Using XP with no internet connection

[Graham7516]

I have been given an ex school cast off and XP set up disc, it was my sons intention to use this just for the storage of music and pictures. is it possible to use this as a stand alone machine with no internet connection ?. we keep being refused access as we have to activate the disc. as a complete computer moron can anybody help ?.
graham.

 

[Frank4d]

You certainly can use it with no Internet access.

However, your "we keep being refused access as we have to activate the disc" requires clarification. If you are saying you can't activate Windows because it is not connected to the Internet, the solution to that is to activate it by phone. If you are stuck in an "unable to logon because it is not activated" and "you cant activate it because you cannot logon"... there is a fix for that but I don't remember it.

 

[Bob Cerelli]

The fix is that you activate by phone. It only takes a few minutes.

 

[Frank4d]

Unless the time for activation has expired and you can't logon to Windows to activate it.

 

[Bob Cerelli]

Yep. So far that part hasn't been mentioned as happening so we'll need to wait and see.

 

[Graham7516]

first of all let me thank all you kind gentlemen for your responses, i'll try to elaborate.
when i first installed XP two days ago, after the initial installation it worked ok, giving me a thirty day period to activate the disc. i logged off and shut down the computer, when i later started up the computer i got a message saying,
"the date/time on your system is invalid. please use the date/time applet in the control panel to properly set your system time." i clicked ok which is the only option offered.
i then get the following,
"this copy of windows must be activated before you can log on"
if i reset the computer and go into settings and then standard CMOS settings the date displayed is 22 Oct 1999, if i change this to todays date and press F10 to quit and save then reload XP it works fine until i turn the computer off. and then restart it then the time reverts to 1999 and i.m back with the same problem.
hope this is of assistance. regards graham.

 

[Frank4d]

How old is this PC? If it is more than five years, my guess is your CMOS battery is dead. If this is a desktop PC it is fairly easy to replace. If you remove the left side cover, the battery is about the size of a US 5 cent coin and part number is usually CR2032. (Be careful not to break the battery holder).

The date is probably the reason you cannot logon, and as mentioned above you cannot activate it if you can't logon.

 

[Graham7516]

hi Frank, thanks for that, i was thinking perhaps there was a battery or capacitor not working, i assume because the date reverts to 1999 this was probably when the machine was made, i dont know when it was decommissioned, but it could easily have been sat on a shelf for many years. when i got it the cd draw was broken, which i sorted with some super glue, this is probably why it was taken out of service in the first place.
i'll let you know how i get on. thanks for all you help and the same to all who responded.
regards graham.

 

[Graham7516]

that cured it frank, new battery fitted and it works a dream, thanks very much for all your help. regards graham.