Windows XP Prof Installation

[bensimpson]

Hi,

I had to format the hard drive of a laptop (which was previously running XP Prof) so i put the xp disc in to install it. It goes through the installation until it gets to the part where it wants the cd key and i enter it in but it does not work! It just states 'The CD key you entered is not valid'. i've used this cd key lots of times and its always worked but not now. Anybody know what the problem could be? I've even been in touch with MS and they have given me another CD key to try but that doesn't work either.. Am I missing the point somewhere...

Any help much appreciated.

 

[gpalmer711]

I wouldn't boast on that you have been using the same CD key lots of times.

However you problem could be that Windows Xp Professional and Windows XP Corp Edition use different Key Codes. Are you sure the disk you are using it XP Pro? I'm assuming that you are using his disk when I say that, not that you are using your own.

Other wise I have never encountered this problem before so cannot help any further.

Greg Palmer

----------------------------------------
Any feed back is appreciated.

 

[bensimpson]

Thanks for the quick reply Greg

Sorry, when I mean I have used this product key many times before - I mean on this laptop only. It is a test machine, therefore gets built/rebuilt on a regular basis. The CD that I am using is Win XP Pro SP1.

Could it be the the fact that the XP Pro CD I am using is XP (inc SP1) and the Product Key may only be for Win XP Prof. Would that make any difference.?

 

[gpalmer711]

Not that I am saying that you are using a "pirate" key but what microsoft did was stop some cd keys working in SP1. However as you have said you obtained a new CD Key from MS.

I have just just my CD key from XP and reinstalled using a XP SP1 cd as my PC broke at home so it should normally not make a difference.

If you are installing over a previous installation try removing that installation first.

If you are installing Fresh then try formatting drive again and then do a reinstall.

Thinking back I remember people having a similar problem with registering a product we used to sell. Two things seemed to solve it
1) A total reinstall of the software
2)Something to do with the system clock being incorrect.

Do you have a normal XP Cd there without SP1?

Sorry I couldn't help further.

Greg Palmer

----------------------------------------
Any feed back is appreciated.

 

[bensimpson]

Greg,

Fear not, my product key is genuine..

Thanks again for your comments and quick response. I have just reformatted the drive again and attempted the installation with another Win XP Pro (SP1) disk that we have here. This time deleting the partition and recreating. The installation completed successfully, using the oringinal product key.... very strange..

I will put that disk to one side for future reference.. could it be a problem with the disk or maybe the original partition? I've never come across this before, it would normally throw up a read error or something similar..

 

[gpalmer711]

Glad to hear that - I didn't mean to sound like I thought you were doggy.

REegards

Greg Palmer

----------------------------------------
Any feed back is appreciated.

 

[linney]

Stick these references with that CD.

310637 - Troubleshooting Invalid CD Key Error Message During Windows XP Setup

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310637&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

326904 - Error Message: The Product Key Used to Install Windows Is Invalid

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;326904&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

http://groups.google.com/groups?sou...8&oe=UTF-8&q="invalid+product+key"+windows+xp

 

[bensimpson]

Thanks for the links Linney. I have put the problem down to faulty media since the installation was onto a fresh partition and was successful using an alternative CD.

Regards,

Ben Simpson