I type the key exactly as it is on the sticker, and it doesn't work. All it says is key invalid.
A lot of key problems can be resolved with Microsoft tech support. You can give them your new Win 7 key and your old XP key, and they'll give you a new key that will just work. I've done this numerous times when stuff like this has happened. I'll try to put in my XP key or try to upgrade and it won't work, so I just call them and with little to no hassle they'll just give me a new key.
I know it's a bitch to call tech support, but it's probably more hassle to reinstall and lose that Vista key.
Hey, Just a note for whoever said the businesses were not buying windows 7. I know for a fact that most businesses will not switch to the new version of windows until they release the first service pack. This is why Microsoft usually releases the first service pack in about 6 months whether they need them or not. Which is when my corporation will be converting to 7 (we skipped Vista).
Man, this 64-bit Ubuntu is working so great on my computer. Dual monitors even works. I would totally stick with it if Steam ran natively. But alas, Linux running in VirtualBox on top of Windows satisfies all my needs, but Windows running in a VirtualBox on Linux does not. Gaming in a VM = poop. Coding in a VM = just fine.
I type the key exactly as it is on the sticker, and it doesn't work. All it says is key invalid.
A lot of key problems can be resolved with Microsoft tech support. You can give them your new Win 7 key and your old XP key, and they'll give you a new key that will just work. I've done this numerous times when stuff like this has happened. I'll try to put in my XP key or try to upgrade and it won't work, so I just call them and with little to no hassle they'll just give me a new key.
I know it's a bitch to call tech support, but it's probably more hassle to reinstall and lose that Vista key.
I'm trying this right now.
Guess what? The customer service representative is not giving me this option. They are basically just insulting me and telling me I should have paid more for the full version even though I own XP.
Now I got a friendly person who is forwarding me to the product activation department. However, he's incompetent and didn't understand my problem. I'm going to continue with this just to get some good stories.
Finally got through to someone intelligent who understood the problem. His answer? (paraphrased)
"You are shit out of luck. Either get the full version of Windows 7 or find some way to get XP to install. I can't give you support for the Windows XP install getting a blue screen because the warranty on it is over."
Basically, what we have here, is not just the worst case example of bad DRM. We have a case where DRM does not match the policy. I have legitimate copies of Windows XP, Vista Home Basic, and Vista Ultimate. However, in order for the upgrade disc to work, I actually have to have one of these installed on the machine. However, the XP and the Home Basic editions will not install on my PC for technical reasons, even though they are legitimate copies.
I could install Windows XP legitimately first, but the only Windows XP CD that I have is so old it doesn't even have SP1. So here's a quetion.
Let's say I get a Windows XP CD that has SP3 on it. That probably will install without a blue screen. Will my XP key work on that? Is there somewhere to get that kind of CD for free on teh Internets that is trustworthy?
What I don't understand is that I had heard that you had to nuke your XP install before you installed 7 anyway. This is why I gave up on MS upgrades many years ago.
What I don't understand is that I had heard that you had to nuke your XP install before you installed 7 anyway. This is why I gave up on MS upgrades many years ago.
Yes, but you have to let the Windows upgrade do the nuking.
Back in the day I had a Windows 98 upgrade CD. I could install it on any blank computer. During the install process it would ask for a windows 95 CD and your Windows 95 key. That was it. I assumed this is how things would stay.
What I don't understand is that I had heard that you had to nuke your XP install before you installed 7 anyway. This is why I gave up on MS upgrades many years ago.
$100 is not infinite. When I think of how valuable my time is these days, it's completely worth to just buy the full version and not deal with these issues at all.
You can always get a pirated version of XP at some warez place and just don't use the crack or serial generator, just use your serial number, most of the times the viruses and malware are inside those anyways.
Let's say I get a Windows XP CD that has SP3 on it. That probably will install without a blue screen. Will my XP key work on that?
I'm reasonably certain it would.
Is there somewhere to get that kind of CD for free on teh Internets that is trustworthy?
From you, I find it difficult to see this as anything other than a baited question. The only source that would meet your standards of trustworthiness is MSDNAA, which you don't have access to. Other than that, there basically isn't anywhere.
You can always get a pirated version of XP atsome warez placeand just don't use the crack or serial generator, just use your serial number, most of the times the viruses and malware are inside those anyways.
I'd stick with The Pirate Bay over "some warez place", but I doubt it's good enough for Scott anyway.
Your safest option is to borrow a proper windows XP installation disc from someone you know.
Basically, what we have here, is not just the worst case example of bad DRM. We have a case where DRM does not match the policy. I have legitimate copies of Windows XP, Vista Home Basic, and Vista Ultimate. However, in order for the upgrade disc to work, I actually have to have one of these installed on the machine. However, the XP and the Home Basic editions will not install on my PC for technical reasons, even though they are legitimate copies.
Do you have a drive with XP installed on it that you can attach to the computer but not boot from? Can you point the Windows 7 installer to that drive the way you used to be able to simply put the install CD in the tray for previous Windows upgrades?
I have the family pack coming in the mail and I will be upgrading two Vista machines and one XP netbook. The only one I expect issues with is the netbook because it will not be an upgrade but a clean install.
I got an XP CD from pirate bay. The installation went better than it did with the XP CD I already had, but it still blue screened. I just can't install XP on this computer. I guess I'm going to have to reinstall vista ultimate tomorrow, and then upgrade on top of it.
I remember people complaining about this problem when Vista came out. There used to be a work around where you used to be able to install it without using a product key. After it installed you could then do an upgrade from that using the key.
