XP won't accept product key off COA sticker

[janger]

I really need help with this.

A client's computer has snuffed it due to viruses wreaking havoc. It won't boot as I think winlogon.exe has been corrupted. They tried a repair install using someone elses cd as they never got one with their pc and the company is no longer around. They didn't realise their product key wouldn't work with a retail cd so now their system is hosed and there's no way of getting to the old registry to check the installed PID etc. The case has an authentic COA sticker on it but the product key keeps coming up invalid with all the XP cds I've tried. CHECKPIDS shows it is an OEM key so not having an OEM disc myself, created discs from several of my retail cds with the CID code changed to 'OEM' but none of them would accept the product key. So I finally borrowed a friends genuine OEM cd and the product key still isn't being accepted.

So why is this? The COA sticker is one with the company's name on it. I thought these keys should work with any OEM XP disc (although will need activation), and specific oembios files aren't needed. Am I wrong?

[samg]

My understanding is that only the companys keys will work with the companys CD. For instances, a Dell COA sticker on the side of the PC will only work will Dell CD's.

If I am right, you need to get a new licence! This is the issue with buying cheaper OEM PC's.

[tunafish]

It sound sto me like you need an OEM cd :)

[bryonhowley]

You will have to use Telephone activation and that should do it. As long as you are using a OEM cd with the SKU as the key. Having installed quite a few Dell and HP's I have always have had to use Phone activation to get them to work.

[janger]

If I am right, you need to get a new licence! This is the issue with buying cheaper OEM PC's.

LOL! Yeah I know that, and now they do too.

But everything I've read today seems to suggest the product key on the COA sticker should work with any OEM cd (as long as it's the same type - home pro etc), and it's only when an SLP key is used the oembios files are required. Is this incorrect? If so there's a lot of people who must be in some sort of hallucinogenic psychosis, many IT pros say they do it all the time.

There's a microsoft page that mentions obtaining replacement media if the system builder is no longer in business. Does anyone know what it would cost? And how does that work, if illmonkey is correct? How does MS supply these supposed required 'company' files? Or do they just issue a new normal OEM cd and new product key?

It sound sto me like you need an OEM cd :)

But why can others use someone elses OEM cd? What makes this pc - or the product key - so different? The cd I borrowed from a friend is legit - it's one of those you get when you visit a computer store and swap for a few bits of paper, rather than revving up the ol' p2p software.

What's the chances the COA sticker could be fake? It looks to be real, and checkpids showed all the info about the key (OEM, class etc). Will MS let me know if I ring them?

[janger]

You will have to use Telephone activation and that should do it. As long as you are using a OEM cd with the SKU as the key. Having installed quite a few Dell and HP's I have always have had to use Phone activation to get them to work.

Mate, that's what I was hoping to achieve. But I can't even install it to get it activated. It just keeps saying the key is invalid and you can't get past that step without a key. I've tried with several XP Pro cd's (some slipstreamed and some not), and with all the PID's shown here for OEM discs.

[sc302 Veteran]

Mate, that's what I was hoping to achieve. But I can't even install it to get it activated. It just keeps saying the key is invalid and you can't get past that step without a key. I've tried with several XP Pro cd's (some slipstreamed and some not), and with all the PID's shown here for OEM discs.

you cannot get a retail cd to work with an oem key and you can't get a retail key to work with an oem cd. If you have a dell computer you can use a hp disk and vice versa, if the cd hasn't been coded for the manufacturer's particular bios (dell's have not, on their business end, neither has hp on their business end). If you are trying to use a home key on a pro cd it won't work either. you can't even get a oem or retail disk to work with a open license/corporate key. you need the correct disk for the correct license.

[janger]

you cannot get a retail cd to work with an oem key and you can't get a retail key to work with an oem cd. If you have a dell computer you can use a hp disk and vice versa, if the cd hasn't been coded for the manufacturer's particular bios (dell's have not, on their business end, neither has hp on their business end). If you are trying to use a home key on a pro cd it won't work either. you can't even get a oem or retail disk to work with a open license/corporate key. you need the correct disk for the correct license.

So that stuff about changing the PID value in setupp.ini to make the installer accept OEM keys is bogus?

Anyway, AFAIK this is an OEM key. The COA sticker has the manufacturer/system builder's name on it. When the key is checked with chkpids the 'grade' of the key is shown as "OEM-PRO-SP3-RET-82860A56". So I've been trying to install using a legit hologrammed XP Pro OEM cd, which matches the OS written on the COA. It will not accept the key.

What I've read says oembios files etc are not needed if using the key from the COA sticker, and any OEM cd with the same flavour (home, pro etc) can be used, but it will need phone activation since MS disabled net activation for these keys.

