Error message after you install the Windows Small Business Server 2003 Transition Pack: "This copy of Windows must be activated with Microsoft before you can continue"

On a computer that is running Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003, you run the Setup program to install the Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 Transition Pack. After the Setup process is complete, you restart the computer as Setup requires. However, you receive the following message when you try to log on to the computer:If you click Yes, the Windows Product Activation Wizard does not start. You are not prompted to activate Windows. Instead, the Welcome to Windows logon dialog box reappears. You are prompted to log on to the computer again. When you try to log on to the computer again, you receive the error message. The cycle repeats indefinitely.

When this problem occurs, an event that resembles the following event is logged in the Application log:

Event Type: Error
Event Source: Application Error
Event Category: (100)
Event ID: 1000
User: N/A
Computer: ComputerName
Description:
Faulting application msoobe.exe, version 5.2.3790.0, faulting module urlmon.dll, version 6.0.3790.2612, fault address 0x0000618c.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

Data: 0000: 41 70 70 6c 69 63 61 74 Applicat 0008: 69 6f 6e 20 46 61 69 6c ion Fail 0010: 75 72 65 20 20 6d 73 6f ure mso 0018: 6f 62 65 2e 65 78 65 20 obe.exe 0020: 35 2e 32 2e 33 37 39 30 5.2.3790 0028: 2e 30 20 69 6e 20 75 72 .0 in ur 0030: 6c 6d 6f 6e 2e 64 6c 6c lmon.dll 0038: 20 36 2e 30 2e 33 37 39 6.0.379 0040: 30 2e 32 36 31 32 20 61 0.2612 a 0048: 74 20 6f 66 66 73 65 74 t offset 0050: 20 30 30 30 30 36 31 38 0000618 0058: 63 c

Note You may also experience these symptoms in any one of the following scenarios:

• You upgrade Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition to Windows Small Business Server 2003.
• You upgrade an evaluation version of Windows Small Business Server 2003 to the original release version of Windows Small Business Server 2003.

This issue occurs if Windows Internet Explorer 7 is already installed when you install the Windows Small Business Server 2003 Transition Pack. This issue occurs because mismatched Internet Explorer 7 files prevent the Windows Product Activation Wizard from starting.

To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

1. Start the computer in safe mode. To do this, follow these steps:
   1. Restart the computer.
   2. When you see the Please select the operating system to start message, press F8.
   3. Use the arrow keys to select Safe Mode, and then press ENTER.
2. Log on by using an account that has administrative credentials.
3. Click Start, click Run, type %systemdrive%\Windows\IE7\spuninst\spuninst.exe, and then click OK. The Windows Internet Explorer 7 Removal Wizard starts.
4. Click Next, and then click Finish.
5. Restart the computer, and then log on again by using an account that has administrative credentials.
6. When you are prompted to activate Windows, click Yes. The Windows Product Activation Wizard starts.
7. Follow the instructions in the Windows Product Activation Wizard to activate Windows.
8. Follow the instructions in the Windows Small Business Server 2003 Transition Pack Wizard. When you are prompted, restart the computer, and then log on by using an account that has administrative credentials.
9. In the Windows Small Business Server Transition Pack Wizard, click Finish.
10. Reinstall Internet Explorer 7. To do this, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
    http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/ie/default.mspx (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/ie/default.mspx)

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Windows Small Business Server 2003 Transition Pack.

If you are repeatedly prompted to activate the computer, and the Windows Product Activation Wizard starts without finishing successfully, you may be experiencing an issue that differs from the issue that is described in this article. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: If you plan to install the Windows Small Business Server 2003 Transition Pack, make sure that Internet Explorer 7 is not installed on the computer. For more information about other things to consider before you install the Windows Small Business Server 2003 Transition Pack, visit following Microsoft TechNet Blogs Web site: