Unathorized Product Key?

[Guest]

To experament with some hardware and software that requires WinXP I decided to go ahead and upgrade one of my systems in my home lab to XP Pro. I installed the OS from a CD I got from a local small systems builder with one of my COA sticker codes I purchased a little while back and had not used. When I try to activate this instal/key I get an error stating: "This product key is unauthorized. Activation cannot be completed until a valid product key is entered..." Granted this is on of a handful of times I have used XP in any form, being my MCP's were in 2k, I figured that it has to be the disk I have received. What are my options here? I do not want to have to purchase a new XP Pro CD to instal the lab system and the production system when it is ready next week. From what I have gathered from the MS rep I deal, with on a rare occasion I speak to him, all I need are the keys from the sticker; or was I misunderstanding him? I know with 2000 I am able to instal from the same CD with different stickers, but is that because of the need for activation in XP?

 

[Mike]

OEM validation keys do NOT work with retail upgrade or full versions..
retail validation keys do NOT work with OEM versions..

To experament with some hardware and software that requires WinXP I

decided to go ahead and upgrade one of my systems in my home lab to XP Pro.
I installed the OS from a CD I got from a local small systems builder with
one of my COA sticker codes I purchased a little while back and had not
used. When I try to activate this instal/key I get an error stating: "This
product key is unauthorized. Activation cannot be completed until a valid
product key is entered..." Granted this is on of a handful of times I have
used XP in any form, being my MCP's were in 2k, I figured that it has to be
the disk I have received. What are my options here? I do not want to have to
purchase a new XP Pro CD to instal the lab system and the production system
when it is ready next week. From what I have gathered from the MS rep I
deal, with on a rare occasion I speak to him, all I need are the keys from
the sticker; or was I misunderstanding him? I know with 2000 I am able to
instal from the same CD with different stickers, but is that because of the
need for activation in XP?

 

[XPUSER]

To experament with some hardware and software that requires WinXP I decided to go ahead and upgrade one of my systems in my home lab to XP Pro. I installed the OS from a CD I got from a local small systems builder with one of my COA sticker codes I purchased a little while back and had not used. When I try to activate this instal/key I get an error stating: "This product key is unauthorized. Activation cannot be completed until a valid product key is entered..." Granted this is on of a handful of times I have used XP in any form, being my MCP's were in 2k, I figured that it has to be the disk I have received. What are my options here? I do not want to have to purchase a new XP Pro CD to instal the lab system and the production system when it is ready next week. From what I have gathered from the MS rep I deal, with on a rare occasion I speak to him, all I need are the keys from the sticker; or was I misunderstanding him? I know with 2000 I am able to instal from the same CD with different stickers, but is that because of the need for activation in XP?

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

You have obviously been given a PIRATED copy of XP

http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/

Windows XP Product Activation
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/evaluation/features/activation.mspx

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

 

[hawk]

The CD is probably OEM and your COA Key is probably retail. Won't work.

hawk

To experament with some hardware and software that requires WinXP I decided to go ahead and upgrade one of my systems in my home lab to XP Pro. I installed the OS from a CD I got from a local small systems builder with one of my COA sticker codes I purchased a little while back and had not used. When I try to activate this instal/key I get an error stating: "This product key is unauthorized. Activation cannot be completed until a valid product key is entered..." Granted this is on of a handful of times I have used XP in any form, being my MCP's were in 2k, I figured that it has to be the disk I have received. What are my options here? I do not want to have to purchase a new XP Pro CD to instal the lab system and the production system when it is ready next week. From what I have gathered from the MS rep I deal, with on a rare occasion I speak to him, all I need are the keys from the sticker; or was I misunderstanding him? I know with 2000 I am able to instal from the same C

D with different stickers, but is that because of the need for activation in XP?

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

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
--
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To experament with some hardware and software that requires WinXP I

decided to go ahead and upgrade one of my systems in my home lab to XP
Pro. I installed the OS from a CD I got from a local small systems
builder with one of my COA sticker codes I purchased a little while
back and had not used. When I try to activate this instal/key I get an
error stating: "This product key is unauthorized. Activation cannot be
completed until a valid product key is entered..." Granted this is on
of a handful of times I have used XP in any form, being my MCP's were
in 2k, I figured that it has to be the disk I have received. What are
my options here? I do not want to have to purchase a new XP Pro CD to
instal the lab system and the production system when it is ready next
week. From what I have gathered from the MS rep I deal, with on a rare
occasion I speak to him, all I need are the keys from the sticker; or
was I misunderstanding him? I know with 2000 I am able to instal from
the same CD with different stickers, but is that because of the need
for activation in XP?