SP2 Product Code???

I have a friend who is running XP pro, but is still using dial-up, in order
to get him SP2, I have it on a disc. When I try to install it, it just about
finishes but then I get an error message about an Invalid Product Key...Any
thoughts and/or Solutions.

Thanks
--
Patrick

"caterpat" wrote in message
...
I have a friend who is running XP pro, but is still using dial-up, in
order
to get him SP2, I have it on a disc. When I try to install it, it just
about
finishes but then I get an error message about an Invalid Product
Key...Any
thoughts and/or Solutions.

Thanks
--
Patrick

Sounds like your friend has a pirated version of XP........

Is your version of Windows genuine?
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/h...s/default.mspx

You receive a "The product key used to install Microsoft Windows may not be valid"
error message when you try to install Windows XP Service Pack 2
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;883254

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/secu...xp/choose.mspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"caterpat" wrote:

| I have a friend who is running XP pro, but is still using dial-up, in order
| to get him SP2, I have it on a disc. When I try to install it, it just about
| finishes but then I get an error message about an Invalid Product Key...Any
| thoughts and/or Solutions.
|
| Thanks
| --
| Patrick

In ,
caterpat had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:

I have a friend who is running XP pro, but is still using dial-up, in
order to get him SP2, I have it on a disc. When I try to install it,
it just about finishes but then I get an error message about an
Invalid Product Key...Any thoughts and/or Solutions.

Thanks

It may very well mean that your friend is using an illegally copy or a
blacklisted key.

Galen
--

"But there are always some lunatics about. It would be a dull world
without them."

Sherlock Holmes

Not sure if genuine or not, can he live without sp2 and can I help eliminate
the constant popups that he is recieving without it?
--
Patrick


"Carey Frisch [MVP]" wrote:

Is your version of Windows genuine?
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/h...s/default.mspx

You receive a "The product key used to install Microsoft Windows may not be valid"
error message when you try to install Windows XP Service Pack 2
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;883254

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/secu...xp/choose.mspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"caterpat" wrote:

| I have a friend who is running XP pro, but is still using dial-up, in order
| to get him SP2, I have it on a disc. When I try to install it, it just about
| finishes but then I get an error message about an Invalid Product Key...Any
| thoughts and/or Solutions.
|
| Thanks
| --
| Patrick

"caterpat" wrote in message
...
can I help eliminate the constant popups that he is recieving without it?

yes - install a firewall, and use Firefox as web browser.

If it is not genuine, then your friend needs to install a legal version
of Windows XP. SP2 is a critical update and should be installed.
Tell your fiend he need to purchase a "Full Version" of Windows
XP Professional and perform a "Repair Install".

Get all the Benefits of Microsoft Genuine Software
http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/def...displaylang=en

Microsoft Windows XP Pro with SP2 Upgrade Software
http://www2.newegg.com/Product/Produ...116-192&DEPA=8

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/secu...xp/choose.mspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"caterpat" wrote in message ...
| Not sure if genuine or not, can he live without sp2 and can I help eliminate
| the constant popups that he is recieving without it?
| --
| Patrick

caterpat wrote:
I have a friend who is running XP pro, but is still using dial-up, in order
to get him SP2, I have it on a disc. When I try to install it, it just about
finishes but then I get an error message about an Invalid Product Key...Any
thoughts and/or Solutions.

Thanks


If you are trying to install a WinXP Service Pack and getting the
following:

The Product Key Used to Install Windows Is Invalid
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;en-us;Q326904

You need to purchase and use a _legitimate_ full retail copy of
WinXP Pro to perform a repair (a.k.a. in-place upgrade) installation,
using the new CD and Product Key.

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/directo...;EN-US;Q315341


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

caterpat wrote:
Not sure if genuine or not, can he live without sp2 and can I help eliminate
the constant popups that he is recieving without it?


What specific kind of pop-ups are you seeing? There are at least
three varieties of pop-ups, and the solutions vary accordingly.

1) Does the title bar of these pop-ups read "Messenger Service?"

This type of spam has become quite common over the couple of
years, and unintentionally serves as a valid security "alert." It
demonstrates that you haven't been taking sufficient precautions while
connected to the Internet. Your data probably hasn't been compromised
by these specific advertisements, but if you're open to this exploit,
you may well be open to other threats, such as the Blaster Worm that
swept across the Internet last year and the currently active Sasser
Worm. Install and use a decent, properly configured firewall.
(Merely disabling the messenger service, as some people recommend,
only hides the symptom, and does little or nothing to truly secure
your machine.) And ignoring or just "putting up with" the security
gap represented by these messages is particularly foolish.

