L
Lil' Dave
I would have my doubts if I read this, but its true.
Have 1 1/2 year old OEM (buy with hardware) XP Home Edition install CD.
Purchased at mwave.com along with a hard drive. Was reading in the group on
how to slipstream SP2 with another program suggested. I tried it, sourced
the XP w/SP1 CD and MS XP SP2 CD, and all worked out okay. Burned the
resulting ISO to CD.
Started from scratch, wiped the XP partition. All went well until the
product key entry came along. The key is on a sticker that came with the XP
CD. Its attached to my PC, I put it there. I input the key verbatim, and
it stated the key was invalid. Verified, saw nothing wrong, click next
again. The only characters that could possibly be mistaken are the "B,
maybe an "8", and the "Z", maybe a "2". Tried those in all the different
variations, no dice.
The original XP CD has been used 3 times including the slipstream, and kept
in a CD case in a drawer. The CD media data side is pristine. Not a speck
of dust. The logical thing to do is try the original for installation. No
dice, same thing. Invalid product key.
The motherboard was upgraded last year around this time. Did a clean
install. Changed some more hardware, and had to get another key to
activate. I just typed it in as the lady gave it to me over the phone from
MS. No record.
Have an image backup, but may want to do a clean install someday with
another motherboard. How do I get a bonafide product key?
Have 1 1/2 year old OEM (buy with hardware) XP Home Edition install CD.
Purchased at mwave.com along with a hard drive. Was reading in the group on
how to slipstream SP2 with another program suggested. I tried it, sourced
the XP w/SP1 CD and MS XP SP2 CD, and all worked out okay. Burned the
resulting ISO to CD.
Started from scratch, wiped the XP partition. All went well until the
product key entry came along. The key is on a sticker that came with the XP
CD. Its attached to my PC, I put it there. I input the key verbatim, and
it stated the key was invalid. Verified, saw nothing wrong, click next
again. The only characters that could possibly be mistaken are the "B,
maybe an "8", and the "Z", maybe a "2". Tried those in all the different
variations, no dice.
The original XP CD has been used 3 times including the slipstream, and kept
in a CD case in a drawer. The CD media data side is pristine. Not a speck
of dust. The logical thing to do is try the original for installation. No
dice, same thing. Invalid product key.
The motherboard was upgraded last year around this time. Did a clean
install. Changed some more hardware, and had to get another key to
activate. I just typed it in as the lady gave it to me over the phone from
MS. No record.
Have an image backup, but may want to do a clean install someday with
another motherboard. How do I get a bonafide product key?