CD Key not valid

[Guest]

My company just bught a used HP box with a clean hard drive, and a Win XP Pro
sticker on the top. I'm trying to install XP Pro from a MSDN DVD, but I'm
getting "The CD Key you entered is not valid" error, using the product key on
the sticker. I tried all the suggestions in the knowledgebase article. What
else can I do?

Thanks,
Andy

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

The Product Key affixed to the HP computer will only
work with HP's restore method. It will not work with
a MSDN Windows XP DVD. Only a valid MSDN
Product Key will work with MSDN media.

HP Pavilions that ship with Microsoft Windows XP do
not come with Recovery CDs. Instead, they use a hidden
space (partition) on the hard drive to store the recovery
information.

Read the following article thoroughly, then follow
the steps outlined to perform a "destructive"
recovery operation.
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...docname=bph07145&product=71013&dlc=en&lang=en

Obtaining HP Recovery CDs
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...3&lang=en&cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&docname=bph07143

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

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.mspx

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:

| My company just bught a used HP box with a clean hard drive, and a Win XP Pro
| sticker on the top. I'm trying to install XP Pro from a MSDN DVD, but I'm
| getting "The CD Key you entered is not valid" error, using the product key on
| the sticker. I tried all the suggestions in the knowledgebase article. What
| else can I do?
|
| Thanks,
| Andy

 

[Bruce Chambers]

My company just bught a used HP box with a clean hard drive, and a Win XP Pro
sticker on the top. I'm trying to install XP Pro from a MSDN DVD, but I'm
getting "The CD Key you entered is not valid" error, using the product key on
the sticker. I tried all the suggestions in the knowledgebase article. What
else can I do?

Thanks,
Andy

In order to use HP's OEM Product Key, you need to perform the
installation using an OEM CD.

Product Keys are bound to the specific type and language of CD/license
(OEM, Volume, retail, full, or Upgrade) with which they are purchased.
For example, a WinXP Home OEM Product Key won't work for any retail
version of WinXP Home, or for any version of WinXP Pro, and vice versa.
An upgrade's Product Key cannot be used with a full version CD, and
vice versa. An OEM Product Key will not work to install a retail
product. An Italian Product Key will not work with an English CD. Bottom
line: Product Keys and CD types cannot be mixed & matched.

--

Bruce Chambers

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