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Thread ID: 93983	2008-10-09 04:26:00	invalid CD Key	bk T (215)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
710934	2008-10-09 04:26:00	Reinstalling this old IBM machine with a OEM XP Prof COA sticker but could not continue as MS complained that the product key is invalid. Double checked the product key and confirmed that it is correct. What shall I do next?	bk T (215)
710935	2008-10-09 05:05:00	Ring Microsoft's 0800 number? Happened to me once and I'm sure the option to ring someone came up and it didn't take long at all to get it sorted.	Jester (13)
710936	2008-10-09 05:08:00	Are you sure it is an OEM CD? and not volume licensed/retail?	jwil1 (65)
710937	2008-10-09 05:31:00	Reinstalling this old IBM machine with a OEM XP Prof COA sticker but could not continue as MS complained that the product key is invalid. Double checked the product key and confirmed that it is correct. What shall I do next? You need to use the CD that came with it, as it will be customised for that particular type of key. A normal disc won't work.	Agent_24 (57)
710938	2008-10-09 05:49:00	You need to use the CD that came with it, as it will be customised for that particular type of key. A normal disc won't work. Correct :thumbs: Not all XP pro CD's work with XP Pro COA's. For example if you have a XP Pro COA that is Pre SP1 it wont work on a SP1 or SP2 CD. You will need a Pre SP OEM CD.	wainuitech (129)
710939	2008-10-09 07:18:00	It's an ordinary retail XP Prof CD. If I can't get hold of the OEM CD, there isn't much I can do about it? I thought all XP Pro CDs are the same! If this is the case, what's the point of having the COA sticker without the OEM CD? So, an illegal copy is the way to go????:D	bk T (215)
710940	2008-10-09 07:20:00	Install Linux :D Then it wont be illegal	Speedy Gonzales (78)
710941	2008-10-09 07:29:00	It's an ordinary retail XP Prof CD. If I can't get hold of the OEM CD, there isn't much I can do about it? I thought all XP Pro CDs are the same! If this is the case, what's the point of having the COA sticker without the OEM CD? So, an illegal copy is the way to go????:D There is a very simple way of converting any CD to an OEM one. Here's how - Open ...\i386\setupp.ini Make the last line read: Pid=76487OEM Save and reburn to CD. Use nLite to create an ISO and to make it bootable.	jwil1 (65)
710942	2008-10-09 07:40:00	It's an ordinary retail XP Prof CD. If I can't get hold of the OEM CD, there isn't much I can do about it? I thought all XP Pro CDs are the same! If this is the case, what's the point of having the COA sticker without the OEM CD? So, an illegal copy is the way to go????:D Two different items there - ordinary Retail is Not OEM. In very simple terms OEM Means - Original Equipment Manufacturer, OEM software will have different product numbers than retail packages But Functionally, OEM and retail versions of software should be essentially the same. SO if you have a OEM XP Pro Product key on the PC - one of Three things should have happened. You got a XP Pro CD either in a Paper / Cardboard sleeve, no fancy boxes/wrapping if its a Name Brand PC, you may have gotten recovery CD's If a Name brand PC, it may have a Recovery partition on the hard Drive with No CD supplied Now take the above - If you lose the CD's, thats tough - whose fault - Not MS's or the Supplier. If you have a Hard Drive failure and the Recovery Partition is lost you can get new recovery CD's from the manufacture very cheap. XP Pro requires the correct CD version to install, there's code in them that can be altered to suit different versions, but that requires a bit of fiddling around changing code, reburning CD's etc, and as mentioned before - OEM XP Pro pre Service packs dont always work with OEM SP1 & SP2. XP Home almost any CD will work with any XP Home Product key.	wainuitech (129)
710943	2008-10-09 10:09:00	Correct :thumbs: Not all XP pro CD's work with XP Pro COA's. For example if you have a XP Pro COA that is Pre SP1 it wont work on a SP1 or SP2 CD. You will need a Pre SP OEM CD. Not just OEM or Servicepacks, but I think some may be customised for the big brand names too. I remember when a friend of mine wanted to reinstall windows on his HP - asked if he can use my CD and his key (which he bought with the PC) to reinstall windows without having to use the recovery partition, and get all the associated rubbish installed. Sensible idea, I thought. I did a test install on a different drive, just in case - and when it asked for the key - no go. even though both disk and key were for XP Home OEM (or so I thought) My OEM XP is the kind you'd buy from any retailer - along with a motherboard or hard drive etc. His COA had "Hewlett Packard" printed on it Now I may be wrong but I suspect his key was customised for an HP-Specific windows install	Agent_24 (57)
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