Help With Windows XP serial key

[SuperTrooper317]

Let me see if I can get this straight. My supervisor just rebuilt his computer. He was an old Win98 fan and he finally decided to upgrade. He was given as a gift a retail version of Windows XP upgrade. He installed his '98 after formatting, then ran the upgrade. After that, he installed one of the Norton's Suites. He kept having conflicts when he tried to any type of system scan (i.e. virus scan or file search through windows). He reformatted and reinstalled several times with the same problem. Since he was having so many problems and taking so long to re-install, I loaned him a licensed OEM full version of Windows XP that came with a Dell system I had bought, thinking he could use his product code.

When he tried to activate, he is prompted to call Microsoft. Microsoft said they could not activate an OEM version with a retail upgrade version.

I applaud the man because he is trying to be completely legal and legit when so many don't and he is having so many problems. He now has his computer running great without any conflicts and doesn't want to have to reinstall to activate. I hope this makes since and that someone can advise a way to make his product key work.

Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

[doctorgonzo]

First, he doesn't have to install Windows 98 in order to do the upgrade. As long as he has his Windows 98 CD, that's all he needs to install Windows XP. Installing Windows 98 first is a bad idea, since upgrades to Windows XP have a lot more problems than fresh installs.

Second, ditch the Norton Suite. It is more trouble than it is worth.

I would format the drive, then just install the retail upgrade Windows XP. During the install, it will ask for the Windows 98 CD; just put it in and continue with the installation procedure. Hopefully, that will work.

[ktkendall]

Did he activate XP before he installed Norton Suite?? Secondly He does not have to go through the rigaramole of installing w98, just boot from the XP upgrade CD, let it do it's thing , formatting and installing , and it will ask for the w98 cd to verify upgrade version eligability, you pop in the w98 cd, it scans it, then says all is good, you take out the w98 cd, pop XP back in and it continues the business of installing XP, and your good to go and will have a much better running machine with clean install of XP, without going over top of w98.. I don't believe they bother to explain that, but it does work. He should use his disk, and his product key and should have no trouble activating that way..

Sorry DR gonzo, it took me that long to type mine up, I did not purposely reiterate your post..

[Panama Red]

The other advantage of installing XP without installing 98 first is you can select to use the NTFS file system instead of the old FAT32 that 98 requires. FAT32 can be converted to NTFS but it's just one less step if you select NTFS at the beginning. And one less thing to go wrong if the conversion corrupts for some reason. And I agree with DrG, dump the Norton.

[glc]

Use Magical Jellybean to change the product code to his retail upgrade code - see if that will work.

[Malta Soron]

Originally Posted by doctorgonzo Second, ditch the Norton Suite. It is more trouble than it is worth.

I second that. I've spend hours only on installing/uninstalling it, let alone actually working with it. Get AVG. It's half the price and twice as good.