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17561
June 5th, 2005 21:00
Cannot reinstall Windows 2000 Server with legit COA Product Key
I have just purchased a used Dell PowerEdge 2400 with a legitimate OEM license of Windows 2000 Server. Since the drives were shipped separately (too heavy for one box) and yet mislabeled, the PERC hardware drive array's NVRAM memory went sour on bootup due to the scrambled ordering of drives. Regardless of the number of retries at resynchronizing the disk array information with NVRAM, it was ultimately necessary to nuke the information and start over...
But now even with the legitimate product key from the sticker on the side and a copy of the "Windows 2000 Server" disc I am unable to reinstall the operating system, receiving an "invalid key" error message. I know the product key to be good. I assume that I must now attempt to find a "Windows 2000 Server *OEM*" disc for the installation to work. This is ridiculous!
Reading in other threads here I see that Dell doesn't have the "media only" disc product, referring people to go elsewhere and purchase a second OEM license of the software (actually "Windows 2000 Professional" in one case at an additional cost of $149).
Questions:
1) Why doesn't Dell provide the media-only version of the disc without a product key to support their computer?
2) If I do purchase an OEM disc (and thus a second full license of Windows 2000 Professional), can I install it as Windows 2000 Server using the Product Key on my computer?
3) If I have to purchase an OEM disc of Windows 2000 Server, this will cost me at least $299 for a second legitimate copy of the operating system. Can I actually succeed in installing an OEM copy onto the server? (In the past, an OEM copy for NT Server v4.0 did not come with a complete product key--it was necessary to determine the three-digit manufacturer's ID for your computer brand in order to be successful. Is this still the case for Windows 2000 Server OEM, for example?)
4) Is there a *media-only* version of the "Windows 2000 Server OEM" disc, *without* a product key? If so, what is its Microsoft product number?
But now even with the legitimate product key from the sticker on the side and a copy of the "Windows 2000 Server" disc I am unable to reinstall the operating system, receiving an "invalid key" error message. I know the product key to be good. I assume that I must now attempt to find a "Windows 2000 Server *OEM*" disc for the installation to work. This is ridiculous!
Reading in other threads here I see that Dell doesn't have the "media only" disc product, referring people to go elsewhere and purchase a second OEM license of the software (actually "Windows 2000 Professional" in one case at an additional cost of $149).
Questions:
1) Why doesn't Dell provide the media-only version of the disc without a product key to support their computer?
2) If I do purchase an OEM disc (and thus a second full license of Windows 2000 Professional), can I install it as Windows 2000 Server using the Product Key on my computer?
3) If I have to purchase an OEM disc of Windows 2000 Server, this will cost me at least $299 for a second legitimate copy of the operating system. Can I actually succeed in installing an OEM copy onto the server? (In the past, an OEM copy for NT Server v4.0 did not come with a complete product key--it was necessary to determine the three-digit manufacturer's ID for your computer brand in order to be successful. Is this still the case for Windows 2000 Server OEM, for example?)
4) Is there a *media-only* version of the "Windows 2000 Server OEM" disc, *without* a product key? If so, what is its Microsoft product number?
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anony-mouse
6 Posts
0
June 12th, 2005 19:00
Really, though, this is ridiculous. I have purchased Compaq brand servers in the past and I rarely get this kind of support over there. Does anyone want to buy this Dell server? It's useless to me since it doesn't have an operating system on it.
Hydralisk00222
2 Intern
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2.4K Posts
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June 14th, 2005 00:00
anony-mouse
6 Posts
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June 14th, 2005 16:00