Resolved XP Activation

I have a question regarding XP activation. I installed a copy of XP pro retail on a laptop and have no activation code. What would be the proper procedure in acquiring an activation code. The laptop is a Gateway that was purchased new a few years ago and the owner no longer has the software that came along with the unit, hence the reason I installed one of my copies. For some unknown reason my corporate version blue screens after every attempted install which is the reason I'm using a retail version.

 

The way forward would be to buy a retail license from a retailer or find the OEM disks that were supplied with the machine.

Tom

 

Tom, is it safe to say I can contact Gateway and receive an activation code from them?

 

You can try and contact gateway and see if they can supply you with a copy of the OEM disks.

Normally if you buy a machine from Dell / Gateway or other big PC vendors it is activated by the operating system checking the machines BIOS.

Tom

 

Thank you

 

Contact Gateway first

On

http://support.gateway.com/support/contact/contact_tech1.shtml

If they cant help you call microsoft at 18009365700

Take care

 

Just an FYI. After researching this issue on the internet I found that the unit was blue screening after a successful install because the original version of Windows that was installed at the factory was not being installed. As per the article I read, if you install Windows XP with SP2, there will be a laptop hardware conflict.

The work around is to install XP SP1, then boot into safe mode and install SP2. I burned SP2 onto a CD and proceeded to install SP2 while in safe mode and presto, a perfectly working laptop with Windows XP SP2. Just for giggles I installed SP3 due to the up coming discontinuation of SP2 support.

Thanks to all that replied.