XP Pro Activation Error Unauth Key

S

sgupta

Installing new Win2K3 domain with XP Pro machines. All
machines are new (Compaq/HP P4 2.8Mhz) with no current OS.
From the server with Win2K3 standard, I configured RIS
install for the machines.

When I connect the PCs to the network with PIX boot, RIS
started the install however needed XP CD to be present in
the CD drive. Install completed successfully and I
upgraded all machines with SP2.

Problem is happening in activation - none of the machines
are activating with the valid retail keys (actually these
are two Action Pack keys that give five activations for
each key but are not even taking a single activation).

When I do properties on My Computer, I noticed that it
showed OEM in the serial number. I am not sure if that is
causing the problem. The CD that was used to prepare RIS
package and same CD that was put in the drive is a retail
version not OEM version.

The foll is a section of the remboot.sif if it helps:
************************************
;SetupMgrTag
[Data]
AutoPartition=1
MsDosInitiated="1"
UnattendedInstall="Yes"
floppyless="1"
OriSrc="\\%SERVERNAME%\RemInst\%INSTALLPATH%"
OriTyp="4"
LocalSourceOnCD=1

[SetupData]
OsLoadOptions="/noguiboot /fastdetect"
SetupSourceDevice="\Device\LanmanRedirector\%
SERVERNAME%\RemInst\%INSTALLPATH%"

[Unattended]
UnattendMode=FullUnattended
OemSkipEula=Yes
OemPreinstall=No
TargetPath=\WINDOWS
FileSystem=LeaveAlone
NtUpgrade=No
OverwriteOemFilesOnUpgrade=No
DriverSigningPolicy=Ignore

[GuiUnattended]
AdminPassword="XXXXX"
EncryptedAdminPassword=NO
AutoLogon=Yes
AutoLogonCount=10
OEMSkipRegional=1
TimeZone=%TIMEZONE%
OemSkipWelcome=1

[UserData]
*****************************************

Did I do something wrong with the install process? How do
I activate the installation?
 
C

Carey Frisch [MVP]

Q. " I noticed that it showed OEM in the serial number...."

A. Apparently, you used an OEM Windows XP CD. You
need to use a "retail" Windows XP CD.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

"sgupta" wrote:

| Installing new Win2K3 domain with XP Pro machines. All
| machines are new (Compaq/HP P4 2.8Mhz) with no current OS.
| From the server with Win2K3 standard, I configured RIS
| install for the machines.
|
| When I connect the PCs to the network with PIX boot, RIS
| started the install however needed XP CD to be present in
| the CD drive. Install completed successfully and I
| upgraded all machines with SP2.
|
| Problem is happening in activation - none of the machines
| are activating with the valid retail keys (actually these
| are two Action Pack keys that give five activations for
| each key but are not even taking a single activation).
|
| When I do properties on My Computer, I noticed that it
| showed OEM in the serial number. I am not sure if that is
| causing the problem. The CD that was used to prepare RIS
| package and same CD that was put in the drive is a retail
| version not OEM version.
|
| The foll is a section of the remboot.sif if it helps:
| ************************************
| ;SetupMgrTag
| [Data]
| AutoPartition=1
| MsDosInitiated="1"
| UnattendedInstall="Yes"
| floppyless="1"
| OriSrc="\\%SERVERNAME%\RemInst\%INSTALLPATH%"
| OriTyp="4"
| LocalSourceOnCD=1
|
| [SetupData]
| OsLoadOptions="/noguiboot /fastdetect"
| SetupSourceDevice="\Device\LanmanRedirector\%
| SERVERNAME%\RemInst\%INSTALLPATH%"
|
| [Unattended]
| UnattendMode=FullUnattended
| OemSkipEula=Yes
| OemPreinstall=No
| TargetPath=\WINDOWS
| FileSystem=LeaveAlone
| NtUpgrade=No
| OverwriteOemFilesOnUpgrade=No
| DriverSigningPolicy=Ignore
|
| [GuiUnattended]
| AdminPassword="XXXXX"
| EncryptedAdminPassword=NO
| AutoLogon=Yes
| AutoLogonCount=10
| OEMSkipRegional=1
| TimeZone=%TIMEZONE%
| OemSkipWelcome=1
|
| [UserData]
| *****************************************
|
| Did I do something wrong with the install process? How do
| I activate the installation?
 
