Invalid COA?

[Len Cuff]

Bought a couple of Dell PC's cheap as they needed hard drives but had
genuine XP Home COA's on them. Installed XP Home and it accepted the
serial on the COA but when I try to activate it tells me that the
serial in invalid ??
Doesn't even give me the option to phone to activate. Any ideas
please?


cheers,
Len

 

[JS]

Did you use a Dell CD to install Windows?

 

[1D10T]

To use those COA's you need a Dell cd.

When you install, it will automagically be registered.

I've successfully used the Dell CD's on many installs and brand machines
using the machine's COA.

 

[Daave]

Bought a couple of Dell PC's cheap as they needed hard drives but had
genuine XP Home COA's on them. Installed XP Home and it accepted the
serial on the COA but when I try to activate it tells me that the
serial in invalid ??
Doesn't even give me the option to phone to activate. Any ideas
please?

First we need to know what kind of installation CD you used. For
instance, you can't use install using a Retail CD and and OEM Product
Key.

 

[Len Cuff]

First we need to know what kind of installation CD you used. For
instance, you can't use install using a Retail CD and and OEM Product
Key.

Oddly enough a previous one I got installed and activated fine?
Obvious question, where can I get a dell Xp Home CD as I already have
the COA's?


cheers,
Len

 

[Daave]

Oddly enough a previous one I got installed and activated fine?
Obvious question, where can I get a dell Xp Home CD as I already have
the COA's?

You still didn't tell us the kind of installation CD you used. For
instance, if you have a generic OEM installation CD, it should work --
provided you use the Product Key from the COA sticker. If you use the
correct Dell XP Reinstallation CD, you shouldn't even need to enter the
Product Key because of Dell's System-Locked Preinstallation.

Those Dell CDs are all over the place. There's a good chance you know
someone who has one. You can borrow one and make a copy. I'm sure you
can buy one online for about $20, but that's too pricey if you ask me.

 

[Len Cuff]

You still didn't tell us the kind of installation CD you used. For
instance, if you have a generic OEM installation CD, it should work --
provided you use the Product Key from the COA sticker. If you use the
correct Dell XP Reinstallation CD, you shouldn't even need to enter the
Product Key because of Dell's System-Locked Preinstallation.

Those Dell CDs are all over the place. There's a good chance you know
someone who has one. You can borrow one and make a copy. I'm sure you
can buy one online for about $20, but that's too pricey if you ask me.

I've tried 2 different OEM XP Home CD's, both accept the COA key but
won't activate after installation. Gonna try a phone call tomorrow to
MS activation line and see what happens?

cheers,
Len

 

[Daave]

I've tried 2 different OEM XP Home CD's, both accept the COA key but
won't activate after installation. Gonna try a phone call tomorrow to
MS activation line and see what happens?

The phone call should definitely work. Good luck.

 

[AJR]

Note - except for volume licensing, all product keys are related to a
specific XP CD. Installation may accept a product key not specific to the
OS CD used, however activation will fail. Generally using phone activation
under the premise of reinstalling on a new machine with concurrent removal
from the initial machine results in success.

 

[Len Cuff]

Bought a couple of Dell PC's cheap as they needed hard drives but had
genuine XP Home COA's on them. Installed XP Home and it accepted the
serial on the COA but when I try to activate it tells me that the
serial in invalid ??
Doesn't even give me the option to phone to activate. Any ideas
please?


cheers,
Len

All sorted thanks. Quick phone call and activated fine.

cheers,
Len