NEED Help with Product Key

[Birdman]

I am working on a computer for a friend that is running Windows XP Home. It
was eat up with a virus that infected almost everything on the computer so I
decided to do a new installation. My friend did not have any discs and
pressing F10 at boot, like I have had success with before would not work. I
had a Windows 98 disc, and a Windows XP Home Upgrade disc, so I installed
Windows 98 with a generic product key and then upgraded to Windows Xp Home
with my product key. I then planned on changing the product key at the time
of activation, but it wouldn't take the product key on the sticker on the PC
case. Now it is activated with my number and I am worried that I will get in
trouble for this. I never intended to pirate the software. I tried the Magic
Jelly Bean Key Changer program but it still tells me the Product key is
invalid. My friend has purchased a license when they bought the PC. I have
not changed the motherboard or anything so I think Microsoft should give me
a new Product Key that will work. I just don't know how to go about it.
Please Help.

 

[Claymore]

I am working on a computer for a friend that is running Windows XP Home. It
was eat up with a virus that infected almost everything on the computer so I
decided to do a new installation. My friend did not have any discs and
pressing F10 at boot, like I have had success with before would not work. I
had a Windows 98 disc, and a Windows XP Home Upgrade disc, so I installed
Windows 98 with a generic product key and then upgraded to Windows Xp Home
with my product key. I then planned on changing the product key at the time
of activation, but it wouldn't take the product key on the sticker on the PC
case. Now it is activated with my number and I am worried that I will get in
trouble for this. I never intended to pirate the software. I tried the Magic
Jelly Bean Key Changer program but it still tells me the Product key is
invalid. My friend has purchased a license when they bought the PC. I have
not changed the motherboard or anything so I think Microsoft should give me
a new Product Key that will work. I just don't know how to go about it.
Please Help.

The key is linked to the version that is installed (there is a way
around this, but it is marginally pirating). If your friend had an OEM
(pre-installed) version of XP and you install an upgrade version of
XP, your friend's OEM key won't work. If you try to activate the
current setup it will more than likely be rejected, or you will get a
notification to call MS, as if you were installing your copy on
another computer, i.e. changing computers. The result, if you go ahead
with this, might be that your install will be tagged as invalid, and
replaced with the one on your friend's computer. You need an OEM copy
of XP for your friend, if that is what his/her key is for.

p.s. If you're installing an Upgrade version, it isn't necessary to
install Windows 98 first. Just go ahead with the XP Upgrade install,
and when asked for a qualifying Operating System, remove the XP CD,
stick in the 98 CD, let it be recognized as valid, and then replace it
with the XP CD.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I am working on a computer for a friend that is running Windows XP
Home. It was eat up with a virus that infected almost everything on
the computer so I decided to do a new installation. My friend did
not have any discs and pressing F10 at boot, like I have had
success with before would not work. I had a Windows 98 disc, and a
Windows XP Home Upgrade disc, so I installed Windows 98 with a
generic product key and then upgraded to Windows Xp Home with my
product key. I then planned on changing the product key at the time
of activation, but it wouldn't take the product key on the sticker
on the PC case. Now it is activated with my number and I am worried
that I will get in trouble for this. I never intended to pirate the
software. I tried the Magic Jelly Bean Key Changer program but it
still tells me the Product key is invalid. My friend has purchased
a license when they bought the PC. I have not changed the
motherboard or anything so I think Microsoft should give me a new
Product Key that will work. I just don't know how to go about it.

First - a clean install of Windows XP could have been accomplished with the
Upgrade CD without ever actually installing Windows 98. All it needs is the
qualifying media - which you said you did have.

In any case - change the product key using this tool:

The Genuine Advantage Product Key Update Tool is only valid for
users attempting to change their current non-genuine Product Key
to a genuine COA sticker or genuine Product Key - all without a
reinstall!
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=50346&clcid=0x409

 

[thecreator]

Hi Birdman,

First of all, you do not need to install Windows 98 in order to install
/ use Windows XP Home Edition Upgrade CD.

You can boot up the computer with the Windows XP Home Edition Upgrade
CD. When ready to reformat and reinstall Windows XP Home Edition, you need
to provide proof of a previous version. That's where the Windows 98 disc
should come into play.

As for Activating Windows XP, use the telephone number and speak with an
individual, not a Voice Robot, in your situation. His Product Key for
Windows XP should still be valid for the computer isn't trashed.

What is the Brand and Model number of that computer in question?

 

[Birdman]

It is a Compact Presario 57300CL purchased from Wal-Mart I think. I went
ahead and contacted Microsoft support with my problem. I am just worried
about this since I activated Windows with my product key. I will let you
know what they have to say. I have ran windows update on both PC's with the
same product key and everything has went well so far, but I know it is just
a matter of time before they axe one of them.
Thanks for your reply.

 

[Birdman]

Another Question? If I had installed Windows XP Home the way you described,
would it have allowed me to format the drive NTFS ? Doing it the way I did
it is formatted as FAT and it never gave me an option to do otherwise. I
wanted to use NTFS.
Just wondering.

 

[Daave]

Yes, the screen will look like this:

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPpro4setup.jpg

The above is from Step 11 from "Clean Install Windows XP" at
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html .

And thecreator was referring to Step 9, btw:

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/upgrade1.jpg