SP2 Update Hangs on 'Checking Product Key'

Hi there,

I just got a new hardrive and wanted move the old files onto the new after
installing a new version of XP. Up to that point I'd been using a retail XP
Professional, but I've since decided to use the OEM home key on my laptop.
Problem is, because the laptop manufacturer seemed to forget to give me the
OEM CD, I've had to obtain a home CD of questionable legality. I'm not sure
if the burnt version is OEM or Retail, but it went fine through activation
and Genuine Advantage isn't complaining with my key.

The CD seemed to be a 2002 version that had SP1 already loaded, so I went
through updates to get me to the stage where I could get SP2. I've since
downloaded it through windows update and twice outside of it and it hangs
when it's "Checking Product Key". I'm wondering if this has something to do
with the CD, and how I can find out if a Windows XP cd is OEM or retail, so I
can try to get a hold of another that is definately OEM.

Thanks,
Adrian S

SP2 installation hangs at "Checking product key" phase
Posted by another user who got a response from MS Support:-

<quote>

There are 3 steps which we have to do to get the SP2 installed.

Steps are:

1) Please go into the CMD prompt (Start/Run --> cmd.exe )

2) Then type cd /d %windir%\inf and make sure we are in that directory.

3) Then type ren oem*.inf oem*.old, it will go back to the prompt after giving you some
error (Do not worry about it)

4) Then type ren oem*.pnf oem*.old1, it will go back to the prompt after giving you some
error (Do not worry about it)

5) Then goto start - run - type "%windir%\inf" and you will see the files in the folder.

6) Then find the file by name INFCACHE.1 and take a backup of it to desktop (by copying it
to desktop) and delete the INFCACHE.1 from c:\windows\inf.

7) Close all windows and reboot the computer to safe mode and start the installation of
SP2 and it should go fine.

<quote>


--
====================================
TaurArian [MS-MVP] 2005-2008 - Australia
====================================
How to make a good post: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
Defending your machine: http://defendingyourmachine2.blogspot.com/
http://taurarian.mvps.org/index.htm

Emails will not be acknowledged - please post to the newsgroup so all may benefit.


"Adrian S" <Adrian (E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:621D1A5F-28C2-4006-A9A2-(E-Mail Removed)...
| Hi there,
|
| I just got a new hardrive and wanted move the old files onto the new after
| installing a new version of XP. Up to that point I'd been using a retail XP
| Professional, but I've since decided to use the OEM home key on my laptop.
| Problem is, because the laptop manufacturer seemed to forget to give me the
| OEM CD, I've had to obtain a home CD of questionable legality. I'm not sure
| if the burnt version is OEM or Retail, but it went fine through activation
| and Genuine Advantage isn't complaining with my key.
|
| The CD seemed to be a 2002 version that had SP1 already loaded, so I went
| through updates to get me to the stage where I could get SP2. I've since
| downloaded it through windows update and twice outside of it and it hangs
| when it's "Checking Product Key". I'm wondering if this has something to do
| with the CD, and how I can find out if a Windows XP cd is OEM or retail, so I
| can try to get a hold of another that is definately OEM.
|
| Thanks,
| Adrian S

Thank you very much for that. It worked perfectly.

"TaurArian [MS-MVP]" wrote:

