Activate Windows by phone

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

To activate Windows by phone

Click Start, click All Programs and then click Activate Windows.
In Windows Product Activation, select Yes, I want to telephone a customer service representative to activate Windows.
After you select the appropriate location, you are provided with a telephone number and an installation ID that you can give to the customer service representative to complete the activation process.

Notes

To open a system tools item, click Start, point to All programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click the appropriate icon. Click Activate Windows.
Alternatively, you can open the Windows Product Activation Wizard by clicking Start, then Run, and type in "oobe/msoobe /a".
You are strongly encouraged to activate your Windows Server 2003 server operating system before using it in a productive environment to prevent loss of time later.
If you have not yet activated your Windows Server 2003 operating system, you can initiate activation at any time by clicking the Windows Activation icon in the Notification Area. Once you have activated, this icon disappears. If you choose not to activate now, reminders will appear periodically during the grace period. After that time has expired, you will be required to activate in order to continue to use your Windows Server 2003 operating system interactively.
Activating any of the Windows Server 2003 operating systems is fast and does not require your name or other personal information.

Your server might function differently based on the version and edition of the operating system that is installed, your account permissions, and your menu settings. For more information, see Viewing Help on the Web.