Re-installing XP Home OEM - product key problem
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From: Jon on 2 Apr 2008 08:06 I tried to re-install XP Home on someone's PC, but it came up with an invalid product key message during installation. I used a XP Home Retail CD (borrowed from someone else) and typed in the product key from the label on PC that I was re-installing. He has XP Home OEM but wasn't supplied with an XP Home OEM CD, which is why I borrowed someone elses CD. I would like to do a clean install, rather than using a recovery partition. Presumably, the OEM product key was not compatible with the Retail disk. Can I use any XP Home OEM disk to re-install (eg supplied with someone elses PC)? If, for instance, I borrow one from someone with a DELL PC, will this still work on a non-DELL PC?
From: John John on 2 Apr 2008 09:23 You need to use an install disk from the same PC manufacturer. For example, you can't use a Dell cd on a Lenovo or on an HP machine. John Jon wrote: > I tried to re-install XP Home on someone's PC, but it came up with an invalid product key message > during installation. > > I used a XP Home Retail CD (borrowed from someone else) and typed in the product key from the label > on PC that I was re-installing. > > He has XP Home OEM but wasn't supplied with an XP Home OEM CD, which is why I borrowed someone elses > CD. I would like to do a clean install, rather than using a recovery partition. > > Presumably, the OEM product key was not compatible with the Retail disk. > > Can I use any XP Home OEM disk to re-install (eg supplied with someone elses PC)? If, for instance, > I borrow one from someone with a DELL PC, will this still work on a non-DELL PC? > >
From: Jon on 2 Apr 2008 10:27 Thanks for your reply John. It's a cheap and probably not very well-known brand called "medion", so I'm unlikely to find a disk. What are my options? Jon "John John" <audetweld(a)nbnet.nb.ca> wrote in message news:ehP2mSMlIHA.5080(a)TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl... You need to use an install disk from the same PC manufacturer. For example, you can't use a Dell cd on a Lenovo or on an HP machine. John Jon wrote: > I tried to re-install XP Home on someone's PC, but it came up with an invalid product key message > during installation. > > I used a XP Home Retail CD (borrowed from someone else) and typed in the product key from the > label > on PC that I was re-installing. > > He has XP Home OEM but wasn't supplied with an XP Home OEM CD, which is why I borrowed someone > elses > CD. I would like to do a clean install, rather than using a recovery partition. > > Presumably, the OEM product key was not compatible with the Retail disk. > > Can I use any XP Home OEM disk to re-install (eg supplied with someone elses PC)? If, for > instance, > I borrow one from someone with a DELL PC, will this still work on a non-DELL PC? > >
From: John John on 2 Apr 2008 11:48 You can try a "generic" OEM cd if you can borrow one. Many of the smaller system builders use these OEM disks instead of making their own branded versions. These OEM disks can be bought almost anywhere and many people who build their own computers use them instead of the full retail versions, maybe this disk will work with your license/Product ID number but I can't say for sure, you will have to try it and see. Otherwise you will have to buy a new cd and license, to keep costs lower you can buy an OEM cd or if you have an older "real" Windows cd (Windows 98/ME/NT/2000) that you can use as proof of ownership you can buy the less expensive upgrade cd. When you do the install with the upgrade cd you will be asked to insert the older Windows cd to verify that you have or own a previous qualifying version. John Jon wrote: > Thanks for your reply John. It's a cheap and probably not very well-known brand called "medion", so > I'm unlikely to find a disk. What are my options? > > Jon > > "John John" <audetweld(a)nbnet.nb.ca> wrote in message news:ehP2mSMlIHA.5080(a)TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl... > You need to use an install disk from the same PC manufacturer. For > example, you can't use a Dell cd on a Lenovo or on an HP machine. > > John > > Jon wrote: > >>I tried to re-install XP Home on someone's PC, but it came up with an invalid product key message >>during installation. >> >>I used a XP Home Retail CD (borrowed from someone else) and typed in the product key from the >>label >>on PC that I was re-installing. >> >>He has XP Home OEM but wasn't supplied with an XP Home OEM CD, which is why I borrowed someone >>elses >>CD. I would like to do a clean install, rather than using a recovery partition. >> >>Presumably, the OEM product key was not compatible with the Retail disk. >> >>Can I use any XP Home OEM disk to re-install (eg supplied with someone elses PC)? If, for >>instance, >>I borrow one from someone with a DELL PC, will this still work on a non-DELL PC? >> >> > > >
From: Jordan on 2 Apr 2008 13:13
Those smaller companies use a generic OEM CD so as long as it is a Microsoft CD and not a branded one you should be OK. One thing you need to watch out for is that you have the correct OEM CD version to go with that key. Right now if someone gives you a CD that has SP2c included your key will most likely not work. Original OEM, Sp1 and SP1a keys will all work with the same media, SP2 will only work with SP2 media, and SP2c will only work with SP2c keys. Now the question is how the heck do you know if your keycode on the bottom of that laptop is SP1, 1a, 2 or 2c. Well, its not 2c because that just came out a month or two ago. If it is rectangular, shiny, and has a blue border with white center and the holograms say "Microsoft GENUINE" at an angle it is most likely SP1 or 1a. If it is an odd bubble shape that is blue, yellow and green and the keycode is on the bottom and the bar codes are on the left and right then you have SP2. "John John" <audetweld(a)nbnet.nb.ca> wrote in message news:u27z5jNlIHA.5812(a)TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl... > You can try a "generic" OEM cd if you can borrow one. Many of the smaller > system builders use these OEM disks instead of making their own branded > versions. These OEM disks can be bought almost anywhere and many people > who build their own computers use them instead of the full retail > versions, maybe this disk will work with your license/Product ID number > but I can't say for sure, you will have to try it and see. > > Otherwise you will have to buy a new cd and license, to keep costs lower > you can buy an OEM cd or if you have an older "real" Windows cd (Windows > 98/ME/NT/2000) that you can use as proof of ownership you can buy the less > expensive upgrade cd. When you do the install with the upgrade cd you > will be asked to insert the older Windows cd to verify that you have or > own a previous qualifying version. > > John > > Jon wrote: > >> Thanks for your reply John. It's a cheap and probably not very well-known >> brand called "medion", so I'm unlikely to find a disk. What are my >> options? >> >> Jon >> >> "John John" <audetweld(a)nbnet.nb.ca> wrote in message >> news:ehP2mSMlIHA.5080(a)TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl... >> You need to use an install disk from the same PC manufacturer. For >> example, you can't use a Dell cd on a Lenovo or on an HP machine. >> >> John >> >> Jon wrote: >> >>>I tried to re-install XP Home on someone's PC, but it came up with an >>>invalid product key message >>>during installation. >>> >>>I used a XP Home Retail CD (borrowed from someone else) and typed in the >>>product key from the label >>>on PC that I was re-installing. >>> >>>He has XP Home OEM but wasn't supplied with an XP Home OEM CD, which is >>>why I borrowed someone elses >>>CD. I would like to do a clean install, rather than using a recovery >>>partition. >>> >>>Presumably, the OEM product key was not compatible with the Retail disk. >>> >>>Can I use any XP Home OEM disk to re-install (eg supplied with someone >>>elses PC)? If, for instance, >>>I borrow one from someone with a DELL PC, will this still work on a >>>non-DELL PC? >>> >>> >> >> >> > |