> SP2 installation hangs at "Checking product key" phase
> Posted by another user who got a response from MS Support:-
>
> <quote>
>
> There are 3 steps which we have to do to get the SP2 installed.
>
> Steps are:
>
> 1) Please go into the CMD prompt (Start/Run --> cmd.exe )
>
> 2) Then type cd /d %windir%\inf and make sure we are in that directory.
>
> 3) Then type ren oem*.inf oem*.old, it will go back to the prompt after giving you some
> error (Do not worry about it)
>
> 4) Then type ren oem*.pnf oem*.old1, it will go back to the prompt after giving you some
> error (Do not worry about it)
>
> 5) Then goto start - run - type "%windir%\inf" and you will see the files in the folder.
>
> 6) Then find the file by name INFCACHE.1 and take a backup of it to desktop (by copying it
> to desktop) and delete the INFCACHE.1 from c:\windows\inf.
>
> 7) Close all windows and reboot the computer to safe mode and start the installation of
> SP2 and it should go fine.
>
> <quote>
>
>
> --
> ====================================
> TaurArian [MS-MVP] 2005-2008 - Australia
> ====================================
> How to make a good post: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
> Defending your machine: http://defendingyourmachine2.blogspot.com/
> http://taurarian.mvps.org/index.htm
>
> Emails will not be acknowledged - please post to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
>
>
> "Adrian S" <Adrian (E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:621D1A5F-28C2-4006-A9A2-(E-Mail Removed)...
> | Hi there,
> |
> | I just got a new hardrive and wanted move the old files onto the new after
> | installing a new version of XP. Up to that point I'd been using a retail XP
> | Professional, but I've since decided to use the OEM home key on my laptop.
> | Problem is, because the laptop manufacturer seemed to forget to give me the
> | OEM CD, I've had to obtain a home CD of questionable legality. I'm not sure
> | if the burnt version is OEM or Retail, but it went fine through activation
> | and Genuine Advantage isn't complaining with my key.
> |
> | The CD seemed to be a 2002 version that had SP1 already loaded, so I went
> | through updates to get me to the stage where I could get SP2. I've since
> | downloaded it through windows update and twice outside of it and it hangs
> | when it's "Checking Product Key". I'm wondering if this has something to do
> | with the CD, and how I can find out if a Windows XP cd is OEM or retail, so I
> | can try to get a hold of another that is definately OEM.
> |
> | Thanks,
> | Adrian S
>
>
>

to <a href="http://www.xpkeychecker.com">check xp product key</a> try xp key checker, is free

> On Saturday, August 25, 2007 2:42 PM Adrian wrote:

> Hi there,
>
> I just got a new hardrive and wanted move the old files onto the new after
> installing a new version of XP. Up to that point I'd been using a retail XP
> Professional, but I've since decided to use the OEM home key on my laptop.
> Problem is, because the laptop manufacturer seemed to forget to give me the
> OEM CD, I've had to obtain a home CD of questionable legality. I'm not sure
> if the burnt version is OEM or Retail, but it went fine through activation
> and Genuine Advantage isn't complaining with my key.
>
> The CD seemed to be a 2002 version that had SP1 already loaded, so I went
> through updates to get me to the stage where I could get SP2. I've since
> downloaded it through windows update and twice outside of it and it hangs
> when it's "Checking Product Key". I'm wondering if this has something to do
> with the CD, and how I can find out if a Windows XP cd is OEM or retail, so I
> can try to get a hold of another that is definately OEM.
>
> Thanks,
> Adrian S


>> On Saturday, August 25, 2007 7:02 PM TaurArian [MS-MVP] wrote:

>> SP2 installation hangs at "Checking product key" phase
>> Posted by another user who got a response from MS Support:-
>>
>> <quote>
>>
>> There are 3 steps which we have to do to get the SP2 installed.
>>
>> Steps are:
>>
>> 1) Please go into the CMD prompt (Start/Run --> cmd.exe )
>>
>> 2) Then type cd /d %windir%\inf and make sure we are in that directory.
>>
>> 3) Then type ren oem*.inf oem*.old, it will go back to the prompt after giving you some
>> error (Do not worry about it)
>>
>> 4) Then type ren oem*.pnf oem*.old1, it will go back to the prompt after giving you some
>> error (Do not worry about it)
>>
>> 5) Then goto start - run - type "%windir%\inf" and you will see the files in the folder.
>>
>> 6) Then find the file by name INFCACHE.1 and take a backup of it to desktop (by copying it
>> to desktop) and delete the INFCACHE.1 from c:\windows\inf.
>>
>> 7) Close all windows and reboot the computer to safe mode and start the installation of
>> SP2 and it should go fine.
>>
>> <quote>
>>
>>
>> --
>> ====================================
>> TaurArian [MS-MVP] 2005-2008 - Australia
>> ====================================
>> How to make a good post: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
>> Defending your machine: http://defendingyourmachine2.blogspot.com/
>> http://taurarian.mvps.org/index.htm
>>
>> Emails will not be acknowledged - please post to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
>>
>>
>> "Adrian S" <Adrian (E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:621D1A5F-28C2-4006-A9A2-(E-Mail Removed)...


>>> On Sunday, August 26, 2007 9:58 AM Adrian wrote:

>>> Thank you very