OEM Quagmire

[Chu Rey]

The Oem Quagmire

Dear Readers. I really need assistance because of an unfortunate
mistake. If I'd known the consequences another careful step would
have been executed.

My friend's Compaq XP Home over the months became frustratingly
finicky. Right mouse clicks and windows explorer became severely
compromised. I'm new with XP but good with the other Microsoft OS's.
I suggested we do a ‘repair'. That way all his data and other
embellishements would be preserved. I've done this on numerous
occasions to correct a few operating system ‘blemishes'.

My friend gave me the computer for a few days. I created the six setup
disks for home edition. The moment arrived to supply the ‘rescue
disk'. This oem disk happened to be with my friend. Seeing that I
would only be repairing, not installing, and so forth, I happened to
have a full retail home edition. I popped that into the machine.

During the ‘upgrade' I was asked for the product key. I had written
down the product key for the oem. That key was refused. I simply
supplied the product key for the home retail. The upgrade repair
completed. So you see my advances were all innocent.

However, when I booted up in a normal fashion I was given one option
-to activate!?
This threw me off. I only wanted to repair a sick OS and nothing more.
My friend only wanted to usefully OS.

I called up the phone activation number. We went through the steps
with the confirmation ID string. However, when I inserted the oem
product key that was declined. What Microsoft did was give me other
keys. The key that worked was a retail home edition number they
supplied. What they determined was that they couldn't activate using
the confirmation ID with the product key sequence. Let me say it
another way. I have oem. I ran a repair using a ‘real home xp'.
Because I ran a real Microsoft home xp the oem is messed up. (I just
assumed that home xp is home xp. I already had the os and the oem
disk.)

They told me because it was Compaq oem I would have to untangle the
mess with Compaq. No problem.

However, Compaq informs me that because its disk is dissimilar to the
retail (i386 and so forth) this xp home oem is unable to do a ‘repair
ungrade' procudere. Had I known that I could have altered course.

Here's my situation. Compaq tells me the oem will get me back to the
original starting point (this means a fresh fdisk format clean
install). The reason I don't want to start fresh is this data and
everything created is on the drive.

If I could get beyond the activation (Log on) it would be possible to
backup to DVD.

This fellow buys a brand new unopened full Microsoft XP Pro. My
explanation :to do an upgrade and begin working in a fresh environment
this is the only coarse, and it will be costly.

I insert the disk. After supplying the product key I get this
nonsense! Microsoft Windows XP has detected software that is not
completely installed on your computer. Setup cannot continue until you
finish installing this software.

What is a home user to do? This just takes me back to the log on
screen asking for activation. I've been with the Microsoft activation
people. We even buy a real Microsoft Product and I'm unable to just
upgrade?

If anyone will contribute comment to this fiasco quagmire scenario I'd
welcome suggestions on a remedy and solution.

Thanks

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

One cannot use a "Retail Product Key" with an "OEM" CD
or use an "OEM Product Key" with a "Retail XP CD".
That's the basis of your problem. What I suggest you do is
purchase a Product Key for the Windows XP Home Edition
already installed, change the number and activate it.

Your friend can return his XP Pro version to Microsoft
and obtain a refund, or he can then use it to Upgrade
XP Home to XP Pro.

You'll not be able to upgrade to XP Pro until XP Home
is activated using a new XP Home Product Key.

Additional Licenses for Windows XP Home Edition
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/addlic.asp

HOW TO: Change the Product Key at the Time of Activation
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;810892&Product=winxp

Microsoft North American Retail Product Returns
http://www.microsoft.com/info/nareturns.htm

