[ChemicalMonkey]

My computer originally had windows xp home edition put on it, and i still have the certificate of authenticity that has my product key on it.

I never got the windows cd with the computer so i downloaded a copy off the net and installed it, Its Windows XP Home Edition SP2.

When i put in my product key now it says its invalid, is that because it installs sp2 right off the bat?

If so, is there a way to uninstall sp2 and sp1 so its just plain home edition so i can register it?

and if not, is it even possible to get it registered with my old key if i contact microsoft? (for free that is)

[eyeCpc]

You downloaded off of the net? It sounds like a "bogus copy"!

Each copy of Windows regardless of version has "it's own"! product key! To see this mess cleaned up you need to buy a full verion copy even OEM of Windows and registar that along with seeing it activated.

Other then that there's nothing else that can advised here. Once you have a legitimate full version disk you can get help here with any problems installing along with repartitioning and reformatting the drive to see a clean install. The invalid message is simply due to being a different copy of Windows where the first product key is now useless!

[peterhuang913]

Each copy of XP DOES NOT have it's individual product key.

[ChemicalMonkey]

Originally Posted by peterhuang913

Each copy of XP DOES NOT have it's individual product key.

what he said...i can grab a product key off the net for SP2 and it will register just fine, but you wont be able to activate it since its most likely being used by someone else.

thats what i have done for now just to make sure it will install right, but i need a unused code to fully activate it. so eyecpc...get your facts right next time

[peterhuang913]

Originally Posted by ChemicalMonkey

what he said...i can grab a product key off the net for SP2 and it will register just fine, but you wont be able to activate it since its most likely being used by someone else.

thats what i have done for now just to make sure it will install right, but i need a unused code to fully activate it. so eyecpc...get your facts right next time

Exactly.

[EricB]

both of you are right.

there are 40 different version of xp around. some will only recognize certain keys
but OEM will recognize most key and retail will recognize a lot. home won't recognize pro or vice versa. single won't recognize corporate key.

[eyeCpc]

Originally Posted by peterhuang913

Each copy of XP DOES NOT have it's individual product key.

How to change the Volume Licensing product key on a computer that is running Windows XP SP1 and later versions of Windows XP
View products that this article applies to.
Article ID : 328874
Last Review : November 21, 2007
Revision : 7.2
This article was previously published under Q328874
Important This article contains information about how to modify the registry. Make sure to back up the registry before you modify it. Make sure that you know how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up, restore, and modify the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
256986 (Windows registry information for advanced users) Description of the Microsoft Windows registry


Warning The steps in the article are effective only on Volume License media. If you try these steps on OEM media or on retail media, you will not change the product key. How to change the Volume Licensing product key on a computer that is running Windows XP SP1 and later versions of Windows XP

[peterhuang913]

Originally Posted by eyeCpc

How to change the Volume Licensing product key on a computer that is running Windows XP SP1 and later versions of Windows XP
View products that this article applies to.
Article ID : 328874
Last Review : November 21, 2007
Revision : 7.2
This article was previously published under Q328874
Important This article contains information about how to modify the registry. Make sure to back up the registry before you modify it. Make sure that you know how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up, restore, and modify the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
256986 (Windows registry information for advanced users) Description of the Microsoft Windows registry


Warning The steps in the article are effective only on Volume License media. If you try these steps on OEM media or on retail media, you will not change the product key. How to change the Volume Licensing product key on a computer that is running Windows XP SP1 and later versions of Windows XP

What's this about?

[eyeCpc]

The information provided by Microsoft there is for legal changes on the more corporate not OEM or retail products for seeing the product key changed. You still have to go through MS for that. Plus there are now bogus versions of XP to watch for.

Buying your own full install version always works out the best anyways. For valid downloads online you should order a hard copy on cd that will include it's own key there. That is seen more with prepaid Vista upgrades however.

[carnageX]

I've downloaded an OEM Home disc from the 'net b/c I needed one for my HP a while ago, and it works fine... Used it to restore several PC's at work even... Just read comments about what you're downloading and you'll be fine .