Activating clean install XP, Vista downgrade

[pfrcom]

Seems to be a few people here familiar with navigating Microsoft's bureaucracy, so thought I'd ask ...

I wanted to install Windows XP from scratch, on a HP dc7900 which has a Vista license key sticker and another sticker saying Vista downgraded to XP Pro

So I erased its disk, then started with my proven working XPsp3 OEM install CD

It wouldn't accept the license key from the sticker when it got to that point, so I continued without entering a license key

After getting all the drivers installed, I tried to activate over the net - got a knockback

So I tried by phone, keying in the 54-digit code it generates for phone activation

Another knockback - so I tried speaking to a human

Dictated the 54-digit code to a female Indian voice, got another knockback, telling me to go to reseller

When I objected, saying a HP branded PC was unlikely to be counterfeit, she gave me a number to call Microsoft Australia

I tried the number, got a voice saying they were experiencing congestion and I should try again

Finally the $60 question - should I keep trying, or am I flogging a dead horse ? - are there other alternatives to get XP activated ?

[goontron]

Re: Activating clean install XP, Vista downgrade

from my knowledge
sorry

[Mad_Professor]

Re: Activating clean install XP, Vista downgrade

NOPE! sounds like you did everything you could. Unless that license key sticker was a vista sticker and not a xp sticker, that could be your problem there.

Anyways you don't want XP anymore, that shit about to go "end of life" in a few months.

If your system can run vista, it can run windows 7 and 7 runs 100x better than vista.
Windows 7 is what you want.
You can buy it or get it illegally; there is a nice windows loader that fools the system into thinking you have a legit slic license. But I'm not going to post where you can get it.

If you don't want to do either of that, get a linux distro.

I recommend Mint for noobs.
http://www.linuxmint.com/

[pfrcom]

Re: Activating clean install XP, Vista downgrade

Unless that license key sticker was a vista sticker and not a xp sticker

Windows 7 is what you want

I think the license sticker is a Vista sticker - the sticker saying Vista downgraded to XP Pro is the same HP sticker that has the model details on it

Windows 7 is -not- what I want - AFAIC 7 is XP with a prettier face and a lot more obfuscation

Linux is a known alternative - not particularly keen on Mint though - my main systems dual-boot Ubuntu 12.04 and XP Pro sp3

[Toasty]

Re: Activating clean install XP, Vista downgrade

Which Vista? XP Pro downgrade only works for Business or Ultimate. It's that way going up also. Like platforms crossing only.

Perhaps you need to install Vista and get it activated and then perform the downgrade?

Can you attempt the Vista install and see if it activates?

T

EDIT: If the Vista was on the "hidden" partition, and you wiped that, you're out of luck. Unless you buy or obtain a HP Vista OEM disk of the correct version for that machine.

From MS:

Can I downgrade my OEM version of Windows Vista Business to Windows XP Professional?

Yes. OEM downgrade rights for desktop PC operating systems apply to Windows Vista Business and Windows Vista Ultimate as stated in the License Terms. Please note, OEM downgrade versions of Windows Vista Business and Windows Vista Ultimate are limited to Windows XP Professional (including Windows XP Tablet PC Edition and Windows XP x64 Edition).

End users can use the following media for their downgrade: Volume Licensing media (provided the end user has a Volume Licensing agreement), retail (FPP), or system builder hologram CD (provided the software is acquired in accordance with the Microsoft OEM System Builder License). Use of the downgraded operating system is governed by the Windows Vista Business License Terms, and the end user cannot use both the downgrade operating system and Windows Vista Business. There are no downgrade rights granted for Windows Vista Home Basic or Windows Vista Home Premium.
.

[Spitz]

Re: Activating clean install XP, Vista downgrade

Seems to be a few people here familiar with navigating Microsoft's bureaucracy, so thought I'd ask ...
I wanted to install Windows XP from scratch, on a HP dc7900 which has a Vista license key sticker and another sticker saying Vista downgraded to XP Pro

Go to your city dump and copy the key from a trashed computer. It will work best if it is an original 2002 version without service packs. Use your sp3 xp disk to load.

[RJARRRPCGP]

Re: Activating clean install XP, Vista downgrade

Seems to be a few people here familiar with navigating Microsoft's bureaucracy, so thought I'd ask ...

I wanted to install Windows XP from scratch, on a HP dc7900 which has a Vista license key sticker and another sticker saying Vista downgraded to XP Pro

So I erased its disk, then started with my proven working XPsp3 OEM install CD

It wouldn't accept the license key from the sticker when it got to that point, so I continued without entering a license key

After getting all the drivers installed, I tried to activate over the net - got a knockback

Looks like you tried to install XP Home Edition.

And it looks like you don't even have a product key, looks like the reason activation is getting denied.

[ratdude747]

Re: Activating clean install XP, Vista downgrade

Go to your city dump and copy the key from a trashed computer. It will work best if it is an original 2002 version without service packs. Use your sp3 xp disk to load.

I beg to differ.

For Xp Pro:


You DO want a SP'd key, sp2 or sp3. Unless your install media is sp1 or sp0 (not including n-lited service packs). For the OEM SP2 release, the key tables were changed (the old one was called "royal", not sure on the newer one). I've personally never had luck mixing them... hence why I use an sp0 image with sp3 n-lited for my old keys (as nliting sp3 keeps the activation info intact).

For XP home:

Sp3 Images require sp3 keys (usually found on netbooks). SP2 and lower images require sp2 and lower keys. As before, to use sp3 on a non-sp3 key, you need to nlite it.

[Spitz]

Re: Activating clean install XP, Vista downgrade

I beg to differ.

All originals will pass the disk test because they would all have been upgraded to the later service packs. So they had to allow all codes to authenticate. If you install sp2 for example, then you have to have a sp2 code to pass. There are a defined group of codes that work with a set of cd's. Any prior codes have to pass because normal upgrades will take them up to sp3. I have done this many times and I know it works.

[Nitro468]

Re: Activating clean install XP, Vista downgrade

If you UPGRADED from XP to Vista the upgrade KILLS the XP key... MS bureaucracy..

I always do a clean install..

[bluto]

Re: Activating clean install XP, Vista downgrade

What you want to do is convert your install to a HP royalty OEM cert/key. In XP, the SLP 1.0 pre-activation scheme needs three things. 1. The manufacturer specific product key for the edition of windows (Home, Pro, etc.) 2. The computer must have the appropriate OEM string in the BIOS (quite literally something to the effect of 'DELL COMPUTER'). 3. These 4 files that correspond to items 1 & 2: OEMBIOS.BIN, OEMBIOS.CAT, OEMBIOS.DAT & OEMBIOS.SIG. Note that they might be in compressed form with a '_' in the last character of the file name. Since you are have already installed XP, you can use the program called 'OEM BIOS Changer' to convert the license to HP OEM SLP. Once you do that, it will never bug you about activation again (just like a new major label PC with Windows pre-installed would never bug you).

Or if you prefer to re-install, you can use a tool like nLite to create a new XP install disc with items 1 & 3 already in place via an un-attended install script.

[ratdude747]

Re: Activating clean install XP, Vista downgrade

All originals will pass the disk test because they would all have been upgraded to the later service packs. So they had to allow all codes to authenticate. If you install sp2 for example, then you have to have a sp2 code to pass. There are a defined group of codes that work with a set of cd's. Any prior codes have to pass because normal upgrades will take them up to sp3. I have done this many times and I know it works.

I'm just going off experience... and what an expert told me (who works in IT). The change isn't related to SP's other than that they both happened at the same time... I've tried stock sp2 OEM images on old codes, didn't work. Sure, I could have phoned it in, but I do know the sp0 image + sp3 (via nlite) trick has worked for me at least.

[c_hegge]

Re: Activating clean install XP, Vista downgrade

The way I have always done it is to use the XP Pro product key from another computer. That's the way M$ say to do it. If the online activation fails, then they will activate it for you over the phone if you tell them that you are using your upgrade rights from Vista Business to XP Pro.

[larrymoencurly]

Re: Activating clean install XP, Vista downgrade

Does this work? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzYZpZdLV9w

[pfrcom]

Re: Activating clean install XP, Vista downgrade

Which Vista? XP Pro downgrade only works for Business or Ultimate.

Windows license key sticker says "Windows Vista Business OEMAct HP"

Second sticker with HP model number says "OS: Vista downgraded to XP Pro"

Looks like you tried to install XP Home Edition.

You had me worried there for a minute - did I use the wrong CD ?

Nope - My Computer properties says "Microsoft Windows XP Professional Version 2002 Service Pack 3"

[Topcat]

Re: Activating clean install XP, Vista downgrade

I just use one of the dozens of legit OEM COA keys I scavenged off of many many cases (mostly Dells). They work on anything and any OEM version of XP Pro. I activated one online today as a matter of fact...emachine using a dell key that had Vista home on it.

[pfrcom]

Re: Activating clean install XP, Vista downgrade

use the XP Pro product key from another computer

Won't that mean the computer's then activated with a key that doesn't belong to it ?

they will activate it for you over the phone

Which phone number do you use ?

I was told 132058, extension 12, by the first human I dealt with

But 132058 goes into a menu system, extension irrelevant, that ends up making you key in the 54-digit key over the phone

And if you wait for a human after that automated phone system gives you a knockback, you just dictate the 54-digit key to said human, and end up getting the same knockback

use one of the dozens of legit OEM COA keys I scavenged

Not an option for me - I think I have a key that would work, but I'd like to install this one with its own credentials

[Toasty]

Re: Activating clean install XP, Vista downgrade

Vista downgrade means just that. Vista Business installed first, checks the BIOS, gets activated, then can be downgraded to XP Pro. You can't use the key any other way as it's looking for the Vista activation.

In my experience, the other methods using a scavenged key sometimes work and sometimes don't.

T

[c_hegge]

Re: Activating clean install XP, Vista downgrade

Won't that mean the computer's then activated with a key that doesn't belong to it ?

Yes, but M$ do allow that when you're upgrading from Vista. Use 1800 642 008. To speak to a human, use option 1 (to activate Windows), and just enter seven stars two or three times. The computer will then say something like "I can sense that you are having difficulty. Press 1 to be transferred to a customer service rep." Press 1 and you should get to talk to them. The important part is that you tell them you are "downgrading" from Vista business to XP Pro using the Vista's so-called "downgrade" rights. I've done it several times before and they do allow it. BUT, you do have to have a product key entered. You can't do it with no product key.