Messenger Service of Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/default...B;en-us;168893

Messenger Service Window That Contains an Internet Advertisement
Appears
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=330904

Stopping Advertisements with Messenger Service Titles
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/p...e/stopspam.asp

Blocking Ads, Parasites, and Hijackers with a Hosts File
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

Oh, and be especially wary of people who advise you to do nothing
more than disable the messenger service. Disabling the messenger
service, by itself, is a "head in the sand" approach to computer
security. The real problem is not the messenger service pop-ups;
they're actually providing a useful, if annoying, service by acting as
a security alert. The true problem is the unsecured computer, and
you've been advised to merely turn off the warnings. How is this
helpful?

2) For regular Internet pop-ups, you might try the free 12Ghosts
Popup-killer from http://12ghosts.com/ghosts/popup.htm, Pop-Up Stopper
from http://www.panicware.com/, or the Google Toolbar from
http://toolbar.google.com/. Alternatively, you can upgrade your WinXP
to SP2, to install IE's pop-up blocker. Another alternative would be
to use another browser, such as Mozilla or Firefox, which has pop-up
blocking capabilities. (But I'd avoid Netscape; it carries too much
extraneous AOL garbage.)

3) To deal with pop-ups caused by any sort of "adware" and/or
"spyware,"such as Gator, Comet Cursors, Xupiter, Bonzai Buddy, or
KaZaA, and their remnants, that you've deliberately (but without
understanding the consequences) installed, two products that are
quite effective (at finding and removing this type of scumware) are
Ad-Aware from www.lavasoft.de and SpyBot Search & Destroy from
www.safer-networking.org/. Both have free versions. It's even
possible to use SpyBot Search & Destroy to "immunize" your system
against most future intrusions. I use both and generally perform
manual scans every week or so to clean out cookies, etc.

Additionally, manual removal instructions for the most common
varieties of scumware are available he

PC Hell Spyware and Adware Removal Help
http://www.pchell.com/support/spyware.shtml

More information and assistance is available at these sites:

Blocking Ads, Parasites, and Hijackers with a Hosts File
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

The Parasite Fight
http://www.aumha.org/a/parasite.htm

Neither adware nor spyware, collectively known as scumware,
magically install themselves on anyone's computer. They are almost
always deliberately installed by the computer's user, as part of some
allegedly "free" service or product.

While there are some unscrupulous malware distributors out there,
who do attempt to install and exploit malware without consent, the
majority of them simply rely upon the intellectual laziness and
gullibility of the average consumer, counting on them to quickly click
past the EULA in his/her haste to get the latest in "free" cutesy
cursors, screensavers, "utilities," and/or wallpapers.

If you were to read the EULAs that accompany, and to which the
computer user must agree before the download/installation of the
"screensaver" continues, most adware and spyware, you'll find that
they _do_ have the consumer's permission to do exactly what they're
doing. In the overwhelming majority of cases, computer users have no
one to blame but themselves.

There are several essential components to computer security: a
knowledgeable and pro-active user, a properly configured firewall,
reliable and up-to-date antivirus software, and the prompt repair (via
patches, hotfixes, or service packs) of any known vulnerabilities.

The weakest link in this "equation" is, of course, the computer
user. No software manufacturer can -- nor should they be expected
to -- protect the computer user from him/herself. All too many people
have bought into the various PC/software manufacturers marketing
claims of easy computing. They believe that their computer should be
no harder to use than a toaster oven; they have neither the
inclination or desire to learn how to safely use their computer. All
too few people keep their antivirus software current, install patches
in a timely manner, or stop to really think about that cutesy link
they're about to click.

Firewalls and anti-virus applications, which should always be used
and should always be running, are important components of "safe hex,"
but they cannot, and should not be expected to, protect the computer
user from him/herself. Ultimately, it is incumbent upon each and
every computer user to learn how to secure his/her own computer.


To learn more about practicing "safe hex," start with these links:

Protect Your PC
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/default.asp

Home Computer Security
http://www.cert.org/homeusers/HomeComputerSecurity/

List of Antivirus Software Vendors
http://support.microsoft.com/default...kb;en-us;49500

Home PC Firewall Guide
http://www.firewallguide.com/

Scumware.com
http://www.scumware.com/


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH