Window genuine advantage did not pass?

Jzpop

If I recall correctly, using the key change routine only works if you are entering an equivalent key - in other words, if you have XP Professional installed already, then you can not enter a key from a copy of XP Home that you have just bought. To check which version you already have, right-click My Computer, choose properties - your version is listed on the General Tab.

Then go with Omerton's suggestion.

BeerBelly

Dodgy Key.

If using a key changer (you naughty people) make sure it is a newer key, that works with SP2.

If it is an older one than works with vanilla windows or SP1, then it probably has been blacklisted and included in SP2.

The other fella is right - is has to be for the right version of windows - Home, Pro, r32 ..etc

Hypathetically speaking, if you change the key and set your computer to receive 'automatic updates' instead of going to 'Windows Update' in Internet Explorer you won't have to verify your machine and won't have to download the WGA tool (Windows Geniune Advantage) - you still get latest hotfixes and security patches. Although software updates, such as Internet Explorer 7, Media Player 11 need verification.

Or, you could just purchase a proper version of the software :-)

Jzpop

Just to remove all doubt, my earlier post (#12) is an attempt to help enter a new key that is from a legitimately bought copy of XP, for someone who has described how they have discovered that they do not have a legal version installed, and has asked for help on how to become legal. The process is described by Microsoft themselves, as it is plainly in their interests to have illegally-copied keys substituted for bought ones - see
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/328874

The opposite of naughty, I hope.

Incidentally, the Automatic Updates function does include new and updated versions of the WGA tool - if you just accept all offered updates, you will automatically install each new version of the WGA tool.

rockabilly_spike

if you buy XP home you will have to format the drive and wipe your PC to install it as you cannot install home over the top of PRO.

Amazes me that folk dont mind spending hundreds on a mobile phone but whinge about the price of Windows XP (not referring to the original poster of this thread). I work in a PC shop and we get people with dodgy copies of windows all the time and if their PC in for repair needs to be formatted, we CANNOT install a copy of windows from a CD-R with a serial written on some paper!
and then folks whinge that we refuse to do it.
BUY YOUR OPERATING SYSTEM if nowt else!

Jzpop

"if you buy XP home you will have to format the drive and wipe your PC to install it as you cannot install home over the top of PRO." ... or buy a legal version of XP Pro, and use the key-change technique above.

Agree with the rest of your post, though

rockabilly_spike

why use XP pro if you're a home user?
its more money and you probs wouldnt see the difference, tho for ease of use, you could use ROCKXP and change the product key without reinstalling anything.

BeerBelly

JZ, wasn;t having a pop at anyone, espcially not you.

Pro is better for me, as have computers networked at home.

You can never add a Home Ed PC to a domain or do domain related function (NTFS perms..etc.)

That said, these additional features are not required for most home users, althoughtI would never have home edition on a standalone Pc (just gives you more flexiblity I guess)

thomas01155

Have a look on google

new_mum_again

Please dont shout at me but you are obviously all clever people I however am no. I think I get the gist of what I have to do and I hope that inside the pack I am going to buy tomorrow has full instructions!!!
I done the thing jzpop said to do and it says
Microsoft Windows xp
Professional version 2002
service pack 2
registered to ???????? (the person I got the comp off of)
then some numbers
Computer AMD athlon (tm)
XP 2400+
199gHz
256mb of Ram


So I take it when I go and buy a new version I ask for a professional one, he used to use it for work I use it for general could I change it or is it better to stay the same as it is?
Thankyou for your help.:T

dps_2

new_mum_again wrote: »

Please dont shout at me but you are obviously all clever people I however am no. I think I get the gist of what I have to do and I hope that inside the pack I am going to buy tomorrow has full instructions!!!
I done the thing jzpop said to do and it says
Microsoft Windows xp
Professional version 2002
service pack 2
registered to ???????? (the person I got the comp off of)
then some numbers
Computer AMD athlon (tm)
XP 2400+
199gHz
256mb of Ram


So I take it when I go and buy a new version I ask for a professional one, he used to use it for work I use it for general could I change it or is it better to stay the same as it is?
Thankyou for your help.:T

youll need to buy a genuine xp pro disc but more importantly make sure it comes with an unused COA (certificate of authentication)

Ok this is what I would do, I would firstly make a note of any drivers you may need and to find that out just click on start, run and type devmgmt.msc and make a note of any modem sound and display adapters in actual fact you can print all this off for future reference.

now i would make a back up of all essential files i.e any pictures word documents and any other file you have worked on and deemed important, you can back up to a usb pendrive or cd/dvd or hdd storage device.

so you know of any drivers you may need and have also backed up any files, just pop in the xp disc and restart the PC and then boot from the PC and install a fresh copy of xp (follow instructions onscreen) i would also perform a full formay (this erases everthing and thats why it was important to save all important stuff as said before)

ok so xp has been reinstalled the first thing to do is get a firewall (do you have any firewall software or any antivirus software)? please let us know.

anyway xp is installed but younow need to configure it but the first thing to do is to install a firewall and then go to https://www.windowsupdate.com and then come back here with any issues you may have.

if your PC wont boot from the disk the BIOS boot will have to be changed you may need some help on that.

there are more instructions/notes to do but the above is a very simple easy way to do a xp install with no tweaking yet.