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  • Question

  • I bought my pc with windows xp installed all ready I had to do a system recovery and did not recieve a recovery disk or a reinstallation disk with my pc. I did however reinstall windows ex with a friend of mines copy after being told I could download his copy and just use my key that is on the side of my modem from when I bought it. It doesnt work, and i cant use his key its all used up. There has to be a way Unfortuantely I bought it from circuit city so they wont help. Does anyone have any suggestions?
    Thank You
    Angel

    Wednesday, March 11, 2009 3:15 AM

Answers

  • Hey Angel :-)

    Thank you for posting in our forums. Sounds like the recovery partition was corrupt beyone use. Let me explain why using your friends Windows XP disc didn't work in your situation. As you know there are different versions of XP such as XP Professional, XP Home, XP Media Center 2004 and 2005 etc. Each version has a particular product key which allows for the installation to take place. So using a product key from XP Professional will not allow XP Home to install. We may be able to help. Who is the manufacture of your computer system? Was it built by the store or from a major manufacturer.



    Next there are other differences such as OEM-System Builder, OEM-SLP Versions and Retail. Below I will provide some explainations.  

    OEM-SLP: Computers built by large commercial manufacturers that come with Vista Pre-installed come with two (2) Product Keys; SLP and COA Key.  SLP stands for System Locked Pre-install. OEM manufacturer’s add an OEM identifier string to the system BIOS during manufacturing. Windows verifies this identifier during the boot process. In this way the end user will not be required to activate Windows. The OEM SLP Key is geared to work with the special instructions found on that Manufacturer’s computer hardware.  The Product Key is available on the COA sticker and not installed in the computer. For example all DELL OEM SLP Windows Vista systems use a single product key but the COA sticker on the machine contains the unique COA. The key located on the COA sticker should only be used in limited situations and requires telephone activation. Example should you require to reformate the computer the key from the COA sticker would be used.  

    OEM (System builder/COA): OEM license for XP comes with certain restrictions that make it less flexible, and therefore less expensive, than the retail license for Vista.  A major limitation is that the license is "married" to the computer onto which it is first installed, and the End User Licensing Agreement (EULA) states it is not permitted to be moved to any another computer.  One does not "lose their license" for XP if the motherboard becomes defective and has to be replaced.  If the computer owner chooses to use, or because of availability is forced to use, a board that is not a direct or identical replacement, there has to be a mechanism to accommodate these circumstances, and that is why a telephonic activation is authorized. To read your EULA, click Start>Run, type winver and click OK, then click on the link for the license terms or EULA.

    Single Retail User LicenseRetail licenses may be moved from one computer to another, as long as the license is activated on one computer at a time and as long as the previous installation of the license is removed from the previously licensed computer. Each Windows Vista installation has a unique product key associated with it.  System must be activated within 30 days of installation. After a 30 day grace period, the user will not be able to login to system without activation.


     

    Volume License Key (VLK): The Volume license is type of license, where each VLK customer will be given a single product key and they can use this key to install Windows Vista on multiple computers. No Activation is required. Hardware requirements are not verified. 



    Take care and post back who the manufacturer of your machine.


    Stephen


    Attention All Forum Users: Please Do Not post your issue in someone else's Thread...Create your own which will help minimize confusion. If any post fixes your issue, please click the "Post was Helpful" button for that post. This will help us showcase the threads that best help our customers. Thank you, Stephen Holm
    • Marked as answer by Stephen Holm Monday, March 16, 2009 5:21 PM
    Wednesday, March 11, 2009 5:02 PM

All replies

  • Ill try to  make this short. I had to do a full recovery. When I went to reinstall windows that was supposed to be stored on my pc, that was installed all ready when I bought it. Well it didn't it kept giving me an error message saying something like my ntsdr or was compressed. I could not find any other way to load windows xp so I borrowed an installation disk from a friend and was told when it asked for the key to put the key that came with my pc which is on the sticker on the side of my modem. Well everything went fine until I tried to put the key in Its telling me its invalid. Now because the disk I used to reinstall Windows wasn't mine and I guess there were all ready the max amount of people who could fully install xp with the validation key. I only have 13 days left until it is going to be deleted off my pc. I don't have the money to get a new disk, nor do i think I should have to just because windows was all ready installed in it when i bought it I shouldn't lose it when I have to fix things. I am in more trouble than usual though I got the pc at circuit city and they don't have any installation disks that they should have given me at the beginning but me being naive didn't even think about it. So if there is someone out there that can help me I would very much appreciate it. like I said I do have my own key on the side of my pc and windows xp did install fine, its just not going to stick around much longer.
    Thank You
    Angel
    Wednesday, March 11, 2009 3:00 AM
  • Hello Angels,

    We request all users initially run the Genuine Diagnostics tool to try and identify the issue you may be having.