S

sgupta

That was the CD I got in the Action Pack with the keys.
And so I expected the CD and the keys to work together.
Now if I ask MS to send me another CD, do I have to
reinstall everything from scratch?
-----Original Message-----
Q. " I noticed that it showed OEM in the serial number...."

A. Apparently, you used an OEM Windows XP CD. You
need to use a "retail" Windows XP CD.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.a spx
----------------------------------------------------------
Click to expand...
---------------

"sgupta" wrote:

| Installing new Win2K3 domain with XP Pro machines. All
| machines are new (Compaq/HP P4 2.8Mhz) with no current OS.
| From the server with Win2K3 standard, I configured RIS
| install for the machines.
|
| When I connect the PCs to the network with PIX boot, RIS
| started the install however needed XP CD to be present in
| the CD drive. Install completed successfully and I
| upgraded all machines with SP2.
|
| Problem is happening in activation - none of the machines
| are activating with the valid retail keys (actually these
| are two Action Pack keys that give five activations for
| each key but are not even taking a single activation).
|
| When I do properties on My Computer, I noticed that it
| showed OEM in the serial number. I am not sure if that is
| causing the problem. The CD that was used to prepare RIS
| package and same CD that was put in the drive is a retail
| version not OEM version.
|
| The foll is a section of the remboot.sif if it helps:
| ************************************
| ;SetupMgrTag
| [Data]
| AutoPartition=1
| MsDosInitiated="1"
| UnattendedInstall="Yes"
| floppyless="1"
| OriSrc="\\%SERVERNAME%\RemInst\%INSTALLPATH%"
| OriTyp="4"
| LocalSourceOnCD=1
|
| [SetupData]
| OsLoadOptions="/noguiboot /fastdetect"
| SetupSourceDevice="\Device\LanmanRedirector\%
| SERVERNAME%\RemInst\%INSTALLPATH%"
|
| [Unattended]
| UnattendMode=FullUnattended
| OemSkipEula=Yes
| OemPreinstall=No
| TargetPath=\WINDOWS
| FileSystem=LeaveAlone
| NtUpgrade=No
| OverwriteOemFilesOnUpgrade=No
| DriverSigningPolicy=Ignore
|
| [GuiUnattended]
| AdminPassword="XXXXX"
| EncryptedAdminPassword=NO
| AutoLogon=Yes
| AutoLogonCount=10
| OEMSkipRegional=1
| TimeZone=%TIMEZONE%
| OemSkipWelcome=1
|
| [UserData]
| *****************************************
|
| Did I do something wrong with the install process? How do
| I activate the installation?
.
Click to expand...
 
R

Ron Martell

sgupta said:
That was the CD I got in the Action Pack with the keys.
And so I expected the CD and the keys to work together.
Now if I ask MS to send me another CD, do I have to
reinstall everything from scratch?
Click to expand...

Your Action Pack key should work, provided you have installed from the
Action Pack CD.

The problem may be with the upgrade to SP2. You may have to activate
the machines with the original install and then upgrade to SP2. I
have seen similar posts to yours regarding clean reinstalls using a
slipstreamed SP2 CD created from an original OEM CD.

I think that the SP2 upgrade may be changing the version identifier to
"retail" in some way so that it rejects Product Keys that are for OEM
or multi-licensed versions.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."
 
R

Ron Martell

sgupta said:
Thanks Ron - does that hint at reinstalling from scratch
or can I undo SP2 upgrade?
Click to expand...

Try undoing the SP2 upgrade on one machine and see what happens.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."
 

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