Activation . . . again!

[Jason]

I have a friend who obtained a pirated copy of xp. I
told him to buy a new copy and we would reinstall. He
bought the new copy but activation has expired before we
could reinstall.

Here's my question: Do i even need to reinstall? Can i
take the new product key and activate his current
installation? If so, how do i do this now that the
system has locked us out? (safe mode > activation?)

Thanks
Jason

 

[Cerridwen]

I have a friend who obtained a pirated copy of xp. I
told him to buy a new copy and we would reinstall. He
bought the new copy but activation has expired before we
could reinstall.

Here's my question: Do i even need to reinstall? Can i
take the new product key and activate his current
installation? If so, how do i do this now that the
system has locked us out? (safe mode > activation?)

Thanks
Jason

No you must perform a repair installation using the new disc and key.

 

[jason]

No you must perform a repair installation using the new

disc and key.


Repair installation? I'm not sure i know what you mean
by that. If you're referring to "press r to repair" i
thought MS took this out of XP and all pressing r does is
install the recovery console. is there another way to do
a repair installation?

Jason

 

[Jason]

I think i understand now . . . by a repair install you
mean an in-place upgrade or a reinstall- correct? Not an
actual NT-like repair.

Got it. (of course, if i'm wrong on this please reply! )

THANKS!
Jason

 

[Tom]

disc and key.


Repair installation? I'm not sure i know what you mean
by that. If you're referring to "press r to repair" i
thought MS took this out of XP and all pressing r does is
install the recovery console. is there another way to do
a repair installation?

Jason

Read here for instructions:

http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

 

[Guest]

I would advise you to wipeout the hard drive and reinstall Windows XP (Legal Version). That way there will be no trace of the pirated version on your hard drive. I personally use Wipedrive 3.0 With DoD (Department of Defense) standards. Also by wipping it out, means, it would be a clean install, with nothing on it at all. Good luck.

 

[peter]

Why not just change the product key
(http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;328874) to the
legal version and then activate
(http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307890)
Peter

I would advise you to wipeout the hard drive and reinstall Windows XP

(Legal Version). That way there will be no trace of the pirated version on
your hard drive. I personally use Wipedrive 3.0 With DoD (Department of
Defense) standards. Also by wipping it out, means, it would be a clean
install, with nothing on it at all. Good luck.

 

[Cerridwen]

Why not just change the product key
(http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;328874) to
the legal version and then activate
(http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307890)
Peter

Erm, because that wouldn't work. You couldn't use the legal key with an
illegal version - activation would fail and you'd be locked out.

 

[Cerridwen]

I think i understand now . . . by a repair install you
mean an in-place upgrade or a reinstall- correct? Not an
actual NT-like repair.

Got it. (of course, if i'm wrong on this please reply! )

THANKS!
Jason

Yes - sorry I wasn't explicit before, I was in a hurry. You can find more
information on how to do this here
http://michaelstevenstech.com/xp_in_place_upgrade.htm.

Hope that helps you more than I did before.

 

[Michael Stevens]

I have a friend who obtained a pirated copy of xp. I
told him to buy a new copy and we would reinstall. He
bought the new copy but activation has expired before we
could reinstall.

Here's my question: Do i even need to reinstall? Can i
take the new product key and activate his current
installation? If so, how do i do this now that the
system has locked us out? (safe mode > activation?)

Thanks
Jason

Click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into the address box
if using the web based newsgroup.
Change Produck Key [CD Key].
http://michaelstevenstech.com/xpfaq.html#need2
--

Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

 

[Alex Nichol]

I have a friend who obtained a pirated copy of xp. I
told him to buy a new copy and we would reinstall. He
bought the new copy but activation has expired before we
could reinstall.

Here's my question: Do i even need to reinstall? Can i
take the new product key and activate his current
installation? If so, how do i do this now that the
system has locked us out?

Once that has happened it is only going to let you boot to Safe mode
until the system has been activated. I think you will need to do a
clean reinstall, so that the date of installation is 'now' rather than
'last month'. And no - setting the BIOS date back doesn't work either -
it will notice that the system is being booted earlier than it was last
time

 

[Alex Nichol]

Here's my question: Do i even need to reinstall? Can i
take the new product key and activate his current
installation? If so, how do i do this now that the
system has locked us out?

PS - you can though do a change of the Key and then activate by phone.
Provided the Key is the same type as the installed software it should be
accepted .

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

If you are trying to install Service Pack 1a and getting the
following:

The Product Key Used to Install Windows Is Invalid
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q326904

You need to purchase and use a _legitimate_ full retail copy of
WinXP Pro to perform a repair (a.k.a. in-place upgrade) installation,
using the new CD and Product Key.

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/directory/article.asp?ID=KB;EN-US;Q315341


Bruce Chambers

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