Activating OEM copy after in place reinstall of XP

[Guest]

So here's the situation. I was upgradin an Acer machine to XP SP2 when it
crapped out half-way through the install. The machine has an OEM version of
XP. So naturally the computer wasn't usable after restart. After trying
various things, I got it to a point where it would boot but it kept coming up
with various errors such as errors runnin the task manager, add/remove
prorams applet, msconfig etc. System restore was disabled so that wasn't an
option. Finally I decided to do an in place reinstall of XP as I didn't want
to loose any data on the drive. Now the CDs provided by Acer contain a hard
drive image and not an actual XP installation CD. Therefore, I had to borrow
an OEM CD meant for an HP notebook with SP2 integrated to do the in place
reinstall. Well, the reinstall went fine and now the machine is back up and
running with XP SP2. However, I am being prompted to activate the product.
I have tired changing the license key to the OEM license printed on the
sticker and rebooting the machine. I tried step one listed on the following
page:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/deploy/oempreac.mspx

But I am still being prompted to activate it. Any suggestions? Is my only
option to backup the data and reintall from the Acer OEM disks?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Q. "Is my only option to backup the data and reinstall from the Acer OEM disks?"

A. Yes.

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

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

:

| So here's the situation. I was upgradin an Acer machine to XP SP2 when it
| crapped out half-way through the install. The machine has an OEM version of
| XP. So naturally the computer wasn't usable after restart. After trying
| various things, I got it to a point where it would boot but it kept coming up
| with various errors such as errors runnin the task manager, add/remove
| prorams applet, msconfig etc. System restore was disabled so that wasn't an
| option. Finally I decided to do an in place reinstall of XP as I didn't want
| to loose any data on the drive. Now the CDs provided by Acer contain a hard
| drive image and not an actual XP installation CD. Therefore, I had to borrow
| an OEM CD meant for an HP notebook with SP2 integrated to do the in place
| reinstall. Well, the reinstall went fine and now the machine is back up and
| running with XP SP2. However, I am being prompted to activate the product.
| I have tired changing the license key to the OEM license printed on the
| sticker and rebooting the machine. I tried step one listed on the following
| page:
|
| http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/deploy/oempreac.mspx
|
| But I am still being prompted to activate it. Any suggestions? Is my only
| option to backup the data and reintall from the Acer OEM disks?
|
| Thanks in advance.

 

[Alias]

So here's the situation. I was upgradin an Acer machine to XP SP2 when it
crapped out half-way through the install. The machine has an OEM version
of
XP. So naturally the computer wasn't usable after restart. After trying
various things, I got it to a point where it would boot but it kept coming
up
with various errors such as errors runnin the task manager, add/remove
prorams applet, msconfig etc. System restore was disabled so that wasn't
an
option. Finally I decided to do an in place reinstall of XP as I didn't
want
to loose any data on the drive. Now the CDs provided by Acer contain a
hard
drive image and not an actual XP installation CD. Therefore, I had to
borrow
an OEM CD meant for an HP notebook with SP2 integrated to do the in place
reinstall. Well, the reinstall went fine and now the machine is back up
and
running with XP SP2. However, I am being prompted to activate the
product.
I have tired changing the license key to the OEM license printed on the
sticker and rebooting the machine. I tried step one listed on the
following
page:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/deploy/oempreac.mspx

But I am still being prompted to activate it. Any suggestions? Is my
only
option to backup the data and reintall from the Acer OEM disks?

Thanks in advance.

Use the phone activation option and explain what happened.

Alias

 

[Guest]

Thank you both for your input on this matter.

Alias, I don't see the phone number. Where can I get it?

 

[Gary Woodruff]

Here is a site with instructions with the pertinent steps listed below

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pr...elp/0c066d9d-6b52-4b7f-b88a-05b1668b200e.mspx

To activate Windows by phone

1. Click Start, click All Programs and then click Activate Windows.

2. In Windows Product Activation, select Yes, I want to telephone a
customer service representative to activate Windows.

3. After you select the appropriate location, you are provided with a
telephone number and an installation ID that you can give to the
customer service representative to complete the activation process.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Ignore "Alias's" advice as it is incorrect and irrelevant for your situation.

