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Anyway to use a genuine key (that I already own) without reinstalling? RRS feed

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    My Dell came with an OEM license of Windows XP Pro SP1. I had to install XP Pro SP2 a couple of months back at a friend's place because my harddrive conked out and I don't make it a habit to bring my own installation CDs with me. Anyway, I have my CD here and a copy of it slipstreamed with SP2 (yeps, this is still a Dell CD), my product key is firmly attached to the bottom of my laptop, is there any way for me to make use of this without doing a reinstall?
    Thursday, October 5, 2006 4:48 PM

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    ... I'm not really understanding your question. Your Hard-drive went out, but you don't want to re-install??? Could you elablorate a bit please?
    Thursday, October 5, 2006 5:07 PM

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    ... I'm not really understanding your question. Your Hard-drive went out, but you don't want to re-install??? Could you elablorate a bit please?
    Thursday, October 5, 2006 5:07 PM
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    I did the reinstall a number of months ago with my friend's Windows CD which did not accept the key at the bottom of my Dell, so he let me use a key he found on the net instead. When I restarted my computer today, I got a message from Microsoft that I was using a false key, for obvious reasons.

    Anyway, I already fixed the problem and ran KeyUpdateTool.exe and used my own license key. After going through product activation, everything seems to be normal.

    Thursday, October 5, 2006 5:22 PM