Hi all,

I had to do a clean XP Home installation today on an old Compaq Presario
2500 laptop for a client of mine.

Because he had none of the Recovery or XP Installation CDs that came with
the machine, I called H-P to request a replacement set. However, because the
laptop is so old by their standards they had no installation media that I
could buy.

I told the H-P/Compaq rep that I have a Dell OEM Windows XP Home CD that
came with my own machine. He said that XP should install okay using that --
which it did.

I'm now trying to register Windows XP using the 25 Character XP Code on the
bottom of the Compaq laptop. While I thought it MIGHT just work over the
Internet, it was flagged as being incorrect.

I then called the phone number listed and all I can get is an automated
voice response which tells me -- after I read the 54 character message
code -- that the code is wrong and "I won't be able to validate my
installation right now."

Is there a phone number with a real person at Microsoft, who I can call and
activate this installation?

Thanks very much.

Alan

Alan wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I had to do a clean XP Home installation today on an old Compaq
> Presario 2500 laptop for a client of mine.
>
> Because he had none of the Recovery or XP Installation CDs that came
> with the machine, I called H-P to request a replacement set. However,
> because the laptop is so old by their standards they had no
> installation media that I could buy.
>
> I told the H-P/Compaq rep that I have a Dell OEM Windows XP Home CD
> that came with my own machine. He said that XP should install okay
> using that -- which it did.
>
> I'm now trying to register Windows XP using the 25 Character XP Code
> on the bottom of the Compaq laptop. While I thought it MIGHT just
> work over the Internet, it was flagged as being incorrect.
>
> I then called the phone number listed and all I can get is an
> automated voice response which tells me -- after I read the 54
> character message code -- that the code is wrong and "I won't be able to
> validate my
> installation right now."
>
> Is there a phone number with a real person at Microsoft, who I can
> call and activate this installation?
>
> Thanks very much.
>
> Alan
=====================================
Maybe the following links would be worth a look:

(307890) How to activate Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307890/en-us

(295539) How and When to Contact Microsoft
Customer Service
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=295539

--

Volunteer J - MS-MVP
Digital Media Experience

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk

Alan wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I had to do a clean XP Home installation today on an old Compaq
> Presario 2500 laptop for a client of mine.
>
> Because he had none of the Recovery or XP Installation CDs that came
> with the machine, I called H-P to request a replacement set. However,
> because the laptop is so old by their standards they had no
> installation media that I could buy.
>
> I told the H-P/Compaq rep that I have a Dell OEM Windows XP Home CD
> that came with my own machine. He said that XP should install okay
> using that -- which it did.

You should *not* have used a Dell-branded XP installation CD, and the
HP/Compaq rep should not have told you this would work! The Dell-branded
XP installation CD is locked to Dell motherboards.

> I'm now trying to register Windows XP using the 25 Character XP Code
> on the bottom of the Compaq laptop. While I thought it MIGHT just
> work over the Internet, it was flagged as being incorrect.

This can happen when you use a branded OEM installation CD!

> I then called the phone number listed and all I can get is an
> automated voice response which tells me -- after I read the 54
> character message code -- that the code is wrong and "I won't be able
> to validate my
> installation right now."
>
> Is there a phone number with a real person at Microsoft, who I can
> call and activate this installation?

I doubt it. You are not permitted to use the Dell CD on an HP product. I
agree it sucks since your customer obviously has a license to run XP
Home on that PC.

Here are some ideas:

1. Search online for the generic HP product key for XP Home. This might
help:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&s...AAAKoEBU_QC2B1

Maybe if you use that Product Key, Activation will work (not
Registration, that's something else!).

2. Obtain the correct restoration media from a site like this:

http://www.restoredisks.com/

3. Obtain a *generic* OEM XP Home installation CD. Also, it is possible
to create your own, using the Dell-branded one as a base:

http://www.howtohaven.com/system/cre...etupdisk.shtml

FWIW, I had issues performing a Clean Install of XP Pro onto an HP
laptop once, using a generic OEM XP Pro installation CD. What worked for
me was to enter the generic product key first, during the installation.
Later I needed to enter the Product Key on the COA sticker when it was
time to activate:

http://groups.google.com/group/micro...n&dmode=source

Good luck and let us know how you make out!

That xp cd will not work with another pc..The 25 letters/numbers was
not issued by microsoft,it is thru the pc mfg with a volume
license...Microsoft
keys are always seperate from the pc,usually in or with its packaging.

