WinXP activation headaches.

[cheesehead]

After a long series of incidents, I've got a working computer, a broken laptop with a WinXP Pro liscense, and the XP CD that came with it.
After installing WinXP, when I try to register it gives me a long string of numbers in 8 parts, which I'm supposed to read to Microsoft. Microsoft's automated registration device does'nt recognize it, though; it says that that particular copy of WinXP does'nt exist. Seeing as how it has'nt actually asked for the product key, how could it possibly tell?
(You know, it's getting awful tempting to just get a @#$#@$ keygen program.)

 

[bendixG15]

Get on the phone and talk to a live person.

I don't know the 800 # off the top of my head but its been posted several times.
Maybe someone will come up with it.

 

[stash]

The number is right in the activation UI.

 

[cubby1223]

Meh. The activation window always says Dell / HP / Gateway / etc. keys are invalid. Just call up, you'll have to go through the automated voice part, then get to a live person. Then they'll activate it.

EDIT: FYI - you can just punch the numbers into the keypad instead of reading them out over the phone. It's a lot faster than going through all the confirmations.

 

[imported_Imp]

I've used phone activation once after moving parts around, reinstalling. Actually "tried" to punch in the product key (learn to read), and swearing at the automated voice. Made it to the live person, worked well.

 

[DBSX]

I'm a little unclear... Are you installing the laptop's version of XP onto another computer? If so, that might be the problem as the XP license for the laptop may well be an OEM version that is connected to that laptop. So, it may not work on another computer.

\Dan