Reload of XP Upgrade from ME after hard drive crash

[Guest]

My hard drive crashed and am starting over wtih a new hard drive. My 2002
Dell Dimension computer came with ME installed and an OEM Windows XP Home
Edition operating system upgrade disk. At that time I was able to upgrade to
XP without a product registration key. I do not have nor was it originally
provided the product registration key for the XP upgrade. After installing
the new hard drive, ME has been reloaded but Dell cannot help me reload the
upgrade and confirms there is no registration key. However Dell tech support
did provide me with an XP registration key but it did not work. Then they
suggested I contact Microsoft. I cannot get Microsoft support without a
product identification number which of course is inaccessible in this
situation.

I have no clue what I can do to get the copy of XP I own reloaded and to
once again use the XP Office and Front Page that relies on the XP operating
system. I would be most grateful if anyone has any suggestions or help.
Thank you so much!

 

[Malke]

My hard drive crashed and am starting over wtih a new hard drive. My
2002 Dell Dimension computer came with ME installed and an OEM Windows
XP Home
Edition operating system upgrade disk. At that time I was able to
upgrade to
XP without a product registration key. I do not have nor was it
originally
provided the product registration key for the XP upgrade. After
installing the new hard drive, ME has been reloaded but Dell cannot
help me reload the
upgrade and confirms there is no registration key. However Dell tech
support
did provide me with an XP registration key but it did not work. Then
they
suggested I contact Microsoft. I cannot get Microsoft support without
a product identification number which of course is inaccessible in
this situation.

I have no clue what I can do to get the copy of XP I own reloaded and
to once again use the XP Office and Front Page that relies on the XP
operating
system. I would be most grateful if anyone has any suggestions or
help. Thank you so much!

I'm sorry, but this is definitely a Dell issue. This is not a Microsoft
issue since the support for your computer and the operating system(s)
installed on it are from the OEM (Dell). It is probable that the reason
the key did not work is because that key is for an *upgrade* version,
which required that you have qualifying media (the ME os) either
already on your hard drive or on a cd that you can insert during the XP
installation process when required. Since ME is no longer on your hard
drive (because this is a new, blank hard drive), you will need to
provide qualifying media. Try the install again and use your ME cd as
qualifying media.

Malke