XP serial number not legit... ?

[andym]

A neighbour has asked me to sort another laptop (yet again many bad sectors on the hard drive), after trying to repair windows many times I was told I could just go ahead and format it.

Now I had used magic jellybean to extract the serial number (after trying it on my own computer to confirm the number was the right one), I got XP installed over the last copy without formatting and it didn't ask me for the serial number, but it did tell me I had 30 days to activate it... so I went to activate it online and it told me the SN wasn't legit.

I've read that a few people have had a problem with xp not activating because it's too old or been installed too many times and having to activate by phone, where they have to give the serial number, number off the disc and case and a few other things. The computer didn't come with any discs or COA, so I figured that since I had the SN it wouldn't be a problem just reinstalling from a disc I had burnt ages ago...

So, should I get in contact with Samsung about the serial number, Microshaft and have them hang up with a fit of the giggles or someone being about £80 out of pocket to buy a legit serial number, just install an illegal copy bypassing the need for activation or just give it back since it is now working again and let her deal with it from here?

[CaNsA]

I'd do a full surface scan of that disk before handing it back.
Cant find the activation crack mate, soz.
I only have win7 stuff now.

Also, can you specify which version of xp ?

[andym]

I'm seriously considering just putting windows 7 on there as I have a cracked version....

According to what was extracted from the registry it was xp home sp1. I'm not too sure, could using a retail version of xp home on an oem serial number be the problem?

I'm in the process of installing xp pro as a friend installed it and said it didn't need to be activated, but if this doesn't work then I'll just throw 7 on there.

As for the surface scan, I put the drive into my PC and before windows started up (I'm using xp pro 64), it ran a scan on the drive as it said there was errors. Not sure that it makes any difference, but as far as I'm aware, if there is bad sectors then when the scan disk is done it marks off bad sectors and moves everything along, and since there was only 18gb being used on a 320gb drive there should be plenty of shunting space.

With the drive itself, the last laptop I was asked to sort was about 50% corrupt and I installed ubuntu as trying to install windows kept crashing it, this current laptop is on its second HD, and the owner (her husband or kids) have a habit of just switching it off before windows either loads or has shut down properly (if you pull the power plug it switches off instantly).

[sickpup]

You have used a different build version of windows XP when you re-formated and the original Key code you had won't clear the different version. The Key code is correct, it is the work you have done that isn't.

What you should have done is roll back to day zero, use a recovery disc or clone onto a fresh drive. As it is you are screwed and will need a new version of windows.

[andym]

strangely a nice shiny version of windows 7 ultimate seems to be running on there now... apparently all legit too

I may have to keep the laptop here and if it's any good then I might upgrade from xp64 myself

[P.addy]

https://yesterdaystheory.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/xp.zip

Still sitting on my ftp stuff..

[Seb]

Was this machine a netbook? If it was, chances are as Sickpup says, you've snookered yourself, I'm yet to see a Samsung be sold without a COA, someone will likely have peeled it off at some point.

The other thing to note that the key on there might not even be genuine in the first place. No COA means it could well be a now blacklisted bulk license jobby or the like. Hence the hanging up and giggling

Also note that formating isn't going to do anything about those bad sectors
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