URGENT- Invalid Code- Retail XP Home Upgrade (last day to replace at store-maybe)

  • Thread starter Thread starter Doug Knox MS-MVP
  • Start date Start date
I got a Windows XP SP2 Home Upgrade- *Retail*. for one of our two homebuilt
PCs, that will soon be partially upgraded. It was the next to last day to
return
it, so I had to check it for defects. (Actually, their policy isn't even
clear that they would replace it. And I usually read policies carefully.)

I bought it from an office super store.
It looks factory sealed to me. The CD looks fine. I attempted a clean
install,
as usual. (The other PC has another copy of WinXP)

If installed successfully, I know I would then have 30 days to use it w/o
activating; in the meantime I would have the PC upgraded, and then could
re-install it and activate.

I get 'The CD Key which you entered is invalid'. And I read MS's article
about this before asking. No, I am not misreading the letters/numbers. I
even had someone else double check it. I made settings changes in the BIOS
regarding it's virus checker and others.

Maybe a typo on the ID sticker on the back of the folder. So, maybe I need a
new key?
How is the wait time with MS phones?
A defective CD or CD-ROM drive?

*I haven't found anyone else having this error for a new retail install. I
am an experienced builder, so I am perplexed with this.
My luck, for testing, it might be just this old PC being problematic.Maybe,
when the PC is upgraded it might be fine, but who knows.

I was thinking of trying MS for a new key. If key fails, try for a new CD
from the vendor. If not, get MS to replace the CD.

Thanks,
QZ
 
QZ said:
I got a Windows XP SP2 Home Upgrade- *Retail*. for one of our two homebuilt
PCs, that will soon be partially upgraded. It was the next to last day to
return
it, so I had to check it for defects. (Actually, their policy isn't even
clear that they would replace it. And I usually read policies carefully.)

I bought it from an office super store.
It looks factory sealed to me. The CD looks fine. I attempted a clean
install,
as usual. (The other PC has another copy of WinXP)

If installed successfully, I know I would then have 30 days to use it w/o
activating; in the meantime I would have the PC upgraded, and then could
re-install it and activate.

I get 'The CD Key which you entered is invalid'. And I read MS's article
about this before asking. No, I am not misreading the letters/numbers. I
even had someone else double check it. I made settings changes in the BIOS
regarding it's virus checker and others.

Maybe a typo on the ID sticker on the back of the folder. So, maybe I need a
new key?
How is the wait time with MS phones?
A defective CD or CD-ROM drive?

*I haven't found anyone else having this error for a new retail install. I
am an experienced builder, so I am perplexed with this.
My luck, for testing, it might be just this old PC being problematic.Maybe,
when the PC is upgraded it might be fine, but who knows.

I was thinking of trying MS for a new key. If key fails, try for a new CD
from the vendor. If not, get MS to replace the CD.

Thanks,
QZ
 
Did the current version of Windows on your PC come preinstalled by the
computer manufacturer (OEM), or was it a retail version you installed?

Retail upgrades will not work on OEM versions.

Tom
"QZ" <nothing> wrote in message |I got a Windows XP SP2 Home Upgrade- *Retail*. for one of our two homebuilt
| PCs, that will soon be partially upgraded. It was the next to last day to
| return
| it, so I had to check it for defects. (Actually, their policy isn't even
| clear that they would replace it. And I usually read policies carefully.)
|
| I bought it from an office super store.
| It looks factory sealed to me. The CD looks fine. I attempted a clean
| install,
| as usual. (The other PC has another copy of WinXP)
|
| If installed successfully, I know I would then have 30 days to use it w/o
| activating; in the meantime I would have the PC upgraded, and then could
| re-install it and activate.
|
| I get 'The CD Key which you entered is invalid'. And I read MS's article
| about this before asking. No, I am not misreading the letters/numbers. I
| even had someone else double check it. I made settings changes in the BIOS
| regarding it's virus checker and others.
|
| Maybe a typo on the ID sticker on the back of the folder. So, maybe I need
a
| new key?
| How is the wait time with MS phones?
| A defective CD or CD-ROM drive?
|
| *I haven't found anyone else having this error for a new retail install. I
| am an experienced builder, so I am perplexed with this.
| My luck, for testing, it might be just this old PC being
problematic.Maybe,
| when the PC is upgraded it might be fine, but who knows.
|
| I was thinking of trying MS for a new key. If key fails, try for a new CD
| from the vendor. If not, get MS to replace the CD.
|
| Thanks,
| QZ
|
|
|
|
 
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--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| I got a Windows XP SP2 Home Upgrade- *Retail*. for one of our two homebuilt
| PCs, that will soon be partially upgraded. It was the next to last day to
| return
| it, so I had to check it for defects. (Actually, their policy isn't even
| clear that they would replace it. And I usually read policies carefully.)
|
| I bought it from an office super store.
| It looks factory sealed to me. The CD looks fine. I attempted a clean
| install,
| as usual. (The other PC has another copy of WinXP)
|
| If installed successfully, I know I would then have 30 days to use it w/o
| activating; in the meantime I would have the PC upgraded, and then could
| re-install it and activate.
|
| I get 'The CD Key which you entered is invalid'. And I read MS's article
| about this before asking. No, I am not misreading the letters/numbers. I
| even had someone else double check it. I made settings changes in the BIOS
| regarding it's virus checker and others.
|
| Maybe a typo on the ID sticker on the back of the folder. So, maybe I need a
| new key?
| How is the wait time with MS phones?
| A defective CD or CD-ROM drive?
|
| *I haven't found anyone else having this error for a new retail install. I
| am an experienced builder, so I am perplexed with this.
| My luck, for testing, it might be just this old PC being problematic.Maybe,
| when the PC is upgraded it might be fine, but who knows.
|
| I was thinking of trying MS for a new key. If key fails, try for a new CD
| from the vendor. If not, get MS to replace the CD.
|
| Thanks,
| QZ
 
As I said, homebuilt and atteptted a clean install. I inserted a retail copy
of Windows ME for verification.
 
Yes, I am going to call them, give them the faulty key, and hopefully they
give me a new key. I assume that is how it works.
 
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