XP installation problems- CD key issues

[Kevin5255]

So I decided to do a clean reinstall of XP on my desktop because it's been a while. Once I enter my CD key, though, nothing works. The one on the box doesn't work, and I've recovered the CD key with the legitimate CD key retriever on download.com (which matched the one on the box), and I've also looked at the UNATTENDED doc in the 1386 folder while exploring the XP CD in another computer, and I've gotten the CD key off of there (which didn't match the one on the box). Is there any solution for me here?

[Joe Average]

There shouldn't be an unattend.txt file on any retail XP CD, they don't work that way. If you have an OEM copy then it could be there, but even OEMs don't really use the unattended installation option. They don't have to because their distributions of XP are tied to the hardware with BIOS identification information - they don't use the unattended installation methods. Also, there are "XP" CDs and then there are CDs or DVDs that are designed to do a factory restore of the machine in question - they are not the same products, just for the record.

To be honest you simply haven't provided enough information to go on, so here's what you need to say:

- whether this is an OEM PC (Dell, HP, Gateway, etc) or one you built yourself
- whether this is an OEM copy of XP (branded as Dell, HP, etc) or a System Builder copy (OEM but not branded) or a retail boxed copy of XP
- whether the Product Key you're talking about is on a white/green sticker on the PC or on a yellowish-orange sticker on a certificate or card

Once you provide that info, more help can be provided...

[Kevin5255]

To be honest you simply haven't provided enough information to go on, so here's what you need to say:

- whether this is an OEM PC (Dell, HP, Gateway, etc) or one you built yourself
- whether this is an OEM copy of XP (branded as Dell, HP, etc) or a System Builder copy (OEM but not branded) or a retail boxed copy of XP
- whether the Product Key you're talking about is on a white/green sticker on the PC or on a yellowish-orange sticker on a certificate or card

Once you provide that info, more help can be provided...

- This is a spare Dell, which is why I'm using the XP install CD the computer came with to reinstall windows. I found the unattended.txt and it had a CD key in it, probably because it's OEM and a is an older version of XP.
-It's the CD that Dell sent with the computer
-I've tried the key that's on the sticker on the computer and the one that came with the CD case (certificate kind) and neither are working for me.

[Joe Average]

If this is a real Dell PC, and it's a real Dell XP Reinstallation CD (should say OS Reinstallation CD on it someplace, could be a blue or maroon or even green labeled coloring), it should never ever ask for a key in a billion years. I'm suspecting it's a modded copy of a reinstallation CD or it's been hacked to some degree that's preventing it from working properly. I've got an original unmodified Dell XP CD here (no service pack), and an SP1 edition and an SP2 edition - there's no unattend.txt file on any of 'em because that's not used. The OEM*.* files in the i386 directory (should be 4 files that match that mask) are what ties the distribution to the brand, nothing else.

The only difference between installing a Dell XP Reinstallation CD and using a retail XP CD would be the Dell one never asks for a key - it simply skips that step and you never even see the input window because it's a proper OEM reinstallation CD tied directly to that specific brand of hardware (Dell for Dell, HP for HP, etc).

With respect to the keys, only one key is supplied with a Dell OEM machine: it's on the white/green COA sticker on the case, and that's an OEM branded key that can't really even be used to reinstall - once again, there's no reason to need or use the key on the sticker since it won't ever ask for a key during the installation. The white/green COA sticker is the legitimate license for the OS, not the Product Key itself.

There's gotta be something else to this...

[Kevin5255]

I'm really confused now. I went in my drawer and got the XP CD. It's got the hologram on it and everything that says GENUINE on it. it says 'not for retail or oem distribution' though. did I have grab a different XP installation CD?

this is a real Dell too. I think I have the wrong copy of XP

[Joe Average]

Ah, see, we're getting somewhere. OEM discs from Dell, HP, etc, are never hologram discs - they're always labeled plainly and not hologram-finish. They'll have a silkscreen coating on them with OEM info, etc.

If it's a hologram disc, I'm going to guess it's possibly an NFR copy (Not For Resale) but it would say that on it too. NFR discs are copies of the product that don't get sold in retail channels or even in OEM channels, hence the warning not to distribute it in either. THey're usually "free" and given to attendees of tradeshows, conferences, seminars, product giveaways, etc.

Honestly at this point I have no clue what the hell you've got, but apparently it's not going to get you a clean installation of XP. :)

I first suspected it might be an upgrade disc, but even those don't use the unattend.txt file either... truly weird.

[Kevin5255]

Alright, I found the XP cd that came with the Dell after some searching. It's a non-hologram and is Dell labeled so it looks like I'm in business. I still dunno where that other XP cd came from. I'm reformatting the HD to get rid of the partial install and then I'm going to give it a shot with the Dell CD, which will hopefully work

[Freezebyte]

Alright, I found the XP cd that came with the Dell after some searching. It's a non-hologram and is Dell labeled so it looks like I'm in business. I still dunno where that other XP cd came from. I'm reformatting the HD to get rid of the partial install and then I'm going to give it a shot with the Dell CD, which will hopefully work

ALL dell machines have an OFFICAL "DELL" version of Windows with usually a blue or purple label and Dell logos on it, they DO NOT use hologram versions which is what you find in retail and OEM version thats you puchase sepereatly. Dunno how or why you have that version, but it DID NOT come from Dell

[Joe Average]

Yeah, I said all that... geez, don't people read threads anymore? :)