Installed XP OEM now key wont work

DogsBody · 7 Dec 2010 at 22:02

Hi all,

Have a PC here with windows XP home OEm installed that wouldnt boot, went through the MSKB and basicly came to the conclusion that a repair instal was required, so start the repair instal come to entering the product key and it wont accept it.
I thought no worries I'll sort it later.
Now windows is working again it WILL NOT accept this key.

The key is an OEM XP home key(original genuine sticker) and the disk is a XP Home OEM SP3.

So why wont it accept my key and what can I do to sort this.

ExRayTed · 7 Dec 2010 at 22:05

Did the key you have come with the disc you are trying to use?

DogsBody · 7 Dec 2010 at 22:11

No

The PC I am fixing has no disk with it.

Dano · 7 Dec 2010 at 23:14

Key from the sticker on the laptop yes?

DogsBody · 7 Dec 2010 at 23:48

From the side of the tower yes.

Duke · 8 Dec 2010 at 08:36

Phone MS on their activation line number.

Hagar · 8 Dec 2010 at 08:46

If it is a proprietary machine example DELL, and you have a non proprietary OEM disk, that may be the cause. Not all OEM are similar. Also I have in the past had to use SP2 and then install SP3 later to make this work.

But yes phone Microsoft to activate.

andy.

Philtor · 8 Dec 2010 at 08:53

I've had this issue before and it was caused by the fact the disk includes SP3. I would try using an XP disk either with SP1 or SP2 instead which should accept the key fine.

Emlyn_Dewar · 8 Dec 2010 at 09:34

What kind of laptop is it?
For most Dell laptops I've reinstalled XP on, I couldn't just use any disk.

DogsBody · 8 Dec 2010 at 12:38

right it isnt a laptop its a tower.
It isnt a brand name it looks like a custom built jobby (Athlon 2400+ 40gb HDD, 512.1gb ram not sure PC is at home I am work now)
No idea what service pack it was running before.

1st off I have now sorted the problem using the MS keychanger tool, put in the key and not only did it accept the key when i restarted the machine it had already activated windows as well.

however should i encounter this problem again and the keychanged WONT work, will I be able to revert the repair install back to SP2 somehow ?

Thanks for all the help guys btw.

Merry Christmas