Noel, I'm not sure if I'm reading the situation correctly, but it seems that the solution to this problem is far from near - if even attainable?
Also I am more than very aware of all the time you have devoted to get to this point?
Despite - or because of - the activation problem, the computer is so slow on every command that watching paint dry could become appealing, and obviously it won't update, seems pretty well exhausted and generally not useful.
Is it therefore more feasible to go radical and do whatever, to get a machine which will function again - reformat, whatever? I have the data backed up pretty much, so that's no problem. The only question is, can Windows be re-istalled etc., and then show as 'genuine' and function correctly?
I would appreciate your thoughts.