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@homerkoz wrote:

Hello

I am repairing a friends computer. Dell Dimension 2400. So much spyware, adware, and hackware I had to reformat the drive. Tried to clean it but no go. So I took one of my WindowsXP Home Edition CDs and started to reinstall Windows. Well after the format and windows setup starting I was promted to input the product key. I did using the product key on the side panel label. I keep getting "The CD Key you entered in not valid". I have tried this several times. Even tried the whole installation processed over twice. No go. I entered one of my product keys. The setup took it. I did not proceed with the install after it accepted my key.  I have installed many systems on computers using my WindowsXP Home CD and the owners product key. Why will it not work with this Dell install?

BTW: The friend only gave me several disks none of which are the OS CD. HE told me that is all he has. ??

Peace,

=PCK=

Your friend's product key is for a Dell OEM copy of Windows XP.

All Dell computers come with Windows, so your friend must have lost it.

Well I never ran into this situation. I have reformated several Dell systems. I have been told that product keys are not unique to the Windows CD. They are unique to them selves. I have always used my CD of Windows and inputed the persons product key. I understand what you are saying. What is my solution? Going through Dell or Microsoft for the proper product key?

Peace,

=PCK=

I am helping a friend with a Dell 4300. It is gummed up pretty bad and I was thinking of re-installing WINXP. But during our diagnosis I ran several utilities including Belarc advisor and they all give the same XP product key which is different than the product key on the MicroSoft tag on the side of the Dell 4300.  Any reason why this should be and will we have a problem if we try to re-install using the product key on the computer?  (we have the Dell re-install disks) This user bought the system new from Dell and doesn't know of any reason a different product key should be in windows.

Thank you very much. So I can put my key in and then change it to his after the install. Very good.

Peace,

=PCK=

The product key returned by Belarc Advisor is the multiple-license product key used by Dell to install XP. The individual Product ID on the sticker on the case will work (and it is prudent to write that number down somewhere safe in the event the sticker is damaged).

For installing XP using a different CD, it can be done. The Product ID of a CD is unique to that CD and has been since Windows 95 came out on CD. After installing XP using a different CD than the one that accompanied the computer, the Product ID of the installation can be changed to that on the computer's case using the procedure here.

What has been suggested will, in my experience,  work.

Although I would like to point-out that it may be related to the fact that a different service pack is installed on the 2 XP Home CD's. I have had a similar problem with Windows 2000 CD's, my CD-Key from SP1 which came with the computer did not work with the newer SP3 CD....

As for the key being unique to the CD, I kind of doubt it. Legally, maybe so, but technically you can use any Windows XP Pro SP1 installation CD and use your WinXP Pro SP1 CD-key with it. I install several laptops a week (ranging from Inspiron 2650 to 5150, and more) and I always use the same installation CD, but with the machine's CD-key, no problem. Although it may apply when using a retail CD to install to a Dell machine, as I have not tried that.... but the other way around works.

Regards,

Rick

once, i tried using my retail version of win xp, and when i entered the "oem" product key, it said that the product key was not a valid key..

is that a type-error in those instructions, where it says some thing about "echo", in the second line? i don't follow what it is saying about "click echo is on"..

1. Start Windows XP.
2. Click Start, and then click ECHO is on. Run.

Message Edited by redwolfe_98 on 07-07-2004 05:38 PM

Richard, you are right. I was using a WindowsXP RTM CD and trying to put in his key from the original install which was WindowsXP SP1. Very interesting! I used the work around listed above. It worked. But note that MS has taken off the Microsoft Knowledge Base article Q321636 listed on linked site. BTW: I heard that SP2 is coming out soon.

Peace,

-PCK-