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


| The Oem Quagmire
|
| Dear Readers. I really need assistance because of an unfortunate
| mistake. If I'd known the consequences another careful step would
| have been executed.
|
| My friend's Compaq XP Home over the months became frustratingly
| finicky. Right mouse clicks and windows explorer became severely
| compromised. I'm new with XP but good with the other Microsoft OS's.
| I suggested we do a 'repair'. That way all his data and other
| embellishements would be preserved. I've done this on numerous
| occasions to correct a few operating system 'blemishes'.
|
| My friend gave me the computer for a few days. I created the six setup
| disks for home edition. The moment arrived to supply the 'rescue
| disk'. This oem disk happened to be with my friend. Seeing that I
| would only be repairing, not installing, and so forth, I happened to
| have a full retail home edition. I popped that into the machine.
|
| During the 'upgrade' I was asked for the product key. I had written
| down the product key for the oem. That key was refused. I simply
| supplied the product key for the home retail. The upgrade repair
| completed. So you see my advances were all innocent.
|
| However, when I booted up in a normal fashion I was given one option
| -to activate!?
| This threw me off. I only wanted to repair a sick OS and nothing more.
| My friend only wanted to usefully OS.
|
| I called up the phone activation number. We went through the steps
| with the confirmation ID string. However, when I inserted the oem
| product key that was declined. What Microsoft did was give me other
| keys. The key that worked was a retail home edition number they
| supplied. What they determined was that they couldn't activate using
| the confirmation ID with the product key sequence. Let me say it
| another way. I have oem. I ran a repair using a 'real home xp'.
| Because I ran a real Microsoft home xp the oem is messed up. (I just
| assumed that home xp is home xp. I already had the os and the oem
| disk.)
|
| They told me because it was Compaq oem I would have to untangle the
| mess with Compaq. No problem.
|
| However, Compaq informs me that because its disk is dissimilar to the
| retail (i386 and so forth) this xp home oem is unable to do a 'repair
| ungrade' procudere. Had I known that I could have altered course.
|
| Here's my situation. Compaq tells me the oem will get me back to the
| original starting point (this means a fresh fdisk format clean
| install). The reason I don't want to start fresh is this data and
| everything created is on the drive.
|
| If I could get beyond the activation (Log on) it would be possible to
| backup to DVD.
|
| This fellow buys a brand new unopened full Microsoft XP Pro. My
| explanation :to do an upgrade and begin working in a fresh environment
| this is the only coarse, and it will be costly.
|
| I insert the disk. After supplying the product key I get this
| nonsense! Microsoft Windows XP has detected software that is not
| completely installed on your computer. Setup cannot continue until you
| finish installing this software.
|
| What is a home user to do? This just takes me back to the log on
| screen asking for activation. I've been with the Microsoft activation
| people. We even buy a real Microsoft Product and I'm unable to just
| upgrade?
|
| If anyone will contribute comment to this fiasco quagmire scenario I'd
| welcome suggestions on a remedy and solution.
|
| Thanks

 

[M.R. Neese]

The Oem Quagmire

Dear Readers. I really need assistance because of an unfortunate
mistake. If I'd known the consequences another careful step would
have been executed.

My friend's Compaq XP Home over the months became frustratingly
finicky. Right mouse clicks and windows explorer became severely
compromised. I'm new with XP but good with the other Microsoft OS's.
I suggested we do a 'repair'. That way all his data and other
embellishements would be preserved. I've done this on numerous
occasions to correct a few operating system 'blemishes'.

My friend gave me the computer for a few days. I created the six setup
disks for home edition. The moment arrived to supply the 'rescue
disk'. This oem disk happened to be with my friend. Seeing that I
would only be repairing, not installing, and so forth, I happened to
have a full retail home edition. I popped that into the machine.

<snip>

Since, you write that your friend has the OEM restoration disk from Compaq;
procure the disk from him and restore the system to the original condition.
No CD key is required by this process. Your friend will lose all of his
data and any other software that has been loaded on the machine. The only
way that you may recover data is by use of the recovery console found on the
XP Home Edition install disk. You can access the recovery console on a
Compaq by pressing <shift> F10 when the computer boots with the retail XP
disk in place in the CD drive. When the recovery console starts, you may
use xcopy to transfer files to the floppy drive. Of course this will only
work for files under 1.44Mb.

However, the worst-case scenario is you cannot use the recovery console with
this machine. Therefore, you will be left with restoring the system by the
original Compaq restore disk. Once this disk has run, the system will be in
it's original state. The system will then activate by dialing Microsoft's
activation server and you will be back in business as before.

Assuming that the activation process runs to completion; you can then
upgrade to XP Professional with newly purchased software. Remember; you
cannot mix CD keys for OEM
software installed by the builder (e.g. Compaq), OEM software that you have
purchased, retail software (shrink-wrapped), and upgrade software
(shrink-wrapped).

I have just upgraded my Compaq Presario from the home edition to XP
professional and I can tell you from first hand experience that you must
back up you files before you begin the process. If there is any glitch in
installing software, you must restore the system to it's original condition.

Good Luck,
Michael

 

[D.Currie]

The Oem Quagmire

Dear Readers. I really need assistance because of an unfortunate
mistake. If I'd known the consequences another careful step would
have been executed.

