XP Home will not take product key

[DrewKill]

I am using nlite to create an slipstream boot CD. I am using an old dell OEM XP home cd. Everything creates fine, but when I go to install it asks me for the product key even if I put it into the unattended setup. I tried using two key that I have. Both are valid key and one is the computer that the dell CD came from and it wont accept it. Just says invalid Product ID.

I've must have tried entering the keys a dozen times and I am positive that the keys are good and I have entered them in correctly. Has anyone seen this happen and know what to do?

Thanks

[Guest]

You need to run nLite under XP. This is a common problem when running it under Vista or Windows 7. You can use a virtual machine running XP under Vista/7.

[Guest]

-X- is correct. See KB950722 for more information.

[DrewKill]

-X- is correct. See KB950722 for more information.

Awesome. I sucks I have to create it again, but I have an old XP laptop I can use for it.

Thanks

[Sp0iLedBrAt]

Or install XP to Virtual machine on Win7 and do all your work there (provided you have enough resources)

Cheers

[cohbra]

I have now created 3 install discs of XP Professional integrating SP2 and none of them will accept the Product Key when I get to that point of the installation. Each time I have tried running nLite on a different system and none of them will work for me. I tried on Windows 7, XP Professional (No Service Packs installed), and XP Professional SP2. What else can I try to get this to work?

[Sp0iLedBrAt]

Welcome to MSFN.

Are you sure you are using the right version? For example, a retail product key won't work on an OEM version. What kind of a CD do you have?

Cheers

[Ponch]

There are tons of threads about rejected keys here. Search for "invalid", "rejected", "accept"...We know of ~3 causes for rejected keys;

-SP3 integrated with nLite under Vista or 7even.

-that key was actually never tried with original CD (because original was automated) and poster admits it later.

-key was blacklisted by Service Pack.

[cohbra]

Thanks for the quick replies. It must be that the key was blacklisted by the Service Pack.

I know that the key works with the install disk that I have as long as I don't have the SP2 updates on it because I installed it that way before. However, it is not the original product key for THIS system and it will not pass the WGA so once my installation is complete, I then run the Service Pack Update tool from windows and update it to the actual product key for this machine and WGA then passes. I have to install this way because my disk for this windows license is missing and can not be found. I have torn the house apart looking for it for days now.

I would just use the method I listed above, but I am trying to set up a dual boot Windows 7 & XP Pro system. After I set up the partitions for each system, the XP installation does not recognize the the drive partitions unless I have integrated the SP2 updates.