XP PRO VOLUME LICENSE ERROR FROM MICROSOFT - CAN'T PROPERLY ACTIVATE

Question

Hi All,

This has been a problem for me for a while. I have an Inspiron 9100 purchased from a legal reseller of Dell products. It came with original dell software disks for WinXP Pro. The disk has the license number right on the actual disk. This matches the Microsoft sticker on the bottom of my unit.

When I try to use Microsoft Update, I get the validation screen and ask to validate. I receive an error /

Why did my machine fail validation?

The product key found on your computer is from a Volume License Key (VLK), which has been blocked. A VLK is typically licensed to organizations who want to use multiple copies of Windows. However, if a VLK is reported as stolen or leaked, it is then blocked from passing through validation.

If you received a computer with a VLK, and you do not have a Volume License Agreement with Microsoft, then you may be a victim of software piracy. If this has happened to you, please see below for the steps you can take.

If you do have a Volume License Agreement with Microsoft, you believe you are using the appropriate VLK assigned to your organization, and your VLK has not been reported as stolen or lost, please contact your system administrator, Large Account Reseller (LAR), or Enterprise Software Advisor (ESA) to report the problem.

I can't seem to find the proper support options at Dell to determine how to fix this.

Anyone?

Thanks,

rickmktg · Answer

@dafried wrote:
Hi All,

This has been a problem for me for a while. I have an Inspiron 9100 purchased from a legal reseller of Dell products. It came with original dell software disks for WinXP Pro. The disk has the license number right on the actual disk. This matches the Microsoft sticker on the bottom of my unit.

When I try to use Microsoft Update, I get the validation screen and ask to validate. I receive an error /

Why did my machine fail validation?

The product key found on your computer is from a Volume License Key (VLK), which has been blocked. A VLK is typically licensed to organizations who want to use multiple copies of Windows. However, if a VLK is reported as stolen or leaked, it is then blocked from passing through validation.

If you received a computer with a VLK, and you do not have a Volume License Agreement with Microsoft, then you may be a victim of software piracy. If this has happened to you, please see below for the steps you can take.

If you do have a Volume License Agreement with Microsoft, you believe you are using the appropriate VLK assigned to your organization, and your VLK has not been reported as stolen or lost, please contact your system administrator, Large Account Reseller (LAR), or Enterprise Software Advisor (ESA) to report the problem.

I can't seem to find the proper support options at Dell to determine how to fix this.

Anyone?

Thanks,
Dell disks do not have a license number on the disk.

Dell's sticker says Dell on the sticker, Microsoft is much smaller.

You need to call your "legal reseller" as it's their issue.

tgsmith · Answer

Dafried,

If you do not receive satisfaction from your legal reseller, contact Dell and/or Microsoft directly. Had same problem with sealed Microsoft Windows XP Professional CD purchased from major office products retailer recently. Interesting thing is that the Genuine Microsoft Windows XP Pro gave basically the same message when trying to activate on a Dell 4100. Most retailers have a "not our problem" attitude on software problems (especially licensing issues) if package has been opened.

Dell Chat:
Dell Email:

https://support.dell.com/support/supportrequests/create.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&request=true&s=dhs

Dell Phone Support
1-800-624-9896

Lots of luck!

Tony

esquire · Answer

By the way, the Dell Windows XP license is an OEM license, not a VLK license.  If I remember correctly the VLK license strictly speaking is an upgrade license.

dafried · Answer

WOW!

To rickmktg, tgsmith, and esquire: I can't thank you enough for all jumping on this thread so quickly with thoughtful answers. You each obviously have experience and knowledge, but more importantly for me, your answers were helpful.

I will pursue the avenues you suggest and let you know....

Most Sincere Thanks :)

tgsmith · Answer

Esquire,

You remember correctly: http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/YourPC_do.mspx which says:

"A volume license (VL) agreement offers Windows upgrades—for example, you can use a VL agreement to upgrade a machine from Windows 2000 to Windows XP—but not to install the initial Windows license on a new machine. "

However, compare that official advice with http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326904 which says:

"If you are a Microsoft volume license customer and you have licenses for Windows XP Professional, perform a clean install of Windows XP on the computer that received the error message by using the Windows XP Professional media and the Volume License Product Key that is provided with your agreement. If you cannot perform a clean install, you must change the product ID. "

Dafried's Windows XP Pro apparently has an activated license, but the Windows Update site's Validation test detects a Volume License and not a Dell OEM License. Perhaps Dafried should download keyfinder and see if his Product Key matches the one on his CD and the Microsoft label.

Dafried, you can download keyfinder from here: http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml .

Let us know what you find.

Tony

Denny Denham · Answer

tgsmith,

Dafried's Windows XP Pro apparently has an activated license, but the Windows Update site's Validation test detects a Volume License and not a Dell OEM License. Perhaps Dafried should download keyfinder and see if his Product Key matches the one on his CD and the Microsoft label.

Dafried, you can download keyfinder from here: http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml .

That keyfinder, as well as Belarc and Aida, return something which appears to be a volume licensing key. None of them has ever, in my memory, returned the Product ID listed on the sticker on the computer. I suspect the business which installed the version of XP in question obtained the Product ID using one of those key finders.

esquire · Answer

@tgsmith wrote:

However, compare that official advice with http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326904 which says:

"If you are a Microsoft volume license customer and you have licenses for Windows XP Professional, perform a clean install of Windows XP on the computer that received the error message by using the Windows XP Professional media and the Volume License Product Key that is provided with your agreement. If you cannot perform a clean install, you must change the product ID. "

Thanks Tony.

Yes, one can perform a clean install using a VLK Product Key, but the user license remains an upgrade license - just like one can perform a clean install physically using a retail Windows XP upgrade CD :smileywink:

tgsmith · Answer

Esquire, Yes.  That's what I suspect has happened to Dafried.  I'm sure he has a legitimate Microsoft license, but apparently a VLK CD was used to install XP Pro on the computer.  That's why I suggested he download keyfinder.  To see if the Product Key of his Windows XP Pro installation matches the one on his COA.  Probably should have just asked him to right click on My Computer, left click on Properties and see if Product ID has OEM in it.  If it does, then I reckon I'll have to rethink my theory.   Tony

dafried · Answer

Hey All - thanks for keeping on this with me.

I checked under My Computer under System I don't see anything OEM. It says:

Microsoft Windows XP
Professional
Version 2002
Service Pack 2

I ran the keyfinder program to see my own machine key and it says the same number as printed on my Dell Disks and on the Microsoft label on the bottom of my laptop.

Does any of this help? I sent an email to my VAR about the issue as well.

Thanks,

Message Edited by dafried on 03-17-2006 09:27 PM

esquire · Answer

The word OEM should appear as part of your Product ID if an OEM Product Key is used (see below).  I believe this becomes  640 and 642 if a VLK Product Key is used instead.  There might be other numbers shown as a VLK Product ID but with all the pirated copies I've seen, these two numbers are the most common. (Hint Hint)         Does your Certicate of Authenticity (CoA) label on the underside of your notebook has the DELL word on it (right beneath Windows XP Professional)?     Message Edited by esquire on 03-18-2006 12:06 PM

tgsmith · Answer

Dafried,

Yes, definitely helps. Don't have SP2 on this old bench machine, so I'm not 100% certain that the lack of a Product ID; i.e., xxxxx-OEM-xxxxxxx-xxxxx below "System" and "Registered to" is significant. However, I've been doing some checking. Microsoft recommends turning on Automatic Updates if you haven't done so already to be sure you get critical security updates while troubleshooting your validation problem.

Microsoft also recommends that you run the Windows Genuine Advantage Diagnostics to help identify your problem. Genuine Advantage Diagnostic Site is here: http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/diag/

Hope this info helps get to the bottom of your problem.

Tony

dafried · Answer

Again, thanks for hanging in with me on this.

First, there is no OEM anywhere on this screen, including where you indicate, esquire - thanks for the screen shot.

Secondly, the label on the bottom of my laptop has "DELL" in the upper left hand, above and to the left of the number (the one that matches).

I followed the Geniune link you provided, tgsmith, and I ran WGADiag2.exe from Microsoft. It returns with a summary screen showing my "Validation Status" as "Blocked VLK". I do get the critical updates as recommended.

Lately, I get lockups while playing World of Warcraft (yes, I am too old for this game, but it's addictive) and the ATI video driver seems to be the cause.

Thanks

Message Edited by dafried on 03-19-2006 11:01 PM

XPguy2 · Answer

I see all the older dates on this issue, but my PC just started to have the "Ileagle Windows Professional " within the past few months. I'm blocked by Microsoft for updates, and receive a constant reminder of being illeagle from Microsoft Advantage. I'm soooooooooooooo disapointed with Dell, in making it easier to resolve this issue, since it apparently has affected so many Dell PC users. I've spent litterally 10's of hours trying to locate who, what, when and where to resolve it. Ihn my family, I'm responsible for 9 Dell PC's, due to recomendations by me. I've had 3, and recommended 9 sales ot family members.

How can I recommend DELL anymore? Excuse any typos.

theflash1932 · Answer

I find it really hard to excuse typos ... sorry :)

The resolution path may be a Dell thing, but the cause of the problem is not ... it is due to corruption in the OS which can and does happen to every PC regardless of make/model or OS version. It can happen because of failing hardware (also not brand-specific), unexpected shutdowns (natural events, user error, bad updates, etc.), hardware/software added to the machine, and simple file system errors during the course of normal use. Besides 1/9 computers is having a problem, as defined by the problem you listed? That's pretty good I'd say in the computer world.

What exactly have you tried? and what were their outcomes? If you cannot resolve the activation issue, you can always save your data and reinstall. Not the funnest fix, but will work.

Windows General

XP PRO VOLUME LICENSE ERROR FROM MICROSOFT - CAN'T PROPERLY ACTIVATE

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