I'm not sure if you completed your Windows 7 installation, but I think I found a way to get around having to install a copy of XP/Vista and using up your serial keys. Just to note, I version I used was Windows 7 Professional 64-bit Upgrade (although, I don't think the version really matters, it should work regardless). I did a Custom Install on a formatted partition. When I got to the screen asking for my serial key, I left it blank, and clicked next. It proceeded to finish the install, and boot me into Windows 7. I then went to Control Panel -> System And Security -> System. On the lower portion of that Window is a section that lets you input your serial key to remove the 30 day trail period. I clicked on that option, and entered my serial key. Batta Bing! It worked! And yes, just to confirm, my version is an Upgrade. Hopefully this works for you as well.
I'm not really sure where Scott was running into a problem either. I used the exact same method that datruth29 did with my Win7 Pro 64 upgrade disc: Custom Install, pick the partition, skip the reg key, install, register, and then delete the windows.old directory to clean up the space.
I did a Custom Install on a formatted partition. When I got to the screen asking for my serial key, I left it blank, and clicked next.
You must admit, while you could achieve this through trial and error, it doesn't seem at all obvious. One gets used to entering serials when asked for them. Additionally, the Microsoft tech support people obviously failed epically if this is true. EDIT: A quick google brings up a tutorial. Now, not finding this is certainly a fail by Scott ^_^ Also, it would seem that Microsoft is keeping this on the down-low because it means that an Upgrade Version of Windows 7 is effectively a full version.
You must admit, while you could achieve this through trial and error, it doesn't seem at all obvious.
Interesting, pretty much everyone I know skips inputting the serial during installation, since it's common knowledge that you then just have to put it in later. That's also how a slipstreamed Windows version gets installed.
Now, not finding this is certainly a fail by Scott ^_^
Scott, who already knows everything Google can tell him.
Also, I ended up installing the Windows 7 on top of my Vista Ultimate. This time, it didn't even ask for a serial! The only time I had to type the key was during activation, not during installation.
I installed Windows 7 on three PCs this weekend (Family Pack FTW!)
The netbook (XP) was the quickest to upgrade. It did not require a reformat or anything. I did back up the data ahead of time but other than having to reinstall some programs it was no big deal. My laptop took about 4 hours (Vista) and my wife's desktop took about 3 hours (Vista).
Everything looks good at this point and I have had to field far fewer questions from my wife this time around as to what has changed.
Scott, do you have any idea why your computer is failing to install XP? Have you tried removing things like video cards and using an older card?
Comments
I know it's a bitch to call tech support, but it's probably more hassle to reinstall and lose that Vista key.
Guess what? The customer service representative is not giving me this option. They are basically just insulting me and telling me I should have paid more for the full version even though I own XP.
"You are shit out of luck. Either get the full version of Windows 7 or find some way to get XP to install. I can't give you support for the Windows XP install getting a blue screen because the warranty on it is over."
Basically, what we have here, is not just the worst case example of bad DRM. We have a case where DRM does not match the policy. I have legitimate copies of Windows XP, Vista Home Basic, and Vista Ultimate. However, in order for the upgrade disc to work, I actually have to have one of these installed on the machine. However, the XP and the Home Basic editions will not install on my PC for technical reasons, even though they are legitimate copies.
I could install Windows XP legitimately first, but the only Windows XP CD that I have is so old it doesn't even have SP1. So here's a quetion.
Let's say I get a Windows XP CD that has SP3 on it. That probably will install without a blue screen. Will my XP key work on that? Is there somewhere to get that kind of CD for free on teh Internets that is trustworthy?
Back in the day I had a Windows 98 upgrade CD. I could install it on any blank computer. During the install process it would ask for a windows 95 CD and your Windows 95 key. That was it. I assumed this is how things would stay.
Your safest option is to borrow a proper windows XP installation disc from someone you know.
I have the family pack coming in the mail and I will be upgrading two Vista machines and one XP netbook. The only one I expect issues with is the netbook because it will not be an upgrade but a clean install.
Le sigh.
Advice: get as many Windows keys as you can in college and fucking save them somewhere. I've only got two XP keys left, I could have had much more.
I'm not sure if you completed your Windows 7 installation, but I think I found a way to get around having to install a copy of XP/Vista and using up your serial keys. Just to note, I version I used was Windows 7 Professional 64-bit Upgrade (although, I don't think the version really matters, it should work regardless). I did a Custom Install on a formatted partition. When I got to the screen asking for my serial key, I left it blank, and clicked next. It proceeded to finish the install, and boot me into Windows 7. I then went to Control Panel -> System And Security -> System. On the lower portion of that Window is a section that lets you input your serial key to remove the 30 day trail period. I clicked on that option, and entered my serial key. Batta Bing! It worked! And yes, just to confirm, my version is an Upgrade. Hopefully this works for you as well.
EDIT: A quick google brings up a tutorial. Now, not finding this is certainly a fail by Scott ^_^
Also, it would seem that Microsoft is keeping this on the down-low because it means that an Upgrade Version of Windows 7 is effectively a full version.
Also, I ended up installing the Windows 7 on top of my Vista Ultimate. This time, it didn't even ask for a serial! The only time I had to type the key was during activation, not during installation.
The netbook (XP) was the quickest to upgrade. It did not require a reformat or anything. I did back up the data ahead of time but other than having to reinstall some programs it was no big deal. My laptop took about 4 hours (Vista) and my wife's desktop took about 3 hours (Vista).
Everything looks good at this point and I have had to field far fewer questions from my wife this time around as to what has changed.
Scott, do you have any idea why your computer is failing to install XP? Have you tried removing things like video cards and using an older card?