Windows XP installation

[Guest]

I recently had to reformat my hard drive and now my windows product key no
longer works. Is there anyway i can fix this?

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I recently had to reformat my hard drive and now my windows product
key no longer works. Is there anyway i can fix this?

Uhm...
The product key and the CD you used to install came together as a package?
(Or the CD, the number stuck on the computer and the computer came
together?)

 

[Guest]

Uhm...
The product key and the CD you used to install came together as a package?
(Or the CD, the number stuck on the computer and the computer came
together?)

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way



The number stuck on the computer and CD came together.

 

[Detlev Dreyer]

I recently had to reformat my hard drive and now my windows product key
no longer works. Is there anyway i can fix this?

Preinstalled OEM versions are often pre-activated with a different key.

"You receive an error message after you enter the product key when you
try to install Windows XP" http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310637/en-us

"You receive a "The product key used to install Windows is invalid" error
message" http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326904/en-us

"You receive a "The product key used to install Microsoft Windows may not
be valid" error message when you try to install Windows XP Service Pack 2"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/883254/en-us

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I recently had to reformat my hard drive and now my windows
product key no longer works. Is there anyway i can fix this?

The product key and the CD you used to install came together as a
package? (Or the CD, the number stuck on the computer and the
computer came together?)

The number stuck on the computer and CD came together.

And what exactly (what you see, the exact error messages you get, etc.) is
going on that makes you say...
"... my windows product key no longer works ..."?

Is it saying it has been used too many times?
(Badly worded message - choose to activate by phone.)

Is it not accepting the product key during the install?
Have someone else read the numbers/letter to you.