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

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

:

| Thank you both for your input on this matter.
|
| Alias, I don't see the phone number. Where can I get it?

 

[Ron Martell]

So here's the situation. I was upgradin an Acer machine to XP SP2 when it
crapped out half-way through the install. The machine has an OEM version of
XP. So naturally the computer wasn't usable after restart. After trying
various things, I got it to a point where it would boot but it kept coming up
with various errors such as errors runnin the task manager, add/remove
prorams applet, msconfig etc. System restore was disabled so that wasn't an
option. Finally I decided to do an in place reinstall of XP as I didn't want
to loose any data on the drive. Now the CDs provided by Acer contain a hard
drive image and not an actual XP installation CD. Therefore, I had to borrow
an OEM CD meant for an HP notebook with SP2 integrated to do the in place
reinstall. Well, the reinstall went fine and now the machine is back up and
running with XP SP2. However, I am being prompted to activate the product.
I have tired changing the license key to the OEM license printed on the
sticker and rebooting the machine. I tried step one listed on the following
page:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/deploy/oempreac.mspx

But I am still being prompted to activate it. Any suggestions? Is my only
option to backup the data and reintall from the Acer OEM disks?

Thanks in advance.

What you have installed is a BIOS Locked OEM version of Windows XP
that can only be activated on a computer with an HP Motherboard/BIOS.

At this point you have no choice but to backup the data files and then
do a clean install of the Acer OEM Windows XP.

Note that BIOS Locking (also called SLP) is the common procedure now
being used by almost all of the larger OEMs. These Windows versions
are self-activating when used on a system with a motherboard/BIOS from
that specific OEM but cannot be activated on any other manufacturer's
hardware.


Good luck
Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm

 

[Greg Ro]

So here's the situation. I was upgradin an Acer machine to XP SP2 when it
crapped out half-way through the install. The machine has an OEM version of
XP. So naturally the computer wasn't usable after restart. After trying
various things, I got it to a point where it would boot but it kept coming up
with various errors such as errors runnin the task manager, add/remove
prorams applet, msconfig etc. System restore was disabled so that wasn't an
option. Finally I decided to do an in place reinstall of XP as I didn't want
to loose any data on the drive. Now the CDs provided by Acer contain a hard
drive image and not an actual XP installation CD. Therefore, I had to borrow
an OEM CD meant for an HP notebook with SP2 integrated to do the in place
reinstall. Well, the reinstall went fine and now the machine is back up and
running with XP SP2. However, I am being prompted to activate the product.
I have tired changing the license key to the OEM license printed on the
sticker and rebooting the machine. I tried step one listed on the following
page:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/deploy/oempreac.mspx

But I am still being prompted to activate it. Any suggestions? Is my only
option to backup the data and reintall from the Acer OEM disks?

Thanks in advance.

Try the key fix first. It sometimes works and sometimes does not.

http://www.angelfire.com/in4/computertips/key.html

Use the key listed on your machine. I would not listen to Carey
Frisch advice and this was told to me by another MVP in another group
that Carey does not post in.

I would try all method first before doing or ordering a restore cd.



Greg Ro

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

As usual, your "advice" is useless and 100% incorrect!

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

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

"Greg Ro" irresponsibly wrote:

| Use the key listed on your machine. I would not listen to Carey
| Frisch advice and this was told to me by another MVP in another group
| that Carey does not post in.
|
| I would try all method first before doing or ordering a restore cd.

| Greg Ro

 

[Greg Ro]

As usual, your "advice" is useless and 100% incorrect!

Ask other people. It worked for some and others it didn't.

Oem key work for oem keys
volume license key work for volume license key

I know the following for fact because it worked on my system
I have an preinstalled oem key that is volume licensed.

The preinstalled oem key did not need activated.
If I used the oem key listed on my machine it required activation.

The I386 folder accepted the image key and the oem key. Just to
test it out. I tried another legit oem key. It worked as well but
I did not activate it.

Also, replacement retail key from Microsoft will also work with
retail versions.


Greg Ro