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HP OEM Windows XP code/key problem

S

Squeaky1

2[H]4U
Joined
Jun 8, 2001
Messages
2,231
Good morning,

I was hoping someone may be able to help me.

I bought a number of HP/Compaq desktop machines off eBay, all with a genuine XP COA sticker.

I would like to install a fresh copy of WindowsXP on these machines, using the genuine keys, but no setup CD I have will allow me to use these codes. All say the code is invalid during initial setup.

I have tried using a SP1 cd and a SP2 cd, both genuine retail versions.

The HP/Compaq machine's COA's are all dated 2004, right between when SP1 and SP2 were around.

Am I unable to use a normal retail CD to install XP? Does it need to be a special HP one?

Thanks in advance for your help
 
Grab yourself an OEM XP CD (any service pack version). There are two versions of XP Pro - retail, and OEM - and their keys are incompatible. Contrary to what many people believe, keys from individual computer manufacturers aren't linked to CDs supplied by them (so it *is* possible to use a Dell XP Pro OEM CD with an HP OEM key).

My advice is to hunt around to find somebody who's bought a machine with XP Pro pre-installed and nab their CD. Failing that, go download it off Bittorrent (mods: note that I'm not advocating warez here, because he already has the machines that are licensed to run it).
 
Good morning,

Thank you for your reply.

I have tried a SP2 OEM CD, with exactly the same results.

I take it if the COA refered to a SP1 install, then I would need to find an older OEM SP1 CD?
 
You cannot use a "generic" OEM System Builder install CD to restore the XP installation to those machines, sorry. The Product Code listed on the COA stickers is effectively useless for most intents and purposes, it's the sticker that makes it a legit machine, not the key on the sticker.

What you need is an actual HP/Compaq XP Home SP2 installer CD for those machines. Using such a thing means you're staying legit, you're using the OEM branded machines with the actual OEM branded installer CD and you won't even be asked to input a key because that installer CD's install files are tied directly to that OEM branded hardware.

There's no realistic way to get around this, sorry. You have to use the actual HP/Compaq branded OEM installer CD to accomplish your goals. Besides, using a generic OEM copy of XP breaks the EULA in the US anyway, meaning it's illegal to do what you're attempting to do.

The key on the stick is useless and won't actually get any OEM copy installed. A truly branded OEM copy is required here, from HP/Compaq.

Anyone suggesting that someone "go download XP" from ANY SOURCE is an advocation of software piracy, period. There's no middle ground and no gray area - it just is.
 
Just contact HP and see if you can buy a replacement system restore disk that the unit came with.

Might be a Volume version, rather than OEM.
 
That's a very strange result, then. Perhaps it's different in the USA, but in the UK any OEM key works with any OEM CD (and the same goes for retail keys). I've even installed HP machines with the factory-supplied OEM key using a Dell CD with a different service pack version, and it was fine. The same appears to be valid for Vista, although I've only tried that a couple of times.

One thing - you weren't trying to install using a Pro OEM key on a Home OEM CD, were you? Or maybe using a VLK CD? Those things definitely won't work.
 
:LJ: said:
That's a very strange result, then. Perhaps it's different in the USA, but in the UK any OEM key works with any OEM CD (and the same goes for retail keys). I've even installed HP machines with the factory-supplied OEM key using a Dell CD with a different service pack version, and it was fine. The same appears to be valid for Vista, although I've only tried that a couple of times.

One thing - you weren't trying to install using a Pro OEM key on a Home OEM CD, were you? Or maybe using a VLK CD? Those things definitely won't work.
Click to expand...

Good evening,

I am in the UK.

I have no idea either. I have used generic CDs before on Dell and Tiny machines, without so much as a single problem as long as it was the correct version.

You can see the code, posted above. I have tried a Genuine XP SP1 and SP2 Retail CD's, as well as my friend's OEM SP1 and SP2.

I am wondering if there is a difference between the OEM and VLK editions.


After reading what bbz_Ghost suggested, I am not overly hopeful. If this is true, my only option is to obtain an original HP OEM CD. I just hope there is only a single version of this, and not different ones for no-SP, SP1 and SP2, and also it is only generic and not tied to a particular model.
 
I do this all day in my job. You can install using any copy of windows xp you will just have to call it in when it installs to activate the copy of windows. Or the other route you can go is to use an "HP" OEM disc to install which the only way you will be able to get it is by contacting hp, giving them the serial number and model number and paying about 25-50 bucks for the recovery media and then you can use that same xp oem disc on all of them. Or take it to circuit city and they can do it for you for a fee because we have the oem discs
 
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