How to get back to XP Home from {Invalid Copy XP -Pro}

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Andrew

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I have recently been given a PC to Repair, from a client.



XP-Pro Has Failed the Genuine Windows License Check..

Which the customer presumes was done by a relative trying to repair

the machine..!



The machine Has a Valid License for XP-Home Edition, and I have an

XP-Home Disk(Not the Original),

and the customer would Not like to loose the Data on the machine.



1) What is best way to Install Over XP-Pro,is Re-format required ..?



2) Will the license Key be valid for the installation from my disk ..?



Any Feedback would be appreciated

Andrew ;-)
 
Unfortunately an XP Home to Pro is a one-way migration. You'll

have to format and re-install. The only downside is if the PC is an

OEM then any software ( 3rd-party ) will be lost in the format. I'd

check and see if the drive has a recovery partition. If so, I'd use the

Files and Settings Transfer Wizard to capture the user data. Then

do the recovery process to return the PC to factory condition. You

will be faced with lots of updates & patches ( Service Packs also ).

After recovery run FAST to restore the user profile.



Keys are not interchangeable. If the license COA has OEM in it

you'll need an OEM disk. All that is a moot point if the drive has

a factory recovery partition. Go to the vendor's website and read

any documentation they provide on how to restore a system.





"Andrew" wrote in message

news:gd6dnf3W2quPIAvWnZ2dnUVZ8h6dnZ2d@bt.com...

>I have recently been given a PC to Repair, from a client.

>

> XP-Pro Has Failed the Genuine Windows License Check..

> Which the customer presumes was done by a relative trying to repair

> the machine..!

>

> The machine Has a Valid License for XP-Home Edition, and I have an

> XP-Home Disk(Not the Original),

> and the customer would Not like to loose the Data on the machine.

>

> 1) What is best way to Install Over XP-Pro,is Re-format required ..?

>

> 2) Will the license Key be valid for the installation from my disk ..?

>

> Any Feedback would be appreciated

> Andrew ;-)

>

>
 
"Andrew" wrote in message

news:gd6dnf3W2quPIAvWnZ2dnUVZ8h6dnZ2d@bt.com...

> I have recently been given a PC to Repair, from a client.

>

> XP-Pro Has Failed the Genuine Windows License Check..

> Which the customer presumes was done by a relative trying to repair

> the machine..!

>

> The machine Has a Valid License for XP-Home Edition, and I have an

> XP-Home Disk(Not the Original),

> and the customer would Not like to loose the Data on the machine.

>

> 1) What is best way to Install Over XP-Pro,is Re-format required ..?

>

> 2) Will the license Key be valid for the installation from my disk ..?

>

> Any Feedback would be appreciated

> Andrew ;-)



About your secondary point (loss of data): If you repair PCs for clients

then you should use this opportunity to remind him about the risks he takes

while not having a proper backup scheme. About saving his files in case

Windows will no longer start, you would be able to offer him several

alternatives, e.g.

- Connecting his disk as a slave disk to one of your own machines

- Booting the machine with a Bart PE boot CD (or similar),

then in each case copying his data to some other medium. It generates

customer confidence when you can defuse such issues with a casual wave of

your hand.
 
"Andrew" wrote in message

news:gd6dnf3W2quPIAvWnZ2dnUVZ8h6dnZ2d@bt.com...

> I have recently been given a PC to Repair, from a client.

>

> XP-Pro Has Failed the Genuine Windows License Check..

> Which the customer presumes was done by a relative trying to repair

> the machine..!

>

> The machine Has a Valid License for XP-Home Edition, and I have an

> XP-Home Disk(Not the Original),

> and the customer would Not like to loose the Data on the machine.

>

> 1) What is best way to Install Over XP-Pro,is Re-format required ..?

>

> 2) Will the license Key be valid for the installation from my disk ..?

>

> Any Feedback would be appreciated

> Andrew ;-)

>



You can also do it from the Command Prompt:



net user xxx /active:yes



There is lots of help too:



net help user | more
 
"Pegasus [MVP]" wrote in message

news:ORjyuC#vKHA.1984@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

>

>

> "Andrew" wrote in message

> news:gd6dnf3W2quPIAvWnZ2dnUVZ8h6dnZ2d@bt.com...

