Invalid Product Key

[jdf2525]

I needed to reinstall WinXP on my wife's Gateway laptop,
but we've lost the Gateway restore CD. OK, I'll just use
my retail WinXP CD & the product key from the laptop. I
checked, retyped, rechecked, reretyped .... still "Invalid
Product Key". So I used the key off the retail box.
Obviously can't activate with a used product key. Gateway
says I'm "SOL". Is there any way to activate XP with the
OEM Product Key or am I truly out the price of an XP license?

thanks in advance

jdf

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I needed to reinstall WinXP on my wife's Gateway laptop,
but we've lost the Gateway restore CD. OK, I'll just use
my retail WinXP CD & the product key from the laptop. I
checked, retyped, rechecked, reretyped .... still "Invalid
Product Key". So I used the key off the retail box.
Obviously can't activate with a used product key. Gateway
says I'm "SOL". Is there any way to activate XP with the
OEM Product Key or am I truly out the price of an XP license?

You need a copy of an OEM Windows XP - call Gateway. Since it is an OEM
copy of Windows, only the OEM can help you.

 

[D.Currie]

I needed to reinstall WinXP on my wife's Gateway laptop,
but we've lost the Gateway restore CD. OK, I'll just use
my retail WinXP CD & the product key from the laptop. I
checked, retyped, rechecked, reretyped .... still "Invalid
Product Key". So I used the key off the retail box.
Obviously can't activate with a used product key. Gateway
says I'm "SOL". Is there any way to activate XP with the
OEM Product Key or am I truly out the price of an XP license?

thanks in advance

jdf

Retail and OEM keys aren't interchangeable. You're either going to have to
get a replacement from Gateway, buy a generic OEM CD, or buy another retail
CD.

In my experience, the OEMs are usually pretty good about replacing their
restore CDs. You might get charged for shipping or something, but it's
nowhere near the cost of a new version of the OS.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

As you have seen, that Product Key will not work with a different type
of CF.

Call Gateway again, they may be able to get the CD...for a cost of
about $25.

Or you could try Ebay, those type of CDs are regularly there.

Otherwise the fix is to buy Windows.

 

[Chris]

As you have seen, that Product Key will not work with a different type
of CF.

Call Gateway again, they may be able to get the CD...for a cost of
about $25.

Or you could try Ebay, those type of CDs are regularly there.

Otherwise the fix is to buy Windows.

another fix is to get linux. Don't give M$ more of your money if you are
already entitled to run windows on your machine.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Your wife will have to obtain a replacement installation CD from
the computer's manufacturer and perform the re-installation.

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 CDs cannot be mixed & matched. You
have to have the specific type of installation CD for which that
license and Product Key was designed.


Bruce Chambers
--
Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. - RAH

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

And your fix is to completely change the OS?
That makes less sense.
Not a fix at all.
Linux does not do it all.
Certainly not all I want.
Why would you suggest Linux to me when I do not have any issues?

Are you now using Linux?
Is Linux so messed up it was incapable of letting you respond to the
correct post?
And you wonder why, when Linux is incapable of performing this simple
task for you.

 

[Chris]

Hi Jupiter,

And your fix is to completely change the OS?
That makes less sense.

It makes perfect sense if you have the choice of running Linux or not
having an OS at all. This guy will not be able to install windows
without a CD will he?

Not a fix at all.
Linux does not do it all.
Certainly not all I want.
Why would you suggest Linux to me when I do not have any issues?

You suggested buying another CD. That is ridiculous. jdf already has a
licence to run the OS, most software companies offer replacement CDs to
customers if the disc is lost or damaged. There is normally a small fee
to cover the printing of the disc and the postage. 25$ is not a small fee.

Are you now using Linux?
Is Linux so messed up it was incapable of letting you respond to the
correct post?
And you wonder why, when Linux is incapable of performing this simple
task for you.

I'm running Windows as my primary OS on this system with slackware linux
on a second partition. I am learning to use linux effectively so
eventually I can ditch windows. I run windows XP pro at the moment and I
won't be paying for an entirely new OS when longhorn is released for a
few GUI changes, and a thing bolted onto NTFS which does nothing but add
extra overheads to the filesystem.

Chris.