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From: Andrew on 9 Mar 2010 16:21
I have recently been given a PC to Repair, from a client.

XP-Pro Has Failed the Genuine Windows License Check..
Which the customer presumes was done by a relative trying to repair
the machine..!

The machine Has a Valid License for XP-Home Edition, and I have an
XP-Home Disk(Not the Original),
and the customer would Not like to loose the Data on the machine.

1) What is best way to Install Over XP-Pro,is Re-format required ..?

2) Will the license Key be valid for the installation from my disk ..?

Any Feedback would be appreciated
Andrew ;-)


From: R. McCarty on 9 Mar 2010 16:55
Unfortunately an XP Home to Pro is a one-way migration. You'll
have to format and re-install. The only downside is if the PC is an
OEM then any software ( 3rd-party ) will be lost in the format. I'd
check and see if the drive has a recovery partition. If so, I'd use the
Files and Settings Transfer Wizard to capture the user data. Then
do the recovery process to return the PC to factory condition. You
will be faced with lots of updates & patches ( Service Packs also ).
After recovery run FAST to restore the user profile.

Keys are not interchangeable. If the license COA has OEM in it
you'll need an OEM disk. All that is a moot point if the drive has
a factory recovery partition. Go to the vendor's website and read
any documentation they provide on how to restore a system.


"Andrew" <NoToSpam(a)ReadItYourSelf.com> wrote in message
news:gd6dnf3W2quPIAvWnZ2dnUVZ8h6dnZ2d(a)bt.com...
>I have recently been given a PC to Repair, from a client.
>
> XP-Pro Has Failed the Genuine Windows License Check..
> Which the customer presumes was done by a relative trying to repair
> the machine..!
>
> The machine Has a Valid License for XP-Home Edition, and I have an
> XP-Home Disk(Not the Original),
> and the customer would Not like to loose the Data on the machine.
>
> 1) What is best way to Install Over XP-Pro,is Re-format required ..?
>
> 2) Will the license Key be valid for the installation from my disk ..?
>
> Any Feedback would be appreciated
> Andrew ;-)
>
>


From: Pegasus [MVP] on 9 Mar 2010 18:29


"Andrew" <NoToSpam(a)ReadItYourSelf.com> wrote in message
news:gd6dnf3W2quPIAvWnZ2dnUVZ8h6dnZ2d(a)bt.com...
> I have recently been given a PC to Repair, from a client.
>
> XP-Pro Has Failed the Genuine Windows License Check..
> Which the customer presumes was done by a relative trying to repair
> the machine..!
>
> The machine Has a Valid License for XP-Home Edition, and I have an
> XP-Home Disk(Not the Original),
> and the customer would Not like to loose the Data on the machine.
>
> 1) What is best way to Install Over XP-Pro,is Re-format required ..?
>
> 2) Will the license Key be valid for the installation from my disk ..?
>
> Any Feedback would be appreciated
> Andrew ;-)

About your secondary point (loss of data): If you repair PCs for clients
then you should use this opportunity to remind him about the risks he takes
while not having a proper backup scheme. About saving his files in case
Windows will no longer start, you would be able to offer him several
alternatives, e.g.
- Connecting his disk as a slave disk to one of your own machines
- Booting the machine with a Bart PE boot CD (or similar),
then in each case copying his data to some other medium. It generates
customer confidence when you can defuse such issues with a casual wave of
your hand.

From: PA Bear [MS MVP] on 9 Mar 2010 19:15
Please visit http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/ and click on the Validate
Windows and/or Validate Office button then restart your computer.

If you weren't able to Validate, proceed as follows:

1. Download this diagnostic tool, saving it to your desktop:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=56062

=> WinXP: Double-click on the executable to run the tool.

=> Vista & Win7: Right-click on the executable and select Run as
Administrator to run the tool.

2. After running the tool, click on the Windows and/or Office tab as
appropriate and then click on Copy (to clipboard).

NB: You may want to open a new Notepad file, paste the contents of your
clipboard into it & save for future reference.

3. Begin a new thread in the appropriate Microsoft Genuine Advantage forum
and paste the results from the WGA and/or OGA Diagnostic Data tool in a
detailed post: http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/category/genuine

4. A troubleshooting specialist will analyze the data and recommend an
appropriate solution.

--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002

Andrew wrote:
> I have recently been given a PC to Repair, from a client.
>
> XP-Pro Has Failed the Genuine Windows License Check..
> Which the customer presumes was done by a relative trying to repair
> the machine..!
>
> The machine Has a Valid License for XP-Home Edition, and I have an
> XP-Home Disk(Not the Original),
> and the customer would Not like to loose the Data on the machine.
>
> 1) What is best way to Install Over XP-Pro,is Re-format required ..?
>
> 2) Will the license Key be valid for the installation from my disk ..?
>
> Any Feedback would be appreciated
> Andrew ;-)

From: Daave on 10 Mar 2010 10:05
Andrew wrote:
> I have recently been given a PC to Repair, from a client.
>
> XP-Pro Has Failed the Genuine Windows License Check..
> Which the customer presumes was done by a relative trying to repair
> the machine..!
>
> The machine Has a Valid License for XP-Home Edition, and I have an
> XP-Home Disk(Not the Original),
> and the customer would Not like to loose the Data on the machine.
>
> 1) What is best way to Install Over XP-Pro,is Re-format required ..?

A Clean Install is necessary.

> 2) Will the license Key be valid for the installation from my disk ..?

Only if the type matches. For example, if the client's version of XP
Home is OEM, your XP Home installation CD must be a generic OEM one
(Retail won't work).


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