Trying to reformat HD and reinstall XP

Dan · 10-17-2009, 01:54 AM

Hello all: Have a 3+ year old Dell Dimension desk top. Good work horse; have about 40GB of data, mostly pictures, 106GB total. Anyway, many problems lately, like Windows Install Service (gone), Adobe (suddenly stopped), can't get rid of certain directories, and on it goes. Can't download items (attachments). I give up, and want to reformat and start over. Have my disks, have read several articles on reformatting, can't boot from the Dell disk (yes, I have changed the BIOS). Have backed everything up on two external drives (routine action). Using Dell XP reinstallation disk, get to about step 3 and it wants my Product Key, which, when I enter it, it says is invalid????? Worked 3 years ago when my Dell HD crashed and I installed new one supplied by Dell. How do I get beyond this point?
Dan

PeterT · 10-17-2009, 10:36 AM

If you are sure that you have entered the key correctly and still get the 'invalid' message, try calling Dell or MS.

rjs735 · 10-17-2009, 11:03 AM

I would suggest you try running non destructive Diags for your HD. Get them from the HD MFG web site.

Are you able to run the MS HD utilities like Defrag etc.

Your problem sounds like the HD can read but can't write.
All of the functions you are trying to do require the ability of the HD to write data.

**ctal** · 10-17-2009, 01:36 PM

I believe that the bios update may be the reason the product key no longer works. I did a bios update on a Dell Dimension around 7 years ago, and when I later tried to reinstall XP from scratch I had to call Microsoft and get a new key. I suspect that at least with some of their computers the oem installation of Windows that Dell provides is tied to a serial number in the bios, so that if the bios is updated Windows will think it is being installed on a different computer than the one it is licensed for.

I'm sure that if you call Microsoft and explain what has happened, they will readily provide you with a new key that will work.

Also, I'm moving this thread from the Support Forum (which, despite its unfortunately misleading name, is for questions and issues relating to functionality of the ABXZone site itself) to the Windows XP forum.

And welcome to ABXZone!

Regards,
-- Al

10-17-2009, 01:54 AM	#1
Dan Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 1	Trying to reformat HD and reinstall XP Hello all: Have a 3+ year old Dell Dimension desk top. Good work horse; have about 40GB of data, mostly pictures, 106GB total. Anyway, many problems lately, like Windows Install Service (gone), Adobe (suddenly stopped), can't get rid of certain directories, and on it goes. Can't download items (attachments). I give up, and want to reformat and start over. Have my disks, have read several articles on reformatting, can't boot from the Dell disk (yes, I have changed the BIOS). Have backed everything up on two external drives (routine action). Using Dell XP reinstallation disk, get to about step 3 and it wants my Product Key, which, when I enter it, it says is invalid????? Worked 3 years ago when my Dell HD crashed and I installed new one supplied by Dell. How do I get beyond this point? Dan
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10-17-2009, 10:36 AM	#2
PeterT CUSL2...GA-EP45-UD3P...? Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Sunny Florida, USA Posts: 2,688	Re: Trying to reformat HD and reinstall XP If you are sure that you have entered the key correctly and still get the 'invalid' message, try calling Dell or MS. __________________ Proud Member: Team-CUSL2 - 'The Old School Crew' Asus Eee PC 1000HE, 1x2GB Corsair DDR2 667 GA-EP45-UD3P, Q9550, 4x2GB Corsair XMS2 DDR2 800, EVGA 9800GTX+ 512MB GA-EP45-DS3L, E7200, 4x2GB Corsair XMS2 DDR2 800, Asus EAH4850 TOP 512MB GA-EP45-UD3P, E6600, 4x1GB Crucial Ballistix DDR2 1066, EVGA 8800GTS 512MB P5B-D in a box at the moment P4P800-D, P4 2.4C, 4x512MB Mushkin DDR 400, ATI AIW X800XT 256MB TUSL2C, P3-S 1.4, 2x256MB Corsair XMS150, ATI 9800PRO 128MB, TB Santa Cruz CUSL2, P3 1.0, 1x256MB & 2x128MB Corsair PC133, Asus V7700D 32MB, SB Live! * Please join ABXZone and participate *
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10-17-2009, 11:03 AM	#3
rjs735 Virus? What I am not sick Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Central Florida Posts: 1,912	Re: Trying to reformat HD and reinstall XP I would suggest you try running non destructive Diags for your HD. Get them from the HD MFG web site. Are you able to run the MS HD utilities like Defrag etc. Your problem sounds like the HD can read but can't write. All of the functions you are trying to do require the ability of the HD to write data. __________________ Asus P4S8x 2.0 Ghz Celeron Ram 512MB WDC 80GB HD SATA WDC 80GB SATA Memorex DUAL DVD/RW Win98SE/XP pro Asus P2b-F Cel 450 Ram 256MB W98 SE Optorite CDRW WD 40GB Asrock P4combo P4 346 Xp Pro Sp 3 SATA HD SATA DVD/RW Foxconn 925EX 550 XP Media SP2 Sata HD Sata DVD/RW Foxconn 925EX 550 Xp SP2 Asrock 775Dual 550 Xp pro SP2 IBM T23 1.3hz RAM 512MB XP pro SP2 All systems are networked Konica Minolta Color Laser Samsung clp-315 Color laser Dlink 655 Dlink G650 Wireless
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10-17-2009, 01:36 PM	#4
ctal Eschews Obfuscation Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Connecticut, USA Posts: 1,903	Re: Trying to reformat HD and reinstall XP I believe that the bios update may be the reason the product key no longer works. I did a bios update on a Dell Dimension around 7 years ago, and when I later tried to reinstall XP from scratch I had to call Microsoft and get a new key. I suspect that at least with some of their computers the oem installation of Windows that Dell provides is tied to a serial number in the bios, so that if the bios is updated Windows will think it is being installed on a different computer than the one it is licensed for. I'm sure that if you call Microsoft and explain what has happened, they will readily provide you with a new key that will work. Also, I'm moving this thread from the Support Forum (which, despite its unfortunately misleading name, is for questions and issues relating to functionality of the ABXZone site itself) to the Windows XP forum. And welcome to ABXZone! Regards, -- Al __________________ "I didn't say I didn't say it. I said that I didn't say that I said it. I want to make that very clear." -- George Romney, in 1968, while campaigning for the Republican nomination for President of the United States.
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