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Upgrading XP MCE to XP Pro

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dawks

Diamond Member
I need to get a laptop with MCE to XP Pro so we can join it to the domain. I popped in my XP SP2 CD, and it asks for the key straight off. I typed it in perfectly but it says invalid. I've tried to other VLK XP Pro keys we have, but they both do not work. I even tried the MCE key thats stickied on to the laptop. No Go. I then popped my XP SP2 disc into a XP Pro computer and tried the same XP Pro VLK key and it worked fine.

Why the hell won't our XP Pro VLK key work for upgrading MCE to XP Pro?!

I'd try and do a fresh install but I can't find the bloody SATA drivers for this frigging gateway laptop. Their site doesnt have the model I have, and wont accept any of the serial numbers. Heh.
 
Originally posted by: dawks
I need to get a laptop with MCE to XP Pro so we can join it to the domain. I popped in my XP SP2 CD, and it asks for the key straight off. I typed it in perfectly but it says invalid. I've tried to other VLK XP Pro keys we have, but they both do not work. I even tried the MCE key thats stickied on to the laptop. No Go. I then popped my XP SP2 disc into a XP Pro computer and tried the same XP Pro VLK key and it worked fine.

Why the hell won't our XP Pro VLK key work for upgrading MCE to XP Pro?!

I'd try and do a fresh install but I can't find the bloody SATA drivers for this frigging gateway laptop. Their site doesnt have the model I have, and wont accept any of the serial numbers. Heh.
Click to expand...

You may not need the SATA drivers. It could quite possibly be that they are native, and XP SP2 will see everything just fine.
 
Originally posted by: jlbenedict
Originally posted by: dawks
I need to get a laptop with MCE to XP Pro so we can join it to the domain. I popped in my XP SP2 CD, and it asks for the key straight off. I typed it in perfectly but it says invalid. I've tried to other VLK XP Pro keys we have, but they both do not work. I even tried the MCE key thats stickied on to the laptop. No Go. I then popped my XP SP2 disc into a XP Pro computer and tried the same XP Pro VLK key and it worked fine.

Why the hell won't our XP Pro VLK key work for upgrading MCE to XP Pro?!

I'd try and do a fresh install but I can't find the bloody SATA drivers for this frigging gateway laptop. Their site doesnt have the model I have, and wont accept any of the serial numbers. Heh.
Click to expand...

You may not need the SATA drivers. It could quite possibly be that they are native, and XP SP2 will see everything just fine.
Click to expand...

"Windows cannot find any hard drives in this computer, hit F3 to exit setup right now"

Originally posted by: mechBgon
You can't upgrade MCE to Pro. http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/upgrading/matrix.mspx

(solution: pick up an OEM WinXP Pro license and CD for about $140 and use that)
Click to expand...

Cannot do a fresh install either. What sh!T! We just bought the laptop, and I'm not going to give MSFT another $140 when we have perfectly good VLK licenses.
 
So download the SATA drivers from the Gateway site, then when you go to boot the XPSP2 CD, hit F6(I think, for 3rd party drivers), load the SATA driver for the HD, and continue on. Problem solved.

 
Originally posted by: networkman
So download the SATA drivers from the Gateway site, then when you go to boot the XPSP2 CD, hit F6(I think, for 3rd party drivers), load the SATA driver for the HD, and continue on. Problem solved.
Click to expand...

I'd try and do a fresh install but I can't find the bloody SATA drivers for this frigging gateway laptop. Their site doesnt have the model I have, and wont accept any of the serial numbers. Heh.


Its an Intel Mobo, with Intel Chipset (not sure which one). Intel Centrino Duo.
Device manager says 'Intel 82801 GBM SATA AHCI Controller', but I can't find anything related to that. As I said, the model doesnt exist on Gateways site, and the S/N doesn't work or doesn't show any downloads.
 
Originally posted by: jlbenedict
What is the model of the laptop?
What chipset does it have?
Click to expand...

I tried searching the gateway site for the model which is 'MP6954' and it finds nothing, but when I used Google, it found it first thing. I love google.

Its an Intel 945GM..
 
Originally posted by: dawks
Originally posted by: networkman
So download the SATA drivers from the Gateway site, then when you go to boot the XPSP2 CD, hit F6(I think, for 3rd party drivers), load the SATA driver for the HD, and continue on. Problem solved.
Click to expand...

I'd try and do a fresh install but I can't find the bloody SATA drivers for this frigging gateway laptop. Their site doesnt have the model I have, and wont accept any of the serial numbers. Heh.


Its an Intel Mobo, with Intel Chipset (not sure which one). Intel Centrino Duo.
Device manager says 'Intel 82801 GBM SATA AHCI Controller', but I can't find anything related to that. As I said, the model doesnt exist on Gateways site, and the S/N doesn't work or doesn't show any downloads.
Click to expand...

Thats odd.. because that is based off of an Intel chipset that should have native support with XP SP2. I am showing that same SATA controller on my desktop, and I don't have to hit the "F6" key for text mode driver installation.



 
MCE 2005 is a curse for those who work with Windows domains. I have one client that's twice ignored my suggestion to buy all their new PCs with XP Professional pre-installed. So they ignore it, get "cheap" PCs with MCE pre-installed, and I end up charging them several hundred dollars to completely re-install the RIGHT OS, or modifying MCE so that it'll work on the Domain. Either technique is a waste of my time and their money.

And, as you've found, locating drivers, even for brand-new name-brand PCs, isn't always a picnic. HP/Compaq is especially guilty. HP doesn't provide driver CDs for their MCE computers, and sometimes there's not a full driver set on HP's support site. I (and others) have spent hours trying to find drivers for some of their motherboard components.

Since Microsoft does not allow "upgrades" from MCE to XP Professional, you can't simply stick in an XP Pro CD and do an upgrade. It won't accept the Key from the upgrade package. I've tried it. The only thing I've gotten to work is a full re-install. I haven't tried a "Repair Install", so I don't know if that would work or not.

And since Microsoft doesn't consider MCE "upgradeable" to XP Professional, MS would consider an XP Professional VLK license on an existing computer as non-compliant with the EULA. VLKs are only for "upgrades", and you can't upgrade MCE to XP Pro. What I do is buy a full retail copy of XP Pro for the client. It doesn't cost any more than a VLK license anyway. And it's the only "legal" way.

As I stated, MCE is a disaster for Domains. Just avoid it, if possible. By the time you consider the cost of doing the "repair", it's going to cost several hundred dollars extra to get XP Professional on that laptop.
 
finally got XP Pro installed, but cant figure out what sound or network drivers it needs. im about ready to send this POS back. I even tried to use the gateway restore cd, but all it does is install mce without any drivers. same place xp sp2 cd leaves me. goddamn.
 
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