invalid/unauth product key

  • Thread starter Thread starter Chuck
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Chuck

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I recently purchased a tablet PC on ebay. In the item description, it stated

that "I just installed Windows TabletXP, but it needs to be activated." Fine

and dandy, valid COA on the back per auction images. Well. Upon attempting

activation, I was informed that I had an "invalid product key". I downloaded

and ran Magical Jellybean to get the PK from within the system itself, and it

gave me a completely *DIFFERENT* PK than the COA (and said it was running

Windows XP Pro). When I tried to activate with that, I was told that I had an

"unauthorized" PK. Tried the "activate via phone" option, and after reading

the eight-zillion-number string off to Friendly Computer Lady, I was told it

was invalid, and given the steps to change the PK, which, of course,

basically just takes you back the the beginning again. I have read that

somewhere in the depths of that call, I can get to a real person, and they

should be able to activate for me. Is this true, or is there some other

option, or do I need to sic Paypal on this guy's keister?
 
EBay, buyer beware when purchasing software. Time to get your money back.



"Chuck" wrote in message

news:94DCCF9D-2A30-444C-9144-2D1A2E85F881@microsoft.com...

:I recently purchased a tablet PC on ebay. In the item description, it

stated

: that "I just installed Windows TabletXP, but it needs to be activated."

Fine

: and dandy, valid COA on the back per auction images. Well. Upon attempting

: activation, I was informed that I had an "invalid product key". I

downloaded

: and ran Magical Jellybean to get the PK from within the system itself, and

it

: gave me a completely *DIFFERENT* PK than the COA (and said it was running

: Windows XP Pro). When I tried to activate with that, I was told that I had

an

: "unauthorized" PK. Tried the "activate via phone" option, and after

reading

: the eight-zillion-number string off to Friendly Computer Lady, I was told

it

: was invalid, and given the steps to change the PK, which, of course,

: basically just takes you back the the beginning again. I have read that

: somewhere in the depths of that call, I can get to a real person, and they

: should be able to activate for me. Is this true, or is there some other

: option, or do I need to sic Paypal on this guy's keister?
 
"Chuck" wrote in message

news:94DCCF9D-2A30-444C-9144-2D1A2E85F881@microsoft.com...

>I recently purchased a tablet PC on ebay. In the item description, it

>stated

> that "I just installed Windows TabletXP, but it needs to be activated."

> Fine

> and dandy, valid COA on the back per auction images. Well. Upon attempting

> activation, I was informed that I had an "invalid product key". I

> downloaded

> and ran Magical Jellybean to get the PK from within the system itself, and

> it

> gave me a completely *DIFFERENT* PK than the COA (and said it was running

> Windows XP Pro). When I tried to activate with that, I was told that I had

> an

> "unauthorized" PK. Tried the "activate via phone" option, and after

> reading

> the eight-zillion-number string off to Friendly Computer Lady, I was told

> it

> was invalid, and given the steps to change the PK, which, of course,

> basically just takes you back the the beginning again. I have read that

> somewhere in the depths of that call, I can get to a real person, and they

> should be able to activate for me. Is this true, or is there some other

> option, or do I need to sic Paypal on this guy's keister?



IIRC, it's not that unusual for a detected key to differ from the COA key in

OEM installs. The COA key is specific to your license, and the OEM key

allows the manufacturer to make one base image for a production line.



But if the installed version does not match the version listed on the COA,

the COA key won't work with the install and will be rejected by the

activation servers since it won't match the OS type. So I'll suggest that

the OS install is from inappropriate media (and maybe the wrong version),

such as VLA media rather than OEM.



You may need to do a clean re-install of the OS with the proper media to get

the COA key to be accepted by the install and by the activation servers.



If you didn't get an OS install CD with the system, get one. Manufacturers

can often provide re-install media though it isn't free; for this system, I

had to pay about $30, and it's worth it.



Contact the seller, since you have a very legitimate complaint (and they can

be in significant legal trouble); also, contact the manufacturer and see if

you can even get the correct restore disks.



Otherwise, you'll have to buy a new XP Tablet license and media from

somewhere, unless you can find another person with the media that the

manufacturer would have provided, and which matches your COA key. It's the

COA key that represents the license, not the CD itself.



HTH

-pk
 
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