Invalid XP Key - help/how do I contact Microsoft?

SiD the Turtle · 10 Dec 2008 at 08:45

Hi guys. I have a fairly old laptop here that had a pretty bad hard drive crash, meaning I had to go out and buy a new HDD for it. The old HDD contained the recovery partition so I had to install from scratch using the XP CD. Annoyingly the CD key on the sticker on the laptop refuses to work with the installer, so I used my PC's key to at least install Windows, thinking I can then switch the keys during activation.

So I try and use change product key in activation, but it won't accept the key. It gives me an 0800 number to call, but this is just automated and tries to take me through the activation process.

Has anyone experienced this before and if so, how did you fix it? Failing that, how can I get in touch with Microsoft? I'm having no luck with the numbers on their website.

andy_n64 · 10 Dec 2008 at 09:15

you can get past the automated activation process and actually talk to someone on the phone for MS support (can't remember off hand how to do it though)

Alternativly you could try THIS to change the XP cd key and then try and activate it??

bledd · 10 Dec 2008 at 09:25

have to use the same type of disc that is stated on the sticker (ie, xp oem sony for example)

or use magicjellybean to extract the old key from the old drive

SiD the Turtle · 10 Dec 2008 at 10:47

Hmm thanks for the suggestions guys.

Bledd you're probably right about the CDs, it's an Acer laptop and the CD I have to hand is and MSDN:AA CD. I may look around for ways to convert the disc to the appropriate version.

bledd · 10 Dec 2008 at 10:54

oembios
royalty oem key
msfn.org forums

that's what you'll need, and it's a massive pain in the butt

Darryl_1983 · 10 Dec 2008 at 12:26

I've used an old copy of xp probably 10-15 times, and never had a problem activating it by telephone. Last time i had to do this it gave two numbers one of which didn't work. If i remember right you get asked to type the number into the phone. Then you should get passed onto someone who will just ask you if the copy of xp is installed on any other computers. I always just tell them that it isn't and i've had to replace my harddrive due to failure. They will then give you a new activation number to insert.

SiD the Turtle · 12 Dec 2008 at 15:02

Hey guys, thanks for all the help. I thought I was on to something with oembios, but it would just not 'take'.

In the end I found out the old recovery CDs. The recovery software seemed to be based on Symantec Ghost, but refused to restore to a new disk (it would to the old, but that one is toast). I managed to extract the ghost image off the recovery disk and use 'real' Ghost to ghost the new disk.

Job done!