging into windows it comes up with this screen
A change has occurred to your windows license - it then asks for a new key. I put in the key and click next and it sits there for about 7 minutes before coming back with an error
Authentication Failed with the following error 0x800705B4
I am able to launch ie by using a link in the help system and through that I am able to browse the internet. So I know I am connected to the internet.
Is there a number I can call to manually active this so I can get to the windows desktop?
Or something else I can do to get past this reactivation window?

Maybe there is a way to delete the current activation files ( in xp there were files called wpa***.*** or something like that ). Maybe if I delete the equivalent in vista it will allow it do do the activation?
Anyone now if that is possible
"ben" wrote:

After the upgrade completes and logging into windows it comes up with this screen
A change has occurred to your windows license - it then asks for a new key. I put in the key and click next and it sits there for about 7 minutes before coming back with an error
Authentication Failed with the following error 0x800705B4
I am able to launch ie by using a link in the help system and through that I am able to browse the internet. So I know I am connected to the internet.
Is there a number I can call to manually active this so I can get to the windows desktop?
Or something else I can do to get past this reactivation window?

I'm assuming your copy & license is official from Microsoft, since it is free and there is no reason to be getting this from "the scene". If you are, it is probably a blacklisted license key installed on too many machines.
With that out of the way, are you by any chance instaling your copy on multiple machines? If it is like XP, it may be that the license key you are using is already in use on another sytem.

"ben" wrote:

After the upgrade completes and logging into windows it comes up with this screen
A change has occurred to your windows license - it then asks for a new key. I put in the key and click next and it sits there for about 7 minutes before coming back with an error
Authentication Failed with the following error 0x800705B4
I am able to launch ie by using a link in the help system and through that I am able to browse the internet. So I know I am connected to the internet.
Is there a number I can call to manually active this so I can get to the windows desktop?
Or something else I can do to get past this reactivation window?

It was downloaded from ms public beta site, and I have the cd key ms emailed me. This is the only machine I have tried installing it on.
I have also gotten a second cd key from the ms website and tried using that when the prompt came up to enter it, but same error, Also if I leave the cd key blank and press next it gives me the same error.
I was hoping there was a way to reinitialize the activation components within vista since that seems to be what is messed up somehow.
"chicagofilms" wrote:

I'm assuming your copy & license is official from Microsoft, since it is free and there is no reason to be getting this from "the scene". If you are, it is probably a blacklisted license key installed on too many machines.
With that out of the way, are you by any chance instaling your copy on multiple machines? If it is like XP, it may be that the license key you are using is already in use on another sytem.

"ben" wrote:
After the upgrade completes and logging into windows it comes up with this screen
A change has occurred to your windows license - it then asks for a new key. I put in the key and click next and it sits there for about 7 minutes before coming back with an error
Authentication Failed with the following error 0x800705B4
I am able to launch ie by using a link in the help system and through that I am able to browse the internet. So I know I am connected to the internet.
Is there a number I can call to manually active this so I can get to the windows desktop?
Or something else I can do to get past this reactivation window?

From what I could find about that error, it sounds like it is a timeout error. That would make sense with the 7 minute timeout you describe.
1. Check device manager & make sure your nic does not have a problem due to drivers. 2. Try bypassing any firewall you may have.
You should be able to work fine for 14 days without activation though. I ran for a couple before I activated.
If you tried to activate without internet access or with something blocking it, it may have hosed the activation files.
"ben" wrote:

It was downloaded from ms public beta site, and I have the cd key ms emailed me. This is the only machine I have tried installing it on.
I have also gotten a second cd key from the ms website and tried using that when the prompt came up to enter it, but same error, Also if I leave the cd key blank and press next it gives me the same error.
I was hoping there was a way to reinitialize the activation components within vista since that seems to be what is messed up somehow.
"chicagofilms" wrote:
I'm assuming your copy & license is official from Microsoft, since it is free and there is no reason to be getting this from "the scene". If you are, it is probably a blacklisted license key installed on too many machines.
With that out of the way, are you by any chance instaling your copy on multiple machines? If it is like XP, it may be that the license key you are using is already in use on another sytem.

"ben" wrote:
After the upgrade completes and logging into windows it comes up with this screen
A change has occurred to your windows license - it then asks for a new key. I put in the key and click next and it sits there for about 7 minutes before coming back with an error
Authentication Failed with the following error 0x800705B4
I am able to launch ie by using a link in the help system and through that I am able to browse the internet. So I know I am connected to the internet.
Is there a number I can call to manually active this so I can get to the windows desktop?
Or something else I can do to get past this reactivation window?

That's the same thing that happen to me and ive been looking every where for this can i ask you what you did to resolve the problem..
"ben" wrote:

After the upgrade completes and logging into windows it comes up with this screen
A change has occurred to your windows license - it then asks for a new key. I put in the key and click next and it sits there for about 7 minutes before coming back with an error
Authentication Failed with the following error 0x800705B4
I am able to launch ie by using a link in the help system and through that I am able to browse the internet. So I know I am connected to the internet.
Is there a number I can call to manually active this so I can get to the windows desktop?
Or something else I can do to get past this reactivation window?