Xp repair install not accepting product key

[SGLancaster]

Hardware: Toshiba laptop with XP Media Center

On Saturday my laptop crashed, was really late, so I went to sleep.
In the morning, when I turned it on and logged in... login sound plays... logoff sound plays;
sent back to the login screen... same deal with the other 3 accounts
safe mode brings me to the login screen too... same thing

Googled the problem -2 main causes: "Userinit" key or stuff that requires a repair install
did the "Userinit" key fix - don't work
so on to plan B: repair install
I misplaced the laptop reset cd, but had my XP Pro SP2 CD (from my custom computer) (I thought it was close enough at the time)
The repair install worked fine until the time for the product key:
It will not accept the laptop's product key or the XP Pro SP2 CD' s product key

What the Frell am I supposed to do now?
is there some way to cancel the repair install??,
or is everything just FUBAR

 

[Alvin.C]

Hello,

Was your Windows XP Media Centre legitimately licensed? :freak:

What OS is the product key for on your laptop? Media Centre Edition?

I thought you couldn't repair Windows XP Media Centre Edition successfully using a Windows XP Home SP2 CD, firstly because Windows XP Media Centre Edition is based on Windows XP Professional Edition. I'm surprised that you've got this far.

Technically, if the repair using Windows XP Home SP2 CD was successful, then I would have thought that the product key for Windows XP Home SP2 would work. You wouldn't be able to use the Windows XP Media Centre Edition product key in this instance because you're using a Windows XP Home CD. Still, I'm confused as to why repair has worked.

 

[__Camouflage__]

I thought you couldn't repair Windows XP Media Centre Edition successfully using a Windows XP Home SP2 CD, firstly because Windows XP Media Centre Edition is based on Windows XP Professional Edition. I'm surprised that you've got this far.

The guy said he had a Windows XP Professional CD

Call Microsoft and tell them you had to reinstall XP on your computer, don't tell them your whole story... They'll give you a key that should work.

 

[Alvin.C]

Re:

Ooop.

 

[SGLancaster]

@Alvin C.
The laptop in question was legitimately purchased from the local Best Buy store; it came with Media Center preinstalled, and a little proof of license sticker on the back that has the words "product key" and has 25 random numbers and letters following it.


:beard:
I tried installing a second XP installation in a different folder on the laptop, it went fine until the enter product key part: It will not accept the XP PRO SP2 cd key

I still can't find the reset cd for the laptop so here's the question of the day: Is it even possible to continue the repair install of a XP Media Center Edition with a XP Pro SP2 cd?

If it is then is there some way to cancel a XP installation in progress?

 

[NightShade01]

The XP Pro CD won't work... the laptop that you bought from Best buy is using a media center OEM cd key which is different from the pro CD that you have (it's a retail version). You can only use the media center CD to restore the computer. Also if you don't have the CD for the restore you will have to order it from toshiba because you can't buy media center as an OEM. The cd KEY on the laptop stick if just the liscence for you machine but it is store local on your machine that's why if you ever re install windows with an OEM cd you usually don't need the CD key because the OEM disk knows where to look for it. You best bet would be to order the Cd's I think they are like $45 bucks ....Or go with what __Camouflage__ said and call microsoft although personally i hate dealing with them