'incorrect' product key

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G

Guest

Hi,

I own a one year old ACER notebook which came with restore disks and
preactivated OS. However, I had to find another copy of Windows XP Home,
because the restore disks had become unreadable.
Because of a hard disk failure I had to reinstall and reactivate this copy
several times, but I always used the product key from the label on the back
of my laptop. An OEM license does not restrict one to use only the restore
disks to reinstall Windows, does it? I managed to activate every subsequent
install without any error messages.

However, when I tried to reinstall Windows on a recently replaced hard drive
and reactivate it, I get the error message of invalid product key (45128)
asking me to reenter it. I have triple checked the key, it isn't mistyped. It
seems that, for some reason, Microsoft blacklisted my legally acquired
product key.

The issue is that I don't know who to contact. Microsoft does not offer
support for OEM licenses, but this is clearly a Microsoft issue. Should I try
activating over phone? Or should I contact Acer?
 
Contact Acer for replacement CDs.
Recent changes prevent activating using the Product Key and a different CD
as you attempted..
The correct CDs will not have that problem.
 
The included OS is a German Windows XP Home. Does this mean that I won't be
able to use an English XP with my current, properly bought license?
 
That's correct. If your key is for a German OEM WinXP CD, then the new
policies put in place at MS will restrict you to activating only a German
OEM WinXP CD, and to narrow it down further, to one supplied by your OEM.
Best bet, run down to your friendly computer store, Best Buy, Staples,
Office Depot, Wally World, etc and pick up a retail full version of XP Home
or personally I'd get XP Pro - with either one you can do an
upgrade-in-place, enter the new product key and be on your way - you should
loose any installed applications or personal data files, but.. I'd backup my
personal data files just in case, as you never know.

--

Star Fleet Admiral Q @ your Service!

http://www.google.com
Google is your "Friend"
 
Thank both of you for the answers. I will try to contact Microsoft, let's see
what do they say, but I am definitely not going to buy a piece of software
twice.

At last resort I will use an activation crack with pure consience. The EULA
of the software I bought does not restrict me to the restore disks.
 
This is going to cause us no end of grief. We have 80 Tablet PCs to reimage
in the next week or so, and everyone we have tried so far has exhibited this
problem.

Does MS intend to prevent the use of ghosting programs for bulk
installations and (especially) reinstallations?

Is there any way around this? We simply cannot individually rebuild each of
these machines.
 
Hi,

It is this kind of malicious
arrogance, that has killed every
computer company, that ever got
successful.
(There are hardware
exceptions; but I don't recall a
single software vendor, that
didn't offend enough customers,
to go out of business.)

The corporate mercenaries
become so totally isolated from
the users, and customers; that
they start behaving as though
their company existed alone, on
some deserted island.

The computer marketplace, is
more like a jury trial, where
it's better to let many bad
people go (This time.), than to
punish the wrong man - even once.

Memories are long; and you
only screw a man once, when
you're asking him for his money.

Ken .








On Fri, 12 Aug 2005 16:04:25
 
Why support Microsoft's paranoia?

Microsoft is adding all these stupid rules because they're afraid of Ubuntu. Ubuntu does everything Windows does without activation or viruses. Many computer stores are building systems with Ubuntu now since people are sick of Windows and all it's problems. Once I found Ubuntu, I never went back to Windows - and that's something Microsoft should be afraid of, because Microsoft's products just plain suck.

Jupiter Jones [MVP] said:
Contact Acer for replacement CDs.
Recent changes prevent activating using the Product Key and a different CD
as you attempted..
The correct CDs will not have that problem.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
http://www.dts-l.org


"gyelod" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi,
>
> I own a one year old ACER notebook which came with restore disks and
> preactivated OS. However, I had to find another copy of Windows XP Home,
> because the restore disks had become unreadable.
> Because of a hard disk failure I had to reinstall and reactivate this copy
> several times, but I always used the product key from the label on the
> back
> of my laptop. An OEM license does not restrict one to use only the restore
> disks to reinstall Windows, does it? I managed to activate every
> subsequent
> install without any error messages.
>
> However, when I tried to reinstall Windows on a recently replaced hard
> drive
> and reactivate it, I get the error message of invalid product key (45128)
> asking me to reenter it. I have triple checked the key, it isn't mistyped.
> It
> seems that, for some reason, Microsoft blacklisted my legally acquired
> product key.
>
> The issue is that I don't know who to contact. Microsoft does not offer
> support for OEM licenses, but this is clearly a Microsoft issue. Should I
> try
> activating over phone? Or should I contact Acer?
Click to expand...
 
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