XP Home License key activation problem

sswats

sswats

sswats

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26 Mar 2004
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I have an old IBM X31 laptop I had bought 2nd hand.

There is no license key sticker on the bottom, but there was an IBM recovery partition. And when thats restored Windows passes genuine.

Problem is this partition is of an old version of windows, and i wanted a clean install.
So i used jellybean to recover the windows key for the Windows XP home. Loaded an OEM XP Home SP3 CD, formatted the whole drive and during the installation put the key in and everything went smoothly.

Now in windows it asks me to activate, so i do but it keeps telling me that the windows key I'm using is "unauthorized".

Any way to resolve this?
 
You will need to install the same version of XP... I.E> if the key was for XP Home OEM SP2, then thats what you need to install and activate... before updating to the newer service packs!
 
It's probably a key used specifically for restore media. They don't activate and you're supposed to use the key on the laptop. So basically you're screwed.
 
Too late, I've already formatted. can't get the old activation file.

I guess I'll try using an older version of XP. but I think it was SP1 on there. Don't know if I have an OEM of that. I'll scrounge around, I think I have a Dell one somewhere.

I swear its more effort to stay legit than go and start hacking windows.
 
Was it definitely xp home that was on it?

Had an issue with my thinkpad (which was xp pro) it wouldnt activate if you used a xp pro sp3 disk but would if you used a xp pro sp2 disk, activated then installed sp3.

Have never had this issue with xp home activations though.
 
Yeah definitely home.

As I said the key works during installation. it just when i try to activate that it says its unauthorized.
 
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