Re: Invalid Product Key for Windows XP Pro, referred to newsgroup by MS Rep

From: case314159 (pchan_at_biolase.com)
Date: 02/20/04 

Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2004 10:20:17 -0800

Bruce,

Thank you for the response.

We are using an OEM CD of Windows XP Professional, full
version. Whether this CD is the exact one for this
workstation is unknown. It is however, associated with the
OEM series that we have. I believe it should work since
the systems are identical.

Side note, when we try the original OEM product key with
the other types of licensing versions, the error message
reads differently (we also have XP Retail Full and XP
Retail Upgrade). It states the key is not for this
product. It is for XP Professional and not XP Home.

I also have a word or two for the person / committee that
chose that particular font to use on their authenticity
stickers. "B" and "8" are almost indistinguishable,
almost as hideous as "Q" and "O". I have also tried
various combinations of "B", "8", "G", and "6"s. Note,
their "D" can also be easily mistaken for "O" and "0".
You mentioned Microsoft left out "I", "1", "O", and "0",
so it should be safe to say I have "Q"s and "D"s.

Also tried CAPS LOCK _off_ and _on_ (the rep said to use
_on_) to no avail.

>-----Original Message-----
>Greetings --
>
> What installation CD(s) are you using? You do need
to be using
>the original OEM installation CDs that came with the
computers.
>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. Product Keys and CDs cannot be mixed & matched.
>
> You need to examine the Product Key very carefully.
It's awfully
>easy to mistake a "B" for an "8," a "G" for a "6," an "S"
for a "5,"
>or a "Q" for a "0" or "O." Fortunately, Microsoft had
the good sense
>to leave the "1's," "I's," "O's," and "0's" out of the
equation.
>Also, be sure that your CapsLock if _off_ while entering
the Product
>Key.
>
>Troubleshooting Invalid CD Key Error Message During
Windows XP Setup
>http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-
us;310637
>
> Essentially, though, you've no option but to contact
the
>computers' manufacturer for OEM license support.
Microsoft provides
>no free support for OEM versions. This would include
such issues as a
>lost/invalid Product Key or replacing damaged
installation media. I
>don't know how far this will get you, though, as you've
very likely
>voided your warranties on the PCs by replacing the
original OS with
>another.
>
>
>Bruce Chambers
>--
>Help us help you:
>http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
>http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
>
>You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever
count on
>having both at once. -- RAH
>
>"case314159" <pchan@biolase.com> wrote in message
>news:1322501c3f7d5$820b76f0$a101280a@phx.gbl...
>> Hello,
>>
>> Goal Summary:
>> We are trying to install Windows XP Professional (New
>> Installation (Advanced)) on several OEM systems that are
>> currently running Windows 2000. Though we did purchase
>> Windows XP Professional with the systems, we installed
our
>> retail version of Windows 2000 at that time.
>>
>> Installation Synopsis:
>> We began the Windows XP Professional new installation.
>> When prompted for the Product Key, the original XP
Product
>> Key on the Microsoft sticker of authenticity returned an
>> error message, "The Product ID which you entered is
>> invalid. Please try again."
>>
>> We spoke with a Microsoft customer representative and
gave
>> them my name, our phone number, and the original product
>> key. The rep verified that our Product Key was indeed
OEM
>> and gave us three other Windows XP Professional product
>> keys to try (two OEM and one retail). All the
additional
>> product keys failed with the same error message.
>>
>> The Microsoft customer representative told us that they
>> are only allowed to generate three product keys a day
and
>> that we should call back the following day to attempt
>> three more keys.
>>
>> The following day, we spoke to a different rep and gave
>> them the same information. Unfortunately, they did not
>> give us three more product keys to try. Instead, we
were
>> given two options. 1) Post in the newgroups and a
>> solution will be provided within 24 hours. 2) Pay $35
to
>> have Microsoft assess the problem. We were told by the
>> Microsoft customer representative that the invalid
Product
>> Key is not a Microsoft problem. They told us to call
the
>> OEM to resolve the issue.
>>
>> Conclusion:
>> To save everyone from the grief we experienced, let us
>> just say we had to make multiple calls and were told we
>> should purchase the retail version of Windows XP
>> Professional to resolve the issue. So instead of opting
>> to spend more money on a product that is not currently
>> working or running on our systems, we hope someone here
>> can provide us with a proper solution.
>>
>> Note, Microsoft will not generate an incident number for
>> us. They have our name and phone number, however a
track
>> history is not being kept according to the
representative,
>> though one can be generated.
>
>
>.
>

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