Problem with XP Product

[chirag]

I have purchased a legitimate copy of Windows XP from Gateway and Setup is
not accepting it. XP was previously installed on another laptop, but that
laptop is no longer in operation. What can I do to reset the key so I can use
it again?

I'm installing XP in an instance of VMWare Fusion.
Thanks, Chirag

 

[peter]

Gateway only sells OE versions of XP for their systems.
What are you trying to install it onto??
what is the error message that you receive??
peter

 

[chirag]

I have Mac and I'm installing it on to VM Ware virtual machine. It says
"Product key is not valid" or something to that extent. I'm not using the key
anymore on any machine so I'm not sure what the problem is. Can i have
Microsoft reset the key so I can use it again?

Chirag

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I have purchased a legitimate copy of Windows XP from Gateway and
Setup is not accepting it. XP was previously installed on another
laptop, but that laptop is no longer in operation. What can I do to
reset the key so I can use it again?

I'm installing XP in an instance of VMWare Fusion.

Gateway only sells OE versions of XP for their systems.
What are you trying to install it onto??
what is the error message that you receive??

I have Mac and I'm installing it on to VM Ware virtual machine. It
says "Product key is not valid" or something to that extent. I'm
not using the key anymore on any machine so I'm not sure what the
problem is. Can i have Microsoft reset the key so I can use it
again?

Let's be very clear about this so there is no confusion.

An OEM license of Windows XP cannot be transferred to another computer.

You got your license (OEM) to utilize Windows XP when you purchased a laptop
(Gateway it would seem) and what you seemingly fail to understand is that
you agreed (by getting and using said OEM licensed copy) that the copy would
only ever be used on the laptop it was originally installed upon - or more
correctly - Gateway agreed to that and you bought a Gateway.

Sucks? Yep.

It is possible that your OEM copy was modified by Gateway so that it only
worked when it saw some specific Gateway component. Now - you might think
that is a terrible thing to do and no reasonable company would do that - but
without modifying your OS X installation media - install it on some other
system (other than an Apple system) and know that the only difference is
something specific in the hardware. ;-)

Again - simplified - you do not have a right to that OEM license of Windows
XP on any machine other than the initial one it was installed upon. That is
one of the reasons an OEM licensed copy of Windows XP is less expensive and
the less expensive part is one of the reasons that is the type of license
that came with your Gateway laptop.

What can you do that no one can complain about (other than maybe people
saying that it seems unfair that your ignorance of the licensing agreement
lead to this)? Purchase a generic OEM or Retail license of Windows XP to
use for your VM.

 

[XP Guy]

Let's be very clear about this so there is no confusion.

An OEM license of Windows XP cannot be transferred to another
computer.

Because of some fine print?

Or because Microsoft's XP authentication system knows when you're using
an OEM product key incorrectly?

The OP should simply download several new versions of the XP cd via
torrent and try his key to see if it works on any of them.

Or, you can copy the contents of your XP cd to the hard drive and
install it from the hard drive, but first you need to modify this file:

setupp.ini

Read the following:

http://www.thetechguide.com/howto/setuppini.html

====================

The Pid value is what we're interested in. What's there now looks like
a standard default. There are special numbers that determine if it's a
retail, oem, or volume license edition. First,
we break down that number into two parts. The first five digits
determines how the CD will behave, ie is it a retail cd that lets you
clean install or upgrade, or an oem cd that only lets you perform a
clean install?

The last three digits determines what CD key it will accept. You are
able to mix and match these values. For example you could make a WinXP
cd that acted like a retail cd, yet accepted OEM keys.

Now, for the actual values. Remember the first and last values are
interchangable, but usually you'd keep them as a pair:

Retail = 51882 335
Volume License = 51883 270
OEM = 82503 OEM

So if you wanted a retail CD that took retail keys, the last line of
your setupp.ini file would read:

Pid=51882335

And if you wanted a retail CD that took OEM keys, you'd use:

Pid=51882OEM

======================

Here's more examples of Pid numbers. These are taken from the "System
Builder" version of XP-pro (specifically the "2002" version). The
System Builder CD is what small or medium-sized PC builders use when
assembing systems from scratch.

This is from an XP-Pro SP1 CD with files dates March 31, 2003:

[Pid]
ExtraData = 786F687170637175716954806365EF
Pid=55274OEM


This is the same product, except with SP2. These numbers are the same
even for different file or release dates (and even for the last version
which included SP3):

- Aug 4, 2004 (sp2)
- Feb 28, 2006 (sp2)
- April 14, 2008 (sp3)

[Pid]
ExtraData = 786F687170637175716954806365EF
Pid=76487OEM

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I have purchased a legitimate copy of Windows XP from Gateway and
Setup is not accepting it. XP was previously installed on another
laptop, but that laptop is no longer in operation. What can I do to
reset the key so I can use it again?

