DOCUMENT:Q274776 22-JAN-2002 [homemm] TITLE :Microsoft Reader Error Message: Activation Error PRODUCT :Microsoft Home Multimedia Titles PROD/VER:: OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS:kberrmsg kbsetup kbimu ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Reader version 2.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SYMPTOMS ======== When you attempt to activate Microsoft Reader, you may receive the following error message: Activation Error -or- When you attempt to login to your Passport account through Reader, it will take you back to the first Activation page asking you to sign in again. -or- You have a Passport, but when you click YES on the Passport site, you keep receiving the same question. CAUSE ===== This behavior can occur if either of the following conditions is true: - You are currently signed in to a Microsoft Passport account. - You connect to the Internet through a firewall or proxy server. - Your Temporary Internet files or Cookies have become corrupt. RESOLUTION ========== To resolve this issue, use the following methods in the order in which they are presented. Delete Your Password Cookie --------------------------- You may have to delete your Passport cookie to activate Microsoft Reader. To remove Passport cookies, follow these steps: Internet Explorer 1. On the Tools menu, then Internet Options. 2. Under Temporary Internet files, click Settings. 3. Click the View Files button. 4. Right click and delete the following files: [YourName]@passport.com [YourName]@passporttest.com Cookie:[your name]@das.microsoft.com/ Cookie:[your name]@passport.com/ Cookie:[your name]@passport.com/ppsecure 5. Close all your browser windows, and reopen your browser to: http://das.microsoft.com/activate Netscape Navigator 1. Close all Netscape instances. 2. Use Notepad to edit the following: [Netscape Install Drive]:\Program Files\Netscape\Users\[your name]\cookies.txt. 3. Remove all lines that start with "passport.com" and "das.microsoft.com." 4. Reopen your browser to: http://das.microsoft.com/activate If the issue continues to occur, proceed to the next method. Uninstall and Reinstall Microsoft Reader in a Clean Environment --------------------------------------------------------------- To uninstall and reinstall Microsoft Reader in a clean environment: 1. On the Passport navigation bar, click "Passport sign out". NOTE: If a "Passport sign in" link appears on the Passport navigation bar instead of a "Passport sign out" link, you are not signed in to a Passport account. If this is the case, proceed to the next step. 2. Quit all unnecessary programs that are running on your computer. To do this: a. Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE. b. In the Close Program dialog box, click any program except Explorer or Systray (which are components of Microsoft Windows), and then click End Task. If you receive a message which states that the program is busy or not responding, click End Task again. c. Repeat steps A and B to quit all programs except Explorer and Systray. 3. Visit the following Microsoft Web site: http://www.passport.com 4. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel. 5. Double-click Add/Remove Programs. 6. In the list of installed programs, click Microsoft Reader, and then click Add/Remove. 7. Follow the instructions on the screen to remove Microsoft Reader. 8. Download and install a new copy of Microsoft Reader. For additional information about how to download and install Microsoft Reader, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Q271251 How to Download Microsoft Reader for Desktop or Laptop Computers If the issue continues to occur, proceed to the next method. Temporarily Bypass Your Firewall or Proxy Server Settings --------------------------------------------------------- To temporarily bypass your firewall or proxy server settings: 1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel. 2. Double-click Internet or Internet Options. 3. Click the Connections tab. 4. Click LAN Settings. 5. Click to clear the "Automatically detect settings" check box, and then click OK. 6. Click OK. 7. Activate Microsoft Reader. If you activate Microsoft Reader successfully, repeat the previous steps to restore the original setting of the "Automatically detect settings" check box. If the issue is not resolved, contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or system administrator to inquire about how to temporarily bypass any firewalls or proxy servers for your Internet connection. After you activate Microsoft Reader, restore the original firewall or proxy server settings for your Internet connection. Clear Out Temporary Internet Files and Delete All Cookies --------------------------------------------------------- Follow the steps below to clear out Temporary Internet Files, and delete all cookies. 1. Right-click on the Internet Explorer Icon on your desktop and click Properties. 2. Click the Delete Files button, and click to check the box to delete Offline Files. Click OK. NOTE: This may take a while. 3. Click Settings, click View Files, click Edit, click All, click File, and then click Delete. 4. Close this window, and click OK on the Settings Window. 5. Click the Clear History Button, and then click Yes to clear your history. 6. Now connect to http://www.passport.com, log in, then log out again so you are not signed in to Passport. Next, open http://reader.microsoft.com/activate in Internet Explorer, and go through the process to activate Reader again. Additional query words: 1.50 multi multi-media media mm msreader loop looping ====================================================================== Keywords : kberrmsg kbsetup kbimu Technology : kbReaderSearch kbReader150 Version : : Issue type : kbprb ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2002.