"Alan" wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> I had to do a clean XP Home installation today on an old Compaq Presario
> 2500 laptop for a client of mine.
>
> Because he had none of the Recovery or XP Installation CDs that came with
> the machine, I called H-P to request a replacement set. However, because the
> laptop is so old by their standards they had no installation media that I
> could buy.
>
> I told the H-P/Compaq rep that I have a Dell OEM Windows XP Home CD that
> came with my own machine. He said that XP should install okay using that --
> which it did.
>
> I'm now trying to register Windows XP using the 25 Character XP Code on the
> bottom of the Compaq laptop. While I thought it MIGHT just work over the
> Internet, it was flagged as being incorrect.
>
> I then called the phone number listed and all I can get is an automated
> voice response which tells me -- after I read the 54 character message
> code -- that the code is wrong and "I won't be able to validate my
> installation right now."
>
> Is there a phone number with a real person at Microsoft, who I can call and
> activate this installation?
>
> Thanks very much.
>
> Alan
>
>
> .
>

Just to confirm that you used the CD Key numbers on the HP during install ,
then
tried to activate, the CD key numbers are not the activation numbers,
automatic activation over the net should work fine, and so should manual
activation
if you follow the correct procedures including using the activation codes
generated,
you may be asked to confirm that the software is not installed elsewhere,
but I doubt it.

I only carry one XP install disk with me (and it happens to be a Dell) and
use it on many different
machines I repair and I have never had any problem with activation.

cheers

Daniel
"Alan" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:ulHgx3U#(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi all,
>
> I had to do a clean XP Home installation today on an old Compaq Presario
> 2500 laptop for a client of mine.
>
> Because he had none of the Recovery or XP Installation CDs that came with
> the machine, I called H-P to request a replacement set. However, because
> the laptop is so old by their standards they had no installation media
> that I could buy.
>
> I told the H-P/Compaq rep that I have a Dell OEM Windows XP Home CD that
> came with my own machine. He said that XP should install okay using
> that -- which it did.
>
> I'm now trying to register Windows XP using the 25 Character XP Code on
> the bottom of the Compaq laptop. While I thought it MIGHT just work over
> the Internet, it was flagged as being incorrect.
>
> I then called the phone number listed and all I can get is an automated
> voice response which tells me -- after I read the 54 character message
> code -- that the code is wrong and "I won't be able to validate my
> installation right now."
>
> Is there a phone number with a real person at Microsoft, who I can call
> and activate this installation?
>
> Thanks very much.
>
> Alan
>

Clarification: The CD Key used in install must be the CD key that belongs to
the machine
being installed on, not the key on the install disk being used.

Daniel

"Daniel" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:#5D3J9W#(E-Mail Removed)...
> Just to confirm that you used the CD Key numbers on the HP during install
> , then
> tried to activate, the CD key numbers are not the activation numbers,
> automatic activation over the net should work fine, and so should manual
> activation
> if you follow the correct procedures including using the activation codes
> generated,
> you may be asked to confirm that the software is not installed elsewhere,
> but I doubt it.
>
> I only carry one XP install disk with me (and it happens to be a Dell) and
> use it on many different
> machines I repair and I have never had any problem with activation.
>
> cheers
>
> Daniel
> "Alan" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:ulHgx3U#(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I had to do a clean XP Home installation today on an old Compaq Presario
>> 2500 laptop for a client of mine.
>>
>> Because he had none of the Recovery or XP Installation CDs that came with
>> the machine, I called H-P to request a replacement set. However, because
>> the laptop is so old by their standards they had no installation media
>> that I could buy.
>>
>> I told the H-P/Compaq rep that I have a Dell OEM Windows XP Home CD that
>> came with my own machine. He said that XP should install okay using
>> that -- which it did.
>>
>> I'm now trying to register Windows XP using the 25 Character XP Code on
>> the bottom of the Compaq laptop. While I thought it MIGHT just work over
>> the Internet, it was flagged as being incorrect.
>>
>> I then called the phone number listed and all I can get is an automated
>> voice response which tells me -- after I read the 54 character message
>> code -- that the code is wrong and "I won't be able to validate my
>> installation right now."
>>
>> Is there a phone number with a real person at Microsoft, who I can call
>> and activate this installation?
>>
>> Thanks very much.
>>
>> Alan
>>
>

> I told the H-P/Compaq rep that I have a Dell OEM Windows XP Home CD that
> came with my own machine. He said that XP should install okay using
> that --
> which it did.

But did he say you'd be able to Activate the install?

And what about the Compaq-specific drivers?

I think you're SOL here. That being said...

<canned>
Please visit http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/ and click on the Validate
Windows button then restart your computer.

If you weren't able to Validate, proceed as follows:

1. Download this diagnostic tool, saving it to your desktop:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=56062

=> WinXP: Double-click on the executable to run the tool.

=> Vista & Win7: Right-click on the executable and select Run as
Administrator to run the tool.

2. After running the tool, click on the Windows and/or Office tab as
appropriate and then click on Copy (to clipboard).

NB: You may want to open a new Notepad file, paste the contents of your
clipboard into it & save for future reference.

