Xp Pro Not Genuine problem using proper key.

[frenchscottie]

I got a Dell Dimension 5100 windows Xp Pro.
No COA sticker.
So it has the black screen and not genuine. message
It's a business Pc and the customer says he got them over a year ago and the guy (a Taxi Driver) set 2 up for him and they've been going great but his son turned off the monitor and not the PC as he left. So in the morning customer switches on the PC as he thought but he turned it off, so he re started it and it had the not genuine on it.
I removed the drive and cloned it installed clone and did the usual fix.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\wpaevents

Changed the oobe timer data.

Then - %systemroot%\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe /a
The Lets activate over the internet box opens up and all it says is "Lets activate over the internet" and NEXT is greyed out, no option to activate via phone or to change product key, etc, which is what I want to do.

Microsoft says to do this-

1. via F8 - Enable VGA Mode. Start the WPA Wizard, and then try to start Windows XP again.
Still the same.

2 Dissable your video adapter, Restart your computer, start the WPA Wizard, and then try to start Windows XP again.
Still the same.

3.Locate the following registry key and its associated values:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.htm

"
PerceivedType
"="
text
"
(Default) = "
MozillaHTML
"
"
Content Type
"="
image/x-xbitmap
" If this registry key does not exist, go to the next step. If this registry key does exist, modify the values like this:
"
PerceivedType
"="
text
"
(Default) = "
htmlfile
"
"
Content Type
"="
text/html
"
I was going to say that "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.htm" doesn't exist but I didn't notice the "." before htm, so i'll have to try that again on Monday.

I went on the the next step
4.Reinstall the Oobe.inf file.
Did that

5.Manually register the Jscript.dll and Vbscript.dll files.
Did that

6.Repair the existing Windows XP installation.
Tried to do it but the Repair option doesn't show up.

A reinstall is a last resort.

So what next?
Anyone any ideas?

 

[NYJimbo]

Xp Pro Not Genuine problem using proper key.

So this machine has XP pro but no COA. How did you get the key ?

Google the key (with dashes) and see if it comes up in lots of hits. If it does, then you know what you're dealing with.

 

[Markverhyden]

Taxi driver <> Computer Technician

Along the lines of what NYJimbo said. The validity is in question, see what the key comes up with on a google search. Is this a Dell OEM XP Install? You should see Dell some where in the Computer>Properties page. Have you looked up the machine at http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/04?c=us&l=en&s=bsd to see what version of OS it shipped with? Have you tried running Windows Updates to see if it comes up with a update to WGA?

 

[frenchscottie]

So this machine has XP pro but no COA. How did you get the key ?

Google the key (with dashes) and see if it comes up in lots of hits. If it does, then you know what you're dealing with.

The key I got from using Produkey and checked with PIDChecker and the results is that it is not a valid key.
I have a XP Pro disk and key.
So I am trying to change it to new key.

 

[johnrobert]

When I installed XP on a Dell machine I always used a dedicated Dell XP CD
and it always auto activated never used keys
the keys on sticker are there for show they never work.

 

[frenchscottie]

Taxi driver <> Computer Technician

Along the lines of what NYJimbo said. The validity is in question, see what the key comes up with on a google search. Is this a Dell OEM XP Install? You should see Dell some where in the Computer>Properties page. Have you looked up the machine at http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/04?c=us&l=en&s=bsd to see what version of OS it shipped with? Have you tried running Windows Updates to see if it comes up with a update to WGA?

There is no question about it, it's been cracked. Windows updates have been running, for some reason it installed SP3 on 11th of September, thought windows updates were stopped for XP.
It's OEM but not Dell. I just want to get it legit by using the proper key.

 

[frenchscottie]

When I installed XP on a Dell machine I always used a dedicated Dell XP CD
and it always auto activated never used keys
the keys on sticker are there for show they never work.

I'm sorry the Key's on sticker always work.

 

[Markverhyden]

I just want to get it legit by using the proper key.

That's the catch-22 so to speak. Without the COA there is no key. But you do not need a key if you use a Dell OEM XP disc. You might be able to do a repair install with the Dell disc but you will still need to re-install all of the additional programs. And my concern would be that if Windoze is hacked so might everything else that requires a paid license.

 

[frenchscottie]

That's the catch-22 so to speak. Without the COA there is no key. But you do not need a key if you use a Dell OEM XP disc. You might be able to do a repair install with the Dell disc but you will still need to re-install all of the additional programs. And my concern would be that if Windoze is hacked so might everything else that requires a paid license.

The repair function on the Dell disk doesn't appear when I try the repair install, but if it did work it wouldn't affect his programs - which he hasn't got many open office and some other business ones he put on himself.

 

[NYJimbo]

...for some reason it installed SP3 on 11th of September, thought windows updates were stopped for XP.

It appears update servers will gladly serve XP updates created before April "X" 2014, but nothing after that except for "Malicious Software Tool" and maybe a few other things. So if your XP box wants SP3, so far it looks like Windows Update will give it to you.

 

[glricht]

I used to see this fairly frequently. Customer has XP Pro installed and either there's no COA on the case or it says XP Home. Somebody installed one of the many hacked XP Pro volume-licensed copies that are out there (they showed up around 2003 IIRC). The hacked XP Pro is SP2 and one of the "red flags" here is that it just installed SP3.

MS long ago invalidated those keys, so if something happens that causes XP to check it's activation, the key is marked non-genuine. After 30 days, you get the black screen and non-genuine message.

As mentioned in previous posts, if you use a Dell OEM CD, it will install using Dell's SLP key which is automatically activated. However, that's just for the install. If you don't have an actual key (usually shown on the COA), then the XP on the PC is not legal.

Personally, I'd tell the owner not to spend a penny on those old PCs (he's throwing money away) and replace them with newer -- and legal -- PCs.

(Also tell him to stop buying obsolete PCs from the trunks of taxis. )

 

[frenchscottie]

I used to see this fairly frequently. Customer has XP Pro installed and either there's no COA on the case or it says XP Home. Somebody installed one of the many hacked XP Pro volume-licensed copies that are out there (they showed up around 2003 IIRC). The hacked XP Pro is SP2 and one of the "red flags" here is that it just installed SP3.

MS long ago invalidated those keys, so if something happens that causes XP to check it's activation, the key is marked non-genuine. After 30 days, you get the black screen and non-genuine message.

As mentioned in previous posts, if you use a Dell OEM CD, it will install using Dell's SLP key which is automatically activated. However, that's just for the install. If you don't have an actual key (usually shown on the COA), then the XP on the PC is not legal.

Personally, I'd tell the owner not to spend a penny on those old PCs (he's throwing money away) and replace them with newer -- and legal -- PCs.

(Also tell him to stop buying obsolete PCs from the trunks of taxis. )

Exactly. He doesn't want to spend a penny more - Except for my fee - That's why I want to make it legal for him with the correct key. Without re-installing.

 

[Kitten Kong]

But how can you make it legal, when there is no coa on the case?

Which ever way you look at it, no coa no xp. No xp, no pc.

 

[frenchscottie]

But how can you make it legal, when there is no coa on the case?

Which ever way you look at it, no coa no xp. No xp, no pc.

I don't believe you asked that. Doesn't matter what was on the PC originally as long as the key is legit and Microsoft validates it.

I've got the disks and the keys, so I sell it to customer and then change the key on the PC to make it legit.

If you think about it Microsoft allow you to change the key.

I've seen plenty of PC's with no COA and they are legit.
Some people remove them or install different versions of windows and don't put the sticker on, they just leave it attached to the disk holder.
I appreciate all the answers but it's not getting to the problem.

 

[TimM]

Early versions of XP didn't have COAs to stick on the computer. On the back of the large cardboard folder that contained the CD and a thin book there was a non-peel off sticker with the product key. Under that was printed -
Don't Lose This Product Key!
You must use it every time you install this software.
So be sure to store this folder in a safe place.
I have a couple of these old retail copies of XP that aren't installed on anything any more, so I could install it on an old laptop that had no COA, or I could use Microsoft's XP Product Key Update Tool to change an old dodgy copy to my legitimate key. Pretty sure it won't change VL versions to retail, but it will change OEM to retail or vice versa.

 

[Markverhyden]

The OEM's agreement with M$ is separate than the EULA that exists between the OEM and the EU. Per M$'s proof of licensing requirements there has to be a unique COA on every machine sold by the OEM. Of course this also includes others like refurbishers.

I've read a few EULA's over the years and I do not remember ever seeing a reference to product key label having to be attached. They do reference using the product key to activate the software products. And that is accomplished by the software key that is loaded into the software.

Anyone who sells computers, used or new, are required to adhere to M$'s licensing requirements. The situation is different for service providers.

 

[AndyM]

I believe that you can find out if the Dell system was shipped with an OS, by looking at the original shipping document that Dell keeps online. Just enter the Dell TAG, and I believe it's somewhere within the documentation section. That said, it will NOT tell you what the COA is, but it does confirm that it was shipped with an OS. From there, Dell Support *should* be able to tell you what the original COA was (not the SLP), however they may charge you for the case if the system is not under warranty.

Personally, I never throw away any Dell Restore CD's that come my way, as you never know exactly when you will need them....

Andy

 

[frenchscottie]

Early versions of XP didn't have COAs to stick on the computer. On the back of the large cardboard folder that contained the CD and a thin book there was a non-peel off sticker with the product key. Under that was printed -
Don't Lose This Product Key!
You must use it every time you install this software.
So be sure to store this folder in a safe place.
I have a couple of these old retail copies of XP that aren't installed on anything any more, so I could install it on an old laptop that had no COA, or I could use Microsoft's XP Product Key Update Tool to change an old dodgy copy to my legitimate key. Pretty sure it won't change VL versions to retail, but it will change OEM to retail or vice versa.

I forgot about the Key update tool, I was thinking it was for other versions of windows and not XP.
And it did the trick, new key inserted and activated.
Thanks for reminding me.