Guest Danny B Posted September 13, 2007 Posted September 13, 2007 I have a valid product key for an emachine I bought. I am re-loading Windows XP on this machine but the product key will not work. (Yes I triple checked and had someone else verify that I did it correctly) Are the product keys generic enough to work on any load of Windows XP? How do I fix this problem?
Guest Test Man Posted September 13, 2007 Posted September 13, 2007 Re: Product Key No, you need the specific CD corresponding to the product key e.g. if it's a Professional retail version product key, you need the Professional retail CD. "Danny B" <Danny B@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:BE051C63-4B0D-4BF4-B8F2-2839941F6BAF@microsoft.com... > I have a valid product key for an emachine I bought. I am re-loading > Windows > XP on this machine but the product key will not work. (Yes I triple > checked > and had someone else verify that I did it correctly) > > Are the product keys generic enough to work on any load of Windows XP? > > How do I fix this problem?
Guest David B. Posted September 13, 2007 Posted September 13, 2007 Re: Product Key The product key that shipped with your emachine is OEM, you are likely trying to install from a retail XP CD, as you found out it won't work, you need to use an OEM CD. -- ---- Crosspost, do not multipost http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm How to ask a question http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375 How to Post http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm _________________________________________________________________________________ "Danny B" <Danny B@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:BE051C63-4B0D-4BF4-B8F2-2839941F6BAF@microsoft.com... >I have a valid product key for an emachine I bought. I am re-loading >Windows > XP on this machine but the product key will not work. (Yes I triple > checked > and had someone else verify that I did it correctly) > > Are the product keys generic enough to work on any load of Windows XP? > > How do I fix this problem?
Guest Harry Ohrn Posted September 13, 2007 Posted September 13, 2007 Re: Product Key The e-machine product key on the sticker is an OEM key, very likely for XP Home version. You will need an OEM version of XP Home for the key to have any chance of working. Retail versions of XP Home or any type of XP Pro won't work with an OEM XP Home key. The good news is that if you can find an OEM XP Home disc, and they should be very common, it is legal for you to make a copy of the disc and use it with your product key. -- Harry Ohrn MS MVP [shell\User] http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp "Danny B" <Danny B@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:BE051C63-4B0D-4BF4-B8F2-2839941F6BAF@microsoft.com... >I have a valid product key for an emachine I bought. I am re-loading >Windows > XP on this machine but the product key will not work. (Yes I triple > checked > and had someone else verify that I did it correctly) > > Are the product keys generic enough to work on any load of Windows XP? > > How do I fix this problem?
Guest Daave Posted September 13, 2007 Posted September 13, 2007 Re: Product Key "Danny B" <Danny B@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:BE051C63-4B0D-4BF4-B8F2-2839941F6BAF@microsoft.com... >I have a valid product key for an emachine I bought. I am re-loading >Windows > XP on this machine but the product key will not work. (Yes I triple > checked > and had someone else verify that I did it correctly) > > Are the product keys generic enough to work on any load of Windows XP? It's the other way around. You need to find a *CD* that's generic enough to match the Product Key. And that would be a generic OEM CD. A branded OEM CD probably won't work. A retail CD (full or upgrade) won't work. You need a generic OEM CD. Also, if it's an XP Home Product Key, you need an XP Home CD. In the event you can't find this type of CD and you don't wish (understandably) to purchase one, Emachines provided you with a means to restore your PC to its original state (if the PC didn't come with disks, you can probably access a hidden restore partition on your hard drive), so you may want to contact them. Or if you provide us the model number, perhaps we can help you.
Guest Bruce Chambers Posted September 13, 2007 Posted September 13, 2007 Re: Product Key Danny B wrote: > I have a valid product key for an emachine I bought. I am re-loading Windows > XP on this machine but the product key will not work. (Yes I triple checked > and had someone else verify that I did it correctly) > Are you using the OEM installation CD provided by eMachines, or a generic, unbranded OEM WinXP installation CD? If not, that's your answer. > Are the product keys generic enough to work on any load of Windows XP? > No. Product Keys are bound to the specific type and language of CD/license (OEM, Volume, retail, full, or Upgrade) 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 upgrade's Product Key cannot be used with a full version CD, 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 types cannot be mixed & matched. > How do I fix this problem? Obtain the installation CD from eMachines. Alternatively, you should be able to use a generic, unbranded OEM WinXP CD in conjunction with your Product Key. -- Bruce Chambers Help us help you: http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell
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