Windows Server 2003 activation

Hey guys,
I once again call on the masses for help. One of our most ingenius techs decided that instead of calling microsoft when we ran out of activations an a fully valid CD key he would just use a crack. (yea..hes in deep **** now, but so are we) the crack worked...but only for a while. Now The countdown has begun on one of our servers and says it must be activated. NOw the problem. If you click ok when it asks if you would like to activate windows now it will take you to a screen that says "windows has already been activated" and then lets you log in, but as the days go on the timer gets less and less. On a second server the timer has now run out. Once again it says we must activate but when we click ok to activate it says that it is activated then boots us off the box. Both of these servers are vital, and we need them back ASAP. for the one that the timer has already run out on Im pretty sure we just have to pull the HD get our data off format then reinstall the os and do proper activation. But for the other, can anyone think of a way to reverse the crack so it allows us to activate properly? or any other ideas to get through this prediciment. Any and all ideas are welcome. I thank you in advance for your help.

did u read this? http://www.microsoft.com/resources/d...e_by_phone.asp
you can try using msoobe instead. I think activation process is similar of WXP (not sure altough). With msoobe you can replace the cd-key ("alternative one") with the original one.

oopps. just after my post, ive realised that your "smart guy" maybe had installed a TRIAL version instead used a "alternative" cd-key. Thats why you are receiving a countdown AND windows say that you are already activated. Please confirm with your "smart guy".

If thats the case, i have no idea how to replace a trial with a gold one.

BTW, kick the ass of that guy during at least 3 miles.

he used a ligit cd key, but we are out of activations on it. So he decided to crack the activation process. and trust me, his ass is being taken care of by the bosses. for some reason they dont like that now they have to pay me to figure out how to fix this instead of having me out making them money at a clients site.

How about calling Microsoft? Crazy enough to work... =\

if was a legit cd, try my 1st post, using msoobe and replacing the "alternative one".

But that countdown and windows saying "its already activated" are intriguing me...

Well, the reformat and reinstall should work regardless. That's how I have done it with XP in the past and I would imagine the mechanism is pretty much the same.

With the one that is still working have you tried to do a repair install?

Here you go!

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=328874

Hope it help!