XP Home edition 'invalid product key' message

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mike H
  • Start date Start date
M

Mike H

I am attempting to recover a friend's 'Time' laptop from the Sasser virus.

Having downloaded and deployed the clean utilities, and patched the
OS to current level, the machine started to BSOD unless in 'safe' mode.

I was unable to eliminate the offending error, so I attempted to do a
'repair'
by booting from an XP Home DVD.

Unfortunately, when I enter the product key (from the yellow label stuck
underneath)
setup reports that the CD key is invalid.

Is this because the machine comes preloaded, and the key supplied is just to
prove that
the copy of XP is legitimate?

If so, is there anything I can do rather than reload the supplied disk image
and reinstall
all the other software and data - or have I missed something?

Help please!!!

TIA,


Mike
 
Hi,

I do not think you have a pirated copy of Windows. This issue is occuring as the OEM vedor loaded the machine with an image and did not use your PK. You should notice when you received your copy of XP the pack was sealed thus your PK and your XP cd was never loaded onto the machine. Have a look at the knowledge base article below it might be of some assistance.

Go to support.microsoft.com and have a look at article number Q32887
 
Mike said:
I am attempting to recover a friend's 'Time' laptop from the Sasser
virus.

Having downloaded and deployed the clean utilities, and patched the
OS to current level, the machine started to BSOD unless in 'safe'
mode.

I was unable to eliminate the offending error, so I attempted to do a
'repair'
by booting from an XP Home DVD.

Unfortunately, when I enter the product key (from the yellow label
stuck underneath)
setup reports that the CD key is invalid.
Click to expand...

Well of course it is! You're attempting to use an OEM key with a retail disc
and, moreover, an OEM key that was supplied with a recovery CD and,
therefore, is only any use with the disc that came with the unit.
Is this because the machine comes preloaded, and the key supplied is
just to prove that
the copy of XP is legitimate?
Click to expand...

Yes, and no. See above.
If so, is there anything I can do rather than reload the supplied
disk image and reinstall
all the other software and data - or have I missed something?
Click to expand...

Have your friend buy a retail Home CD, but warn him that this will
invalidate any warranty that remains on the unit, and will also lose him any
proprietary tools that Time supplied. Je may also lose any software
(Works/Office/Word, etc) that was supplied if they came as part of the
recovery disc. Otherwise, the only thing you can do is restore the system to
factory settings.
 
Greetings --

You'll need to use the WinXP OEM installation CD that came with
the laptop.

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

--
Help us help you:




You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH
 
That article does not apply, this issue has nothing to do with Volume
Licensing.
Also it sounds like you are saying the Product Key on the computer
will not work with the supplied CDs.
If that is what you meant, you are incorrect.
They are specifically designed to work together.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/


Kirtal Lalla said:
Hi,

I do not think you have a pirated copy of Windows. This issue is
Click to expand...
occuring as the OEM vedor loaded the machine with an image and did not
use your PK. You should notice when you received your copy of XP the
pack was sealed thus your PK and your XP cd was never loaded onto the
machine. Have a look at the knowledge base article below it might be
of some assistance.
Go to support.microsoft.com and have a look at article number
Click to expand...
Q328874
 
Hi Mike, I just wanted to tell you that I am having
exactly the same problem with my desktop. I purchased it
this week and tried the HP tech support but they only
referred me to the microsoft website and I downloaded, did
whatever asked, but I haven't been able to use any of my
microsoft applications.

PLEASE HELP US OUT THERE!!!!!!!!!!!

AC
 
Mike H said:
I am attempting to recover a friend's 'Time' laptop from the Sasser virus.

Having downloaded and deployed the clean utilities, and patched the
OS to current level, the machine started to BSOD unless in 'safe' mode.

I was unable to eliminate the offending error, so I attempted to do a
'repair'
by booting from an XP Home DVD.

Unfortunately, when I enter the product key (from the yellow label stuck
underneath)
setup reports that the CD key is invalid.
Click to expand...

Thanks to all of you offering help and advice.

This laptop didn't actually come with a Windows XP cd, only a 'ghost' image
to allow
restore to the originally supplied state, and I was trying to avoid
reinstalling all the other
software & data...

I had read on the group that it may (or may not) be possible to use an OEM
PK with
a retail disc to *repair* a broken install. In my case, it wasn't.

However, I borrowed an OEM XP cd which came with a Dell laptop.
With this, I was able to repair the installation successfully, as I was not
prompted for a PK until
activation. Typed in the PK from the bottom of the Time PC and breathed a
sigh of relief..

Pity the OEM didn't supply an original CD - what's a couple of pounds on the
cost of a laptop??
 
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