BleepingComputer.com: Retail Windows & OEM Product Key

After putting a new larger HD into an eMachines system, I installed a retail copy of Windows XP Home which I had 'slipstreamed' with SP3 and all the security fixes since that was issued up until about a week ago. This is done quite routinely by thousands of people and works fine most of the time. This time, though, I hit a snag. I tried to use the Product Key printed on the back of the machine and the retail copy of Windows won't accept the key as valid. Well, the key IS valid. It's printed on the back of the machine. The product sticker on the back of the machine says it is for XP Home and the machine was purchased new in 2005 so it's got to be SP2. This retail copy is also XP Home SP2 (with updates slipstreamed into it). Surely there is a way to register a re-installed copy of Windows with the machine's original product key? Do you have to contact Microsoft directly (by phone) instead of going online? Or does the OEM offer some sort of option (like a patch for the key checking code)?

Most OEM product keys are special keys that only work when used on the OEM version of the OS and the original hardware. As far as I know, there's no way to use an OEM key for a retail version of Windows or vice versa. Why not just use the key that came with your retail install CD?

This post has been edited by Amazing Andrew: 26 October 2009 - 05:47 PM

Phone the appropriate parties for PA.

Many users have dumped the original installs by OEM (HP, Gateway, etc.) and accomplished clean installs with a full version of XP. In my case, I always had a license to go with the install (I have multiple licenses in my name) but I think I used the original license on some.

<<...and the retail copy of Windows won't accept the key as valid.>>

If you mean that the key is kicked out when attempting to complete the install...by all means call.

Louis

Problem solved: By copying the OEM version out of C:\Windows\i386 on the original HD and running the merge on that... then installing it. Also, got the original factory product key out of the old HD install and re-entered it. Now I've got pre-activated Windows just like the machine started with. But on a newer, faster and larger HD. ;)

<<The product sticker on the back of the machine says it is for XP Home and...>>

Should have been the same key registered within XP, no reason that I can think of where there should be a variance...that is the original factory key.

In any case, glad you resolved it...happy computing .

Louis