    Download and run the utility at this link http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=52012 , then click the Windows tab, Copy [to Clipboard], then paste the report into your reply to this post.

    Next, tell us about the Certificate of Authenticity (CoA) for your Windows. Tell us:
    1. What edition of Windows XP is it for, Home, Pro, Tablet, or Media Center?
    2. For installations of XP that came with the computer (OEM):
        2a. Does it read "OEM Software" or "OEM Product" in black lettering?
        2b. Or, does it have the computer manufacturer's name in black lettering?
    3. For installations of XP purchased at retail, does the retail package have the CoA on the outer boxtop, and the Product Key printed on an orange label inside the folder that came in the box?
    4. DO NOT post the Product Key that may be printed on the CoA.
    5. Please also provide a short description of the issue you are experiencing.  (You did that already.)

    Please visit this page for detailed information and images of CoAs:  http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell/content.aspx?displaylang=en&pg=coa

    NOTE: The data collected with the Genuine Diagnostics Tool does NOT contain any information that can personally identify you and can be fully reviewed, by you, before being posted.


    For great advice on all topics XP, visit http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp
    Wednesday, March 11, 2009 4:17 AM
  • Hey Angel :-)

    Thank you for posting in our forums. Sounds like the recovery partition was corrupt beyone use. Let me explain why using your friends Windows XP disc didn't work in your situation. As you know there are different versions of XP such as XP Professional, XP Home, XP Media Center 2004 and 2005 etc. Each version has a particular product key which allows for the installation to take place. So using a product key from XP Professional will not allow XP Home to install. We may be able to help. Who is the manufacture of your computer system? Was it built by the store or from a major manufacturer.



    Next there are other differences such as OEM-System Builder, OEM-SLP Versions and Retail. Below I will provide some explainations.  

    OEM-SLP: Computers built by large commercial manufacturers that come with Vista Pre-installed come with two (2) Product Keys; SLP and COA Key.  SLP stands for System Locked Pre-install. OEM manufacturer’s add an OEM identifier string to the system BIOS during manufacturing. Windows verifies this identifier during the boot process. In this way the end user will not be required to activate Windows. The OEM SLP Key is geared to work with the special instructions found on that Manufacturer’s computer hardware.  The Product Key is available on the COA sticker and not installed in the computer. For example all DELL OEM SLP Windows Vista systems use a single product key but the COA sticker on the machine contains the unique COA. The key located on the COA sticker should only be used in limited situations and requires telephone activation. Example should you require to reformate the computer the key from the COA sticker would be used.  

    OEM (System builder/COA): OEM license for XP comes with certain restrictions that make it less flexible, and therefore less expensive, than the retail license for Vista.  A major limitation is that the license is "married" to the computer onto which it is first installed, and the End User Licensing Agreement (EULA) states it is not permitted to be moved to any another computer.  One does not "lose their license" for XP if the motherboard becomes defective and has to be replaced.  If the computer owner chooses to use, or because of availability is forced to use, a board that is not a direct or identical replacement, there has to be a mechanism to accommodate these circumstances, and that is why a telephonic activation is authorized. To read your EULA, click Start>Run, type winver and click OK, then click on the link for the license terms or EULA.

    Single Retail User LicenseRetail licenses may be moved from one computer to another, as long as the license is activated on one computer at a time and as long as the previous installation of the license is removed from the previously licensed computer. Each Windows Vista installation has a unique product key associated with it.  System must be activated within 30 days of installation. After a 30 day grace period, the user will not be able to login to system without activation.


     

    Volume License Key (VLK): The Volume license is type of license, where each VLK customer will be given a single product key and they can use this key to install Windows Vista on multiple computers. No Activation is required. Hardware requirements are not verified. 



    Take care and post back who the manufacturer of your machine.


    Stephen


    Attention All Forum Users: Please Do Not post your issue in someone else's Thread...Create your own which will help minimize confusion. If any post fixes your issue, please click the "Post was Helpful" button for that post. This will help us showcase the threads that best help our customers. Thank you, Stephen Holm
    • Marked as answer by Stephen Holm Monday, March 16, 2009 5:21 PM
    Wednesday, March 11, 2009 5:02 PM