vista activation issues

Intel p4 2.53 1 Gb ram intel 845PE chipset - I have installed Windows Vista Beta 2 3 times now so thats 6 hours I will never get back. The first time the calendar defaulted to 2010 which I missed so the license expired straight away. My fault. Second time I installed without cleaning up another 2 hours wasted as the second install seemed to grab details from first install error activation period has passed. My fault again. Finally I deleted partition made sure my system clock was correct and I thought I had it, I deselected activate when I go online, then went ahead and finished installation. Vista didnt recognise my network card and before I could try and install drivers I had the same activation problem again. I ended up with purchase product key, activate online, alternate activation methods of which none worked they returned errors after about 15 minute wait Authentication failed error 0x800705b4. I can get into safe mode but after 6 hours I dont want to touch it without some sort of plan of attack. Any suggestions would be gratefully tried. From what little I have seen Vista looks good. thanks in anticipation and frustration Michael

I'm also getting the same issues. I've tried 4 different ways to install and fool the system clock just as Michael23 has and I'm stuck in a loop waiting for someone to solve this riddle. On top of that I also ran into the failed install error that occurs from memory and cpu heating (a seperate 5 install tries). I solved that one with an athletic gel icepack wrapped in a thin cotton towel under the laptop. So far I'm unimpressed with this beta version.
"Michael23" wrote:

Intel p4 2.53 1 Gb ram intel 845PE chipset - I have installed Windows Vista Beta 2 3 times now so thats 6 hours I will never get back. The first time the calendar defaulted to 2010 which I missed so the license expired straight away. My fault. Second time I installed without cleaning up another 2 hours wasted as the second install seemed to grab details from first install error activation period has passed. My fault again. Finally I deleted partition made sure my system clock was correct and I thought I had it, I deselected activate when I go online, then went ahead and finished installation. Vista didnt recognise my network card and before I could try and install drivers I had the same activation problem again. I ended up with purchase product key, activate online, alternate activation methods of which none worked they returned errors after about 15 minute wait Authentication failed error 0x800705b4. I can get into safe mode but after 6 hours I dont want to touch it without some sort of plan of attack. Any suggestions would be gratefully tried. From what little I have seen Vista looks good. thanks in anticipation and frustration Michael

"Ribby" wrote:

I'm also getting the same issues. I've tried 4 different ways to install and fool the system clock just as Michael23 has and I'm stuck in a loop waiting for someone to solve this riddle. On top of that I also ran into the failed install error that occurs from memory and cpu heating (a seperate 5 install tries). I solved that one with an athletic gel icepack wrapped in a thin cotton towel under the laptop. So far I'm unimpressed with this beta version.
"Michael23" wrote:
Intel p4 2.53 1 Gb ram intel 845PE chipset - I have installed Windows Vista Beta 2 3 times now so thats 6 hours I will never get back. The first time the calendar defaulted to 2010 which I missed so the license expired straight away. My fault. Second time I installed without cleaning up another 2 hours wasted as the second install seemed to grab details from first install error activation period has passed. My fault again. Finally I deleted partition made sure my system clock was correct and I thought I had it, I deselected activate when I go online, then went ahead and finished installation. Vista didnt recognise my network card and before I could try and install drivers I had the same activation problem again. I ended up with purchase product key, activate online, alternate activation methods of which none worked they returned errors after about 15 minute wait Authentication failed error 0x800705b4. I can get into safe mode but after 6 hours I dont want to touch it without some sort of plan of attack. Any suggestions would be gratefully tried. From what little I have seen Vista looks good. thanks in anticipation and frustration Michael

I received all the activation errors mentioned below. So I tried the phone in one....their automated system failed to activate it too, but then it connected me to a live person and he was able to give me the correct numbers to punch.
If you did sign up for the CPP what's the harm in talking to someone at MS to get the beta activated?
-Ben
"icit" wrote in message

"Ribby" wrote:
I'm also getting the same issues. I've tried 4 different ways to install and fool the system clock just as Michael23 has and I'm stuck in a loop waiting for someone to solve this riddle. On top of that I also ran into the failed install error that occurs from memory and cpu heating (a seperate 5 install tries). I solved that one with an athletic gel icepack wrapped in a thin cotton towel under the laptop. So far I'm unimpressed with this beta version.
"Michael23" wrote:
Intel p4 2.53 1 Gb ram intel 845PE chipset - I have installed Windows Vista Beta 2 3 times now so thats 6 hours I will never get back. The first time the calendar defaulted to 2010 which I missed so the license expired straight away. My fault. Second time I installed without cleaning up another 2 hours wasted as the second install seemed to grab details from first install error activation period has passed. My fault again. Finally I deleted partition made sure my system clock was correct and I thought I had it, I deselected activate when I go online, then went ahead and finished installation. Vista didnt recognise my network card and before I could try and install drivers I had the same activation problem again. I ended up with purchase product key, activate online, alternate activation methods of which none worked they returned errors after about 15 minute wait Authentication failed error 0x800705b4. I can get into safe mode but after 6 hours I dont want to touch it without some sort of plan of attack. Any suggestions would be gratefully tried. From what little I have seen Vista looks good. thanks in anticipation and frustration Michael