Windows XP OEM

[greggpb]

I have Pc that have had harddive crashes just become to slow..

I have taken these pc's upgraded
RAM to 2gb (ddr400)
CPU to E4500 DC
and replaced hard drives wilth 80GB assorted hard drives... the are now to server as admin machines at the business..

All the boxes have OEM stickers on the side and have their original Mobo's. I tried to install winxpSP3 and Windows says my keys are not vailid...

Any clues as to why this is happening

 

[AstroTurf]

Install Windows XP SP2 (from xp2 cd) then once xp is set up install the service pack.

You are using a newer cd than when the keys came out.

Or as an alternative, install a slipstreamed cd (with sp3 included).

 

[Deenem]

Just been through this with a Windows Server 2003 machine.

Windows OEM install disks are different to Windows Volume License and Retail Disks.

If you're trying to use the OEM Key you need the OEM install disks, Retail and VLM disks don't work. I've had to contact the OEM (Dell in this case) and ask them for an OEM disk. They are quite accommodating, they do charge you for supplying the disk, but not for a new Windows License.

There are ways of turning a VLM disk into an OEM disk, this involves using nLite to create a custom XP install disk, but replacing some of the install files with the OEM versions, but I could never get this work.