3. Begin a new thread in the following Microsoft Genuine Advantage forum and
paste the results from the WGA and/or OGA Diagnostic Data tool in a detailed
post: http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/e...dowsxp/threads

4. A troubleshooting specialist will analyze the data and recommend an
appropriate solution.
</canned>


Alan wrote:
> I had to do a clean XP Home installation today on an old Compaq Presario
> 2500 laptop for a client of mine.
>
> Because he had none of the Recovery or XP Installation CDs that came with
> the machine, I called H-P to request a replacement set. However, because
> the
> laptop is so old by their standards they had no installation media that I
> could buy.
>
> I told the H-P/Compaq rep that I have a Dell OEM Windows XP Home CD that
> came with my own machine. He said that XP should install okay using
> that --
> which it did.
>
> I'm now trying to register Windows XP using the 25 Character XP Code on
> the
> bottom of the Compaq laptop. While I thought it MIGHT just work over the
> Internet, it was flagged as being incorrect.
>
> I then called the phone number listed and all I can get is an automated
> voice response which tells me -- after I read the 54 character message
> code -- that the code is wrong and "I won't be able to validate my
> installation right now."
>
> Is there a phone number with a real person at Microsoft, who I can call
> and
> activate this installation?
>
> Thanks very much.
>
> Alan

Thanks to everyone for your replies, since I first posted this message last
night.

I managed to get a "real person" at Microsoft by calling the phone number
listed in http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=295539. (Fortunately, for me it
was before 9:00 PM Pacific time.)

I explained the situation to the first person, who checked the 25 character
Product Key affixed to the Compaq machine. He then escalated me to an
Windows XP Activation support rep.

This rep asked me for both the 25 character Product Key on the Compaq
machine as well as the number shown in the Registered To field -- the one
that displays in Properties after right-clicking on the My Computer icon.
This number was the same as that which shows on my own Dell E520:
76477-OEM-x x x x x x x - x x x x x.

Either the numbers verified my story -- or I just had an honest voice --
but he believed me. :->

He had me go to the following page via Internet Explorer to bring up the The
Windows Product Key Update Tool:
http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/sel...3-f178df022063.

I agreed to the I understand this tool will send the above information to
Microsoft message and then clicked on the Download radio button. In the File
Download dialog box, I clicked Run and the application started.

It was a simple process: I inserted the 25 character Product Key from the
sticker on the Compaq machine and was instructed to re-boot. After
re-booting, the Microsoft tech had me click on Start | Run and type in
"oobe/msoobe /a" (without the quotation marks) to bring up the Windows
Activation screen. I clicked on the "Validate by Internet" choice and
received a message stating that Windows had been validated.

As the last step, the rep had me go to the
http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/def...displaylang=en where I clicked
on the
Validate Windows radio button.

Everything is now kosher!

Alan



He then had me click on Start | Run. In the command window I typed
"oobe/msoobe /a" to bring up the Windows activation screen. In the space
where it says Enter Product Key if instructed

As expected
"Alan" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:ulHgx3U%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi all,
>
> I had to do a clean XP Home installation today on an old Compaq Presario
> 2500 laptop for a client of mine.
>
> Because he had none of the Recovery or XP Installation CDs that came with
> the machine, I called H-P to request a replacement set. However, because
> the laptop is so old by their standards they had no installation media
> that I could buy.
>
> I told the H-P/Compaq rep that I have a Dell OEM Windows XP Home CD that
> came with my own machine. He said that XP should install okay using
> that -- which it did.
>
> I'm now trying to register Windows XP using the 25 Character XP Code on
> the bottom of the Compaq laptop. While I thought it MIGHT just work over
> the Internet, it was flagged as being incorrect.
>
> I then called the phone number listed and all I can get is an automated
> voice response which tells me -- after I read the 54 character message
> code -- that the code is wrong and "I won't be able to validate my
> installation right now."
>
> Is there a phone number with a real person at Microsoft, who I can call
> and activate this installation?
>
> Thanks very much.
>
> Alan
>

PA Bear,

The Compaq drivers were not a problem. I went to the H-P website using my
Dell PC, and downloaded whatever I needed.

Then, using a thumb drive, I transferred whatever drivers I had downloaded
to the Compaq laptop and installed.