>> I have recently been given a PC to Repair, from a client.

>>

>> XP-Pro Has Failed the Genuine Windows License Check..

>> Which the customer presumes was done by a relative trying to repair

>> the machine..!

>>

>> The machine Has a Valid License for XP-Home Edition, and I have an

>> XP-Home Disk(Not the Original),

>> and the customer would Not like to loose the Data on the machine.

>>

>> 1) What is best way to Install Over XP-Pro,is Re-format required ..?

>>

>> 2) Will the license Key be valid for the installation from my disk ..?

>>

>> Any Feedback would be appreciated

>> Andrew ;-)

>>

>

> You can also do it from the Command Prompt:

>

> net user xxx /active:yes

>

> There is lots of help too:

>

> net help user | more



Wrong thread - please ignore.
 
Please visit http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/ and click on the Validate

Windows and/or Validate Office button then restart your computer.



If you weren't able to Validate, proceed as follows:



1. Download this diagnostic tool, saving it to your desktop:

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=56062



=> WinXP: Double-click on the executable to run the tool.



=> Vista & Win7: Right-click on the executable and select Run as

Administrator to run the tool.



2. After running the tool, click on the Windows and/or Office tab as

appropriate and then click on Copy (to clipboard).



NB: You may want to open a new Notepad file, paste the contents of your

clipboard into it & save for future reference.



3. Begin a new thread in the appropriate Microsoft Genuine Advantage forum

and paste the results from the WGA and/or OGA Diagnostic Data tool in a

detailed post: http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/category/genuine



4. A troubleshooting specialist will analyze the data and recommend an

appropriate solution.



--

~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)

MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002



Andrew wrote:

> I have recently been given a PC to Repair, from a client.

>

> XP-Pro Has Failed the Genuine Windows License Check..

> Which the customer presumes was done by a relative trying to repair

> the machine..!

>

> The machine Has a Valid License for XP-Home Edition, and I have an

> XP-Home Disk(Not the Original),

> and the customer would Not like to loose the Data on the machine.

>

> 1) What is best way to Install Over XP-Pro,is Re-format required ..?

>

> 2) Will the license Key be valid for the installation from my disk ..?

>

> Any Feedback would be appreciated

> Andrew ;-)
 
Andrew wrote:

> I have recently been given a PC to Repair, from a client.

>

> XP-Pro Has Failed the Genuine Windows License Check..

> Which the customer presumes was done by a relative trying to repair

> the machine..!

>

> The machine Has a Valid License for XP-Home Edition, and I have an

> XP-Home Disk(Not the Original),

> and the customer would Not like to loose the Data on the machine.

>

> 1) What is best way to Install Over XP-Pro,is Re-format required ..?



A Clean Install is necessary.



> 2) Will the license Key be valid for the installation from my disk ..?



Only if the type matches. For example, if the client's version of XP

Home is OEM, your XP Home installation CD must be a generic OEM one

(Retail won't work).
 
Thanx Guys.. got it sorted ;-)



The PC Had an OEM Recovery Partition..!



Information For other readers ..



Pressing F11 Activates the Recovery program, and user can specify to

Format or not, Full/Partial Recover

And Correct Licensed Version XP for the Machine is re-Installed from

the Partition..!



Thanx for the replies Guys ;-)



"Andrew" wrote in message

news:gd6dnf3W2quPIAvWnZ2dnUVZ8h6dnZ2d@bt.com...

|I have recently been given a PC to Repair, from a client.

|

| XP-Pro Has Failed the Genuine Windows License Check..

| Which the customer presumes was done by a relative trying to repair

| the machine..!

|

| The machine Has a Valid License for XP-Home Edition, and I have an

| XP-Home Disk(Not the Original),

| and the customer would Not like to loose the Data on the machine.

|

| 1) What is best way to Install Over XP-Pro,is Re-format required ..?

|

| 2) Will the license Key be valid for the installation from my disk

...?

|

| Any Feedback would be appreciated

| Andrew ;-)

|

|
 
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