So why can't I get this to accept the key? I need a legit reason to tell these people why they have no choice but to purchase a new cd/licence.

Is there any chance MS would hand out a new key in this scenario?

BTW, when you do a repair install of XP, does the registry get totally overwritten straight away? Or is there a chance the PID from the original install is still in there until another key is entered correctly during the repair installation?

[bryonhowley]

The only way I have every got it to work is with a genuine OEM disc. Changing the PID has never worked for me as you said it will not accept the key. You will need a OEM disc for whatever version the certificate of authenticity is for Home Pro whatever.

[Sikh]

illmonkey is wrong.

I figured this out when I built this computer and my old one was no longer being used / into peices. I then wanted to "transfer" the copy of XP over to this computer.

What I figured out was, retail cd's wsnt working and using an emachines(old computer) cd would install xp AND its drivers for the hardware that was in the computer. Which would not make sense.

So I kept doing the research until i figured out that I need an OEM CD.

I cant tell you how, but its obivious. Find a copy of XP HOME OEM. Then burn to a CD and install, it will work perfectly.

Did for me. Phone activation is required after you activate a OEM Key 25+ times.(i should know, I ran into that problem last year when I reformated. I use to reformat every month and have owned this computer for a year in which ive been software testing among other things and need to reformat 2-3 times a month).

But if you do it right. Phone activation is easy, just tedious becuase of the A-J boxes that you have to put into the phone and then listen to the automated system repeat another A-J boxes of digits.

But use OEM CD and it will work.

[.bin]

To wrap it all up in a quick sentence: OEM can only be activated on one set of hardware (~25 times), if you're having issues with activating on hardware that hasn't been altered, ring Microsoft Telephone support and get them to give you a new key. From there, they can check the previous OEM Installation ID and compare it to your current.

[sc302 Veteran]

So that stuff about changing the PID value in setupp.ini to make the installer accept OEM keys is bogus?

Anyway, AFAIK this is an OEM key. The COA sticker has the manufacturer/system builder's name on it. When the key is checked with chkpids the 'grade' of the key is shown as "OEM-PRO-SP3-RET-82860A56". So I've been trying to install using a legit hologrammed XP Pro OEM cd, which matches the OS written on the COA. It will not accept the key.

What I've read says oembios files etc are not needed if using the key from the COA sticker, and any OEM cd with the same flavour (home, pro etc) can be used, but it will need phone activation since MS disabled net activation for these keys.

So why can't I get this to accept the key? I need a legit reason to tell these people why they have no choice but to purchase a new cd/licence.

Is there any chance MS would hand out a new key in this scenario?

BTW, when you do a repair install of XP, does the registry get totally overwritten straight away? Or is there a chance the PID from the original install is still in there until another key is entered correctly during the repair installation?

I have never done this as I have always had a cd that would work with what ever code I had. I have corp cd's, oem cd's (generic and hp/gateway/dell), and retail cds. My suggestion if the "hack" isn't working for you to use the correct cd with the correct type of cd key. I am guessing the hack isn't working too well for you. I would not use a oem hologramed cd, I would use a dell or hp xp cd. I have personally never had luck with generic oem disks (although some have). I am sure you have enough people around you to get a hp or dell disk to try.

when you do a repair the original key gets overwritten.

Edited March 25, 2009 by sc302

[abysal]

I've ran into a similar scenario (client did not have the OEM CD for repair reinstall). I used a retail CD, then after the install finished I used the Microsoft key changer tool to change the serial key to the one on the out side of the case, then activated. of course the client still doesn't have OEM media in case this happens again.

http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/selfhelp/...49-ab945290357a

[janger]

Success!!! The problem was the usual mix of user error and impatience.

After several unsuccessful attempts on the clients computer I started testing this in VMware to speed things up - not :)

It turns out VMware sets the OEMID to 'vmware, inc' or similar by default, and I guess an XP OEM cd install checks this string and refuses to accept the otherwise valid key for whatever reason (I've never had trouble installing retail versions in a VM before).

All I had to do was add 'SMBIOS.reflectHost = TRUE' to the VM's options, which sets the VM's OEMID to that of the host, and it worked like a charm.

So I guess I should've mentioned I was attempting this in a VM.

Also I got around to testing the following:

1. Changing the PID in setupp.ini to 'xxxxxOEM' on an sp3 slipstreamed volume licence cd does not allow it to accept OEM keys.

2. Changing it on my sp3 slipstreamed academic upgrade cd does make it accept the OEM key!

I haven't tried a full retail version yet, but I'm guessing it should work fine. If so then all those people I've heard say you need to get a real OEM cd, or that it won't work with an SP3 slipstreamed cd, are wrong.

.janger.