My friend's Compaq XP Home over the months became frustratingly
finicky. Right mouse clicks and windows explorer became severely
compromised. I'm new with XP but good with the other Microsoft OS's.
I suggested we do a 'repair'. That way all his data and other
embellishements would be preserved. I've done this on numerous
occasions to correct a few operating system 'blemishes'.

My friend gave me the computer for a few days. I created the six setup
disks for home edition. The moment arrived to supply the 'rescue
disk'. This oem disk happened to be with my friend. Seeing that I
would only be repairing, not installing, and so forth, I happened to
have a full retail home edition. I popped that into the machine.

During the 'upgrade' I was asked for the product key. I had written
down the product key for the oem. That key was refused. I simply
supplied the product key for the home retail. The upgrade repair
completed. So you see my advances were all innocent.

However, when I booted up in a normal fashion I was given one option
-to activate!?
This threw me off. I only wanted to repair a sick OS and nothing more.
My friend only wanted to usefully OS.

I called up the phone activation number. We went through the steps
with the confirmation ID string. However, when I inserted the oem
product key that was declined. What Microsoft did was give me other
keys. The key that worked was a retail home edition number they
supplied. What they determined was that they couldn't activate using
the confirmation ID with the product key sequence. Let me say it
another way. I have oem. I ran a repair using a 'real home xp'.
Because I ran a real Microsoft home xp the oem is messed up. (I just
assumed that home xp is home xp. I already had the os and the oem
disk.)

They told me because it was Compaq oem I would have to untangle the
mess with Compaq. No problem.

However, Compaq informs me that because its disk is dissimilar to the
retail (i386 and so forth) this xp home oem is unable to do a 'repair
ungrade' procudere. Had I known that I could have altered course.

Here's my situation. Compaq tells me the oem will get me back to the
original starting point (this means a fresh fdisk format clean
install). The reason I don't want to start fresh is this data and
everything created is on the drive.

If I could get beyond the activation (Log on) it would be possible to
backup to DVD.

This fellow buys a brand new unopened full Microsoft XP Pro. My
explanation :to do an upgrade and begin working in a fresh environment
this is the only coarse, and it will be costly.

I insert the disk. After supplying the product key I get this
nonsense! Microsoft Windows XP has detected software that is not
completely installed on your computer. Setup cannot continue until you
finish installing this software.

What is a home user to do? This just takes me back to the log on
screen asking for activation. I've been with the Microsoft activation
people. We even buy a real Microsoft Product and I'm unable to just
upgrade?

If anyone will contribute comment to this fiasco quagmire scenario I'd
welcome suggestions on a remedy and solution.

Thanks

Take the hard drive out and put it into a working computer. Copy the files
he needs. Put the hard drive back into his computer and use the Compaq disk
to restore back to factory new.

Next time you aren't absolutely sure that you aren't going to make things
worse, don't volunteer to mess with other people's computers. Your friend
would have had less cost and less grief if he had paid a repair service to
fix his computer. I'd be willing to bet that the original problem didn't
require a reinstall of the OS.

 

[Jack]

Rey...
we shoulda did some homework before tryin this...now...well....

 

[JAX]

Jack, I have watched your posts, do you ever have anything worthwhile to
say?

JAX

 

[Chu Rey]

For Carey You Comment:
What I suggest you do is purchase a Product Key for the Windows XP
Home Edition
already installed, change the number and activate it.

Here's the problem. When I did the repair using my home xp retail when
I got to the screen for the product key I entered my friends OEM
product key. This product key was refused. Had I known I would have
quit. However, what I did was enter my retail xp home product key.

That's where the activation entered the snag when I called Microsoft.
Because the OEM product key would not register. However, the retail
key did. As you mention to buy a key license to finish activation
would I give them the OEM key that seems to have no affect or the xp
retail key that I impulsively supplied during the repair?

Thanks

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

You'll have to enter in the "retail" Product Key in order to
receive another one. Microsoft does not sell additional OEM
licenses.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------


| For Carey You Comment:
| What I suggest you do is purchase a Product Key for the Windows XP
| Home Edition
| already installed, change the number and activate it.
|
| Here's the problem. When I did the repair using my home xp retail when
| I got to the screen for the product key I entered my friends OEM
| product key. This product key was refused. Had I known I would have
| quit. However, what I did was enter my retail xp home product key.
|
| That's where the activation entered the snag when I called Microsoft.
| Because the OEM product key would not register. However, the retail
| key did. As you mention to buy a key license to finish activation
| would I give them the OEM key that seems to have no affect or the xp
| retail key that I impulsively supplied during the repair?
|
| Thanks