Repair Windows XP Pro Install

[Guest]

My customer's PC got hit by lightening last Thursday. I had to replace the motherboard, CPU, power supply, and ram just to boot the system. Apparently, Windows XP Pro also got scrambled, also. I am trying to use the repair routine built into the XP Pro CD. It goes along just fine until I get to the screen asking for the Product Key. I have the original Product Key for this PC, but when I enter it, I get a message that the Key is not valid

Please note that I had to use a Windows XP Pro SP1 cd for this repair that is NOT the original that was installed on this PC. That CD is nowhere to be found (PC was purchased last May - 2003 - with WIN XP Pro installed

What can I do? If I purchase a new copy, such as a Win XP Pro Upgrade, will I be able to facilitate this repair? I'm stuck

Any help will be greatly appreciate

 

[Jim]

Ouch!

Is this a PC from Dell, Gateway, or other pre-built? These usually comes w/
an OEM version of the OS, so it wouldn't surprise me if a Windows XP Pro SP1
CD couldn't be used to repair it. The key originally provided was probably
specifically tied to this OEM release. Any attempt to repair w/o the
original CD probably balks as an attempt to update from an OEM release to a
retail release (just guessing, but seems plausible).

Considering the circumstance, the customer seems darn lucky to have anything
on the HD at all! I suggest he either find the original CD, or buy a new
retail release of XP Home (he's already spent this much, what's a little
more If the HD is still usable, I suggest trying to save the content to
CD, DVD, or perhaps relinquish it as a second "data" drive, and use a new HD
for the OS (I'd be leery of the old HD at this point anyway). Anything that
would at least allow you to save the data, if not the OS.

Again, considering the circumstances, this doesn't seem unreasonable, I'm
frankly surprised the HD is still functioning!

HTH

Jim

My customer's PC got hit by lightening last Thursday. I had to replace

the motherboard, CPU, power supply, and ram just to boot the system.
Apparently, Windows XP Pro also got scrambled, also. I am trying to use the
repair routine built into the XP Pro CD. It goes along just fine until I
get to the screen asking for the Product Key. I have the original Product
Key for this PC, but when I enter it, I get a message that the Key is not
valid.

Please note that I had to use a Windows XP Pro SP1 cd for this repair that

is NOT the original that was installed on this PC. That CD is nowhere to be
found (PC was purchased last May - 2003 - with WIN XP Pro installed)

What can I do? If I purchase a new copy, such as a Win XP Pro Upgrade,

will I be able to facilitate this repair? I'm stuck.