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Thread ID: 61670	2005-09-12 22:19:00	Bogus XP and The Real One	SurferJoe46 (51)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
387962	2005-09-12 22:19:00	. . got a buddy who wanted me to install a new HD in his Compaq/700 . He had a ripped copy (archival?) of XP-Pro, and the key for it . It went in ok, accepted the key and that's when the wheels fell off . I did what he asked, then while trying to install the SP-2 cd-rom, it told me the version of XP was bootlegged . Hmmmm . . how'd it know that without being online? Anyway . . here's the fun part . . . . . I had him go out and buy a copy from a store here . I just figgered that XP-Pro was the same as XP-Pro . . right? NOPE! I was being lazy and used the same booted disk and tried to insert the new and legal key . . no way! Even though I had both copies I made the mistake of trying to use a bootlegged copy . . . and the key would not work until I uninstalled and re-installed the new version . After this, SP-2 installed clean . . no hang-ups . What gives? I thought up to this point that any copy of XP would respond to the right key, no matter the source .	SurferJoe46 (51)
387963	2005-09-12 22:49:00	shoulda used a keychanger	bartsdadhomer (80)
387964	2005-09-12 23:52:00	The problem is that the "bootlegged" copy will be a corporate edition which does not need to be activated and uses a different set of product keys to other copies of XP. The copy he went and bought will be either OEM, upgrade or full version which all need to be activated and all use a different set of product keys. So, if you use a corporate CD to install XP it will not accept a product key from any XP type except corporate, even if the key you have is a legal one you bought. Same goes for the other XP types, an OEM CD install will only accept OEM product key and so on..	CYaBro (73)
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