Windows CD key and activation... help!

[Bleek]

Before I rip my head off someone please help me!

Yesterday I rebuilt my home PC, hard disk failed early in the week.

All went fine, CD key accepted, finished install and booted in to windows.

Tried to activate via internet, tells me the CD key is invalid?

So I tried my old laptop serial key, fished it out of the cupboard and used a tool to extract... same problem 'invalid'.

Now what's frustrating me is I have an original XP Pro retail copy, blue box, orange disc from yeeears ago - the problem is the disc no longer boots/reads properly.

So I've got a copy from work to install, using MY serial key.

So today I got an old SP1 CD from work to try that and here I am, same problem, cannot activate!

Is there a problem with SP1 & SP2 and my original un-service packed XP serial i.e they 'updated' *** serials for SP1 & SP2?

Someone help me here before I rip my hair out.

 

[swinnie]

I believe that if your computer was installed using a pre SP1 disk it will have to be installed using a pre SP1 disk or SP1 disk etc.

Hope this helps

 

[Burnsy2023]

Have you tried calling the activation line and doing it manually?

Burnsy

 

[Bleek]

Have you tried calling the activation line and doing it manually?

Burnsy

Yep and it says invalid which is just wrong.

I've even called on of my techies at work to test a key and that does't work! Obviously that was merely to test... regardless, it failed.

I just can't get my head around this.

I can buy a new key and activate online for ~£95 but I can just see it not working and me being high-and-dry. I might just have to take the plunge, completely unfair.

 

[Burnsy2023]

Hang on a second, you can install it with that key but it just won't activate right?

Have you tried speaking to someone on the activation line and explaining the situation?

Burnsy

 

[d.chatten]

I believe that if your computer was installed using a pre SP1 disk it will have to be installed using a pre SP1 disk or SP1 disk etc.

Hope this helps

This is wrong, i have installed Windows XP Professional/Home Edition SP1 & SP2 using my pre SP1/SP2 product keys, there was an issue that SP1 and SP2 CD's wouldn't except pre service pack product keys but microsoft sorted all that out.

Before I rip my head off someone please help me!

Yesterday I rebuilt my home PC, hard disk failed early in the week.

All went fine, CD key accepted, finished install and booted in to windows.

Tried to activate via internet, tells me the CD key is invalid?

So I tried my old laptop serial key, fished it out of the cupboard and used a tool to extract... same problem 'invalid'.

Now what's frustrating me is I have an original XP Pro retail copy, blue box, orange disc from yeeears ago - the problem is the disc no longer boots/reads properly.

So I've got a copy from work to install, using MY serial key.

So today I got an old SP1 CD from work to try that and here I am, same problem, cannot activate!

Is there a problem with SP1 & SP2 and my original un-service packed XP serial i.e they 'updated' *** serials for SP1 & SP2?

Someone help me here before I rip my hair out.

All you should need to do is call MS and get to talk to a real person, when it tells you that it's invalid just wait and you will be put through to a real person who should activate Windows for you.

 

[swinnie]

This is wrong, i have installed Windows XP Professional/Home Edition SP1 & SP2 using my pre SP1/SP2 product keys, there was an issue that SP1 and SP2 CD's wouldn't except pre service pack product keys but microsoft sorted all that out.

That's probably where I was getting confused. I did hear about something strange with the SP1 and SP2 product keys.