Alan

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%232wrAcX%(E-Mail Removed)...
>> I told the H-P/Compaq rep that I have a Dell OEM Windows XP Home CD that
>> came with my own machine. He said that XP should install okay using
>> that --
>> which it did.
>
> But did he say you'd be able to Activate the install?
>
> And what about the Compaq-specific drivers?
>
> I think you're SOL here. That being said...
>
> <canned>
> Please visit http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/ and click on the Validate
> Windows button then restart your computer.
>
> If you weren't able to Validate, proceed as follows:
>
> 1. Download this diagnostic tool, saving it to your desktop:
> http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=56062
>
> => WinXP: Double-click on the executable to run the tool.
>
> => Vista & Win7: Right-click on the executable and select Run as
> Administrator to run the tool.
>
> 2. After running the tool, click on the Windows and/or Office tab as
> appropriate and then click on Copy (to clipboard).
>
> NB: You may want to open a new Notepad file, paste the contents of your
> clipboard into it & save for future reference.
>
> 3. Begin a new thread in the following Microsoft Genuine Advantage forum
> and paste the results from the WGA and/or OGA Diagnostic Data tool in a
> detailed post:
> http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/e...dowsxp/threads
>
> 4. A troubleshooting specialist will analyze the data and recommend an
> appropriate solution.
> </canned>
>
>
> Alan wrote:
>> I had to do a clean XP Home installation today on an old Compaq Presario
>> 2500 laptop for a client of mine.
>>
>> Because he had none of the Recovery or XP Installation CDs that came with
>> the machine, I called H-P to request a replacement set. However, because
>> the
>> laptop is so old by their standards they had no installation media that I
>> could buy.
>>
>> I told the H-P/Compaq rep that I have a Dell OEM Windows XP Home CD that
>> came with my own machine. He said that XP should install okay using
>> that --
>> which it did.
>>
>> I'm now trying to register Windows XP using the 25 Character XP Code on
>> the
>> bottom of the Compaq laptop. While I thought it MIGHT just work over the
>> Internet, it was flagged as being incorrect.
>>
>> I then called the phone number listed and all I can get is an automated
>> voice response which tells me -- after I read the 54 character message
>> code -- that the code is wrong and "I won't be able to validate my
>> installation right now."
>>
>> Is there a phone number with a real person at Microsoft, who I can call
>> and
>> activate this installation?
>>
>> Thanks very much.
>>
>> Alan
>

You're welcome.

Thanks for the update.

--

Volunteer J - MS-MVP
Digital Media Experience

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk

=====================

> Thanks to everyone for your replies, since I first posted this
> message last night.
>
> I managed to get a "real person" at Microsoft by calling the phone
> number listed in http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=295539.
> (Fortunately, for me it was before 9:00 PM Pacific time.)
>
> I explained the situation to the first person, who checked the 25
> character Product Key affixed to the Compaq machine. He then
> escalated me to an Windows XP Activation support rep.
>
> This rep asked me for both the 25 character Product Key on the Compaq
> machine as well as the number shown in the Registered To field -- the
> one that displays in Properties after right-clicking on the My
> Computer icon. This number was the same as that which shows on my own
> Dell E520: 76477-OEM-x x x x x x x - x x x x x.
>
> Either the numbers verified my story -- or I just had an honest voice
> -- but he believed me. :->
>
> He had me go to the following page via Internet Explorer to bring up
> the The Windows Product Key Update Tool:
> http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/sel...3-f178df022063.
>
> I agreed to the I understand this tool will send the above
> information to Microsoft message and then clicked on the Download
> radio button. In the File Download dialog box, I clicked Run and the
> application started.
> It was a simple process: I inserted the 25 character Product Key from
> the sticker on the Compaq machine and was instructed to re-boot. After
> re-booting, the Microsoft tech had me click on Start | Run and type in
> "oobe/msoobe /a" (without the quotation marks) to bring up the Windows
> Activation screen. I clicked on the "Validate by Internet" choice and
> received a message stating that Windows had been validated.
>
> As the last step, the rep had me go to the
> http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/def...displaylang=en where I
> clicked on the
> Validate Windows radio button.
>
> Everything is now kosher!
>
> Alan
>
>
>
> He then had me click on Start | Run. In the command window I typed
> "oobe/msoobe /a" to bring up the Windows activation screen. In the
> space where it says Enter Product Key if instructed
>
> As expected
> "Alan" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:ulHgx3U%(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I had to do a clean XP Home installation today on an old Compaq
>> Presario 2500 laptop for a client of mine.
>>
>> Because he had none of the Recovery or XP Installation CDs that came
>> with the machine, I called H-P to request a replacement set.
>> However, because the laptop is so old by their standards they had no
>> installation media that I could buy.
>>
>> I told the H-P/Compaq rep that I have a Dell OEM Windows XP Home CD
>> that came with my own machine. He said that XP should install okay
>> using that -- which it did.
>>
>> I'm now trying to register Windows XP using the 25 Character XP Code
>> on the bottom of the Compaq laptop. While I thought it MIGHT just
>> work over the Internet, it was flagged as being incorrect.
>>
>> I then called the phone number listed and all I can get is an
>> automated voice response which tells me -- after I read the 54
>> character message code -- that the code is wrong and "I won't be
>> able to validate my installation right now."
>>
>> Is there a phone number with a real person at Microsoft, who I can
>> call and activate this installation?
>>
>> Thanks very much.
>>
>> Alan