I'm installing XP in an instance of VMWare Fusion.

Gateway only sells OE versions of XP for their systems.
What are you trying to install it onto??
what is the error message that you receive??

I have Mac and I'm installing it on to VM Ware virtual machine. It
says "Product key is not valid" or something to that extent. I'm
not using the key anymore on any machine so I'm not sure what the
problem is. Can i have Microsoft reset the key so I can use it
again?

Let's be very clear about this so there is no confusion.

An OEM license of Windows XP cannot be transferred to another
computer.

You got your license (OEM) to utilize Windows XP when you purchased
a laptop (Gateway it would seem) and what you seemingly fail to
understand is that you agreed (by getting and using said OEM
licensed copy) that the copy would only ever be used on the laptop
it was originally installed upon - or more correctly - Gateway
agreed to that and you bought a Gateway.

Sucks? Yep.

It is possible that your OEM copy was modified by Gateway so that
it only worked when it saw some specific Gateway component. Now -
you might think that is a terrible thing to do and no reasonable
company would do that - but without modifying your OS X
installation media - install it on some other system (other than an
Apple system) and know that the only difference is something
specific in the hardware. ;-)

Again - simplified - you do not have a right to that OEM license of
Windows XP on any machine other than the initial one it was
installed upon. That is one of the reasons an OEM licensed copy of
Windows XP is less expensive and the less expensive part is one of
the reasons that is the type of license that came with your Gateway
laptop.

What can you do that no one can complain about (other than maybe
people saying that it seems unfair that your ignorance of the
licensing agreement lead to this)? Purchase a generic OEM or
Retail license of Windows XP to use for your VM.

Because of some fine print?

Or because Microsoft's XP authentication system knows when you're
using an OEM product key incorrectly?

The OP should simply download several new versions of the XP cd via
torrent and try his key to see if it works on any of them.

Or, you can copy the contents of your XP cd to the hard drive and
install it from the hard drive, but first you need to modify this
file:

setupp.ini

Read the following:

http://www.thetechguide.com/howto/setuppini.html

====================

The Pid value is what we're interested in. What's there now looks
like a standard default. There are special numbers that determine
if it's a retail, oem, or volume license edition. First,
we break down that number into two parts. The first five digits
determines how the CD will behave, ie is it a retail cd that lets
you clean install or upgrade, or an oem cd that only lets you
perform a clean install?

The last three digits determines what CD key it will accept. You
are able to mix and match these values. For example you could make
a WinXP cd that acted like a retail cd, yet accepted OEM keys.

Now, for the actual values. Remember the first and last values are
interchangable, but usually you'd keep them as a pair:

Retail = 51882 335
Volume License = 51883 270
OEM = 82503 OEM

So if you wanted a retail CD that took retail keys, the last line of
your setupp.ini file would read:

Pid=51882335

And if you wanted a retail CD that took OEM keys, you'd use:

Pid=51882OEM

======================

Here's more examples of Pid numbers. These are taken from the
"System Builder" version of XP-pro (specifically the "2002"
version). The System Builder CD is what small or medium-sized PC
builders use when assembing systems from scratch.

This is from an XP-Pro SP1 CD with files dates March 31, 2003:

[Pid]
ExtraData = 786F687170637175716954806365EF
Pid=55274OEM


This is the same product, except with SP2. These numbers are the
same even for different file or release dates (and even for the
last version which included SP3):

- Aug 4, 2004 (sp2)
- Feb 28, 2006 (sp2)
- April 14, 2008 (sp3)

[Pid]
ExtraData = 786F687170637175716954806365EF
Pid=76487OEM

There is a time and place for the SETUPP.INI thing - and I have posted it
several times. Don't believe this is one of them. After all - it has
nothing to do with the type of product key the OP has and needing a
different type of Windows XP CD in order to use it.

Conversation went stale 9 days or so ago anyway, AFAICS.

As far as downloading via torrent - it's not something I recommend, given
the inherent dangers and such if nothing else (nevermind the questionable
morality/legality issues.)

The OP is free to answer your request here - in fact - I encourage it. I
would like to know what they might decide to do. ;-)

 

[smlunatick]

I have Mac and I'm installing it on to VM Ware virtual machine. It says
"Product key is not valid" or something to that extent. I'm not using thekey
anymore on any machine so I'm not sure what the problem is. Can i have
Microsoft reset the key so I can use it again?

Chirag

Gateway is possibly ONE manufacturer who is using a install module
that is detecting specific PC hardware. When using VMWare software to
"emulate" a PC, the install process might not be able to access the
hardware directly.

Also, using a MAC, you are "supposed" the be able to install XP
directly, if it is a newer INTEL based MAC. This porcess was known to
used the Apple "Bootcamp" process.