windows XP Key(Compaq COA) not working

[Guest Vaz]

Hi,

 

I recently purchased old Compaq PC with COA key(professional) from ebay, I

have the windows xp pro sp3 installer cd, When I enter the product

key(compaq xp pro coa) during installation it says invalid key,, Please let

me know how to solve this problem, what is causing the key to be invalid?

 

Thanks.

[Guest philo]

Re: windows XP Key(Compaq COA) not working

 

 

"Vaz" <Vaz@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:42CEB860-ED4F-467C-8606-406B7133147B@microsoft.com...

> Hi,

>

> I recently purchased old Compaq PC with COA key(professional) from ebay, I

> have the windows xp pro sp3 installer cd, When I enter the product

> key(compaq xp pro coa) during installation it says invalid key,, Please

let

> me know how to solve this problem, what is causing the key to be invalid?

>

> Thanks.

 

 

The Compaq probably has an OEM version of XP

and is therefore not valid with your CD.

 

If the CD you have has not been used to install XP

on another machine, you should be able to use the key that came with it.

 

Otherwise you *might* be able to get the OEM CD from Compaq

[Guest Malke]

Re: windows XP Key(Compaq COA) not working

 

Vaz wrote:

> Hi,

>

> I recently purchased old Compaq PC with COA key(professional) from ebay, I

> have the windows xp pro sp3 installer cd, When I enter the product

> key(compaq xp pro coa) during installation it says invalid key,, Please

> let

> me know how to solve this problem, what is causing the key to be invalid?

 

You're either using a retail version of XP SP3 or a branded OEM disk (Dell

for ex.) that is BIOS-locked to that particular OEM's motherboard. You need

a generic OEM XP install disk. Or, depending on the computer's age, it

might be worthwhile contacting HP-Compaq for recovery disks. If recovery

disks are available, they are very inexpensive and will have all the

drivers you need. Unfortunately, they'll also have all the old preinstalled

OEM garbage, but you can uninstall that.

 

Malke

--

MS-MVP

Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!

FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

[Guest Vaz]

Re: windows XP Key(Compaq COA) not working

 

Thanks for your answers,, I will try to get the restore cd from hp, its P4

system and hopefully they still sell the restore cd's.

 

"Malke" wrote:

> Vaz wrote:

>

> > Hi,

> >

> > I recently purchased old Compaq PC with COA key(professional) from ebay, I

> > have the windows xp pro sp3 installer cd, When I enter the product

> > key(compaq xp pro coa) during installation it says invalid key,, Please

> > let

> > me know how to solve this problem, what is causing the key to be invalid?

>

> You're either using a retail version of XP SP3 or a branded OEM disk (Dell

> for ex.) that is BIOS-locked to that particular OEM's motherboard. You need

> a generic OEM XP install disk. Or, depending on the computer's age, it

> might be worthwhile contacting HP-Compaq for recovery disks. If recovery

> disks are available, they are very inexpensive and will have all the

> drivers you need. Unfortunately, they'll also have all the old preinstalled

> OEM garbage, but you can uninstall that.

>

> Malke

> --

> MS-MVP

> Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!

> FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

>

>

[Guest Bruce Chambers]

Re: windows XP Key(Compaq COA) not working

 

Vaz wrote:

> Hi,

>

> I recently purchased old Compaq PC with COA key(professional) from ebay, I

> have the windows xp pro sp3 installer cd, When I enter the product

> key(compaq xp pro coa) during installation it says invalid key,, Please let

> me know how to solve this problem, what is causing the key to be invalid?

>

 

 

The key is being flagged as invalid because you're not using it with an

OEM installation CD.

 

Product Keys are bound to the specific type and language of

CD/license (OEM, Volume, retail, or full) with which they are purchased.

For example, a WinXP Home OEM Product Key won't work for any retail

version of WinXP Home, or for any version of WinXP Pro, and vice versa.

An OEM Product Key will not work to install a retail product. An

Italian Product Key will not work with an English CD. Bottom line:

Product Keys and CD/license types cannot usually (it's been reported

that the Product Key for a full license will work with an Upgrade CD) be

mixed & matched.

 

You would need to use either the original Compaq Recovery disk that

came with the computer, or an unbranded, generic OEM disk for the same

WinXP edition (Home vs. Pro) as that for which you have the license.

 

 

--

 

Bruce Chambers

 

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