Update

[Joe]

I have a friend who has installed XP Pro, the product is activated but when
he goes to the update page he gets a message that the key in invalid or
can't be validated or something like that.

There has been no option to download and update machine or anything like
that. Any ideas please

TIA

Joe

 

[Kelly]

Hi Joe,

See if any of this helps:

Error Message: The Product Key Used to Install Windows Is Invalid
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;q326904&

How to Change the Product ID in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;321636

 

[Joe]

Thanks Kelly, I will pass that on to him

 

[Alex Nichol]

I have a friend who has installed XP Pro, the product is activated but when
he goes to the update page he gets a message that the key in invalid or
can't be validated or something like that.

A lot of copies have been put out by unscrupulous parties - often
selling to innocent people - which have used one of a couple of pirated
keys, with no payments going back to Microsoft. Microsoft has
explicitly prevented machines that were installed with these keys from
installing SP1. Check in Control Panel - System for the Product ID
number under your name - if it fits

XXXXX-640-0000356-23XXX
or
XXXXX-640-2001765-23XXX

Where X represents any digit, you have one of these keys. You can
approach the vendor for redress and provision of a legitimate copy,
threatening MSoft legal department - if no satisfaction, you could try a
report of the details to
http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/reporting/default.asp

 

[Kelly]

Most welcome, Joe and good luck!

Thanks Kelly, I will pass that on to him