Sorry you are having problems. The unique product ket is indeed the one on the label attached to the computer. All the discs containing XP are the almost the same (unless they are carrying service pack enhancements) and are in no way personalised. I built a new computer about 9 months ago to replace my then current one which was running XP. As the old one was being taken out of service, I considered it legitimate to use the rescue disc from my old machine to put a copy of XP on my newly built unit. (Whether it is or not is a moot point.)
XP from the old rescue disc was installed on the new machine, and by using the telephone system and the unique code from the label on my old machine, XP was successfully validatad. I have now stuck that label on the case of my new one, my old machine having been dismantled and the bits used elsewhere, but it's hard drive is now an additional drive in my new machine.
Since that time I have re-installed XP on two other machines using the same rescue disc, but in each case have sucessfully validated the copies using the unique validation code from the labels attached to each machine.
Incidentally, I noted some time ago that this validation code had been rubbed off the label attached to the bottom of my laptop. Fortunately, if you use something like Belarc Advisor, this will give you the unique code which, after validation, is stored somewhere on the hard drive. I have copied this code down and safely stored it against the time that this copy of XP gets corrupted.
P.P.
Last edited by P.Pilcher; 26th July 2010 at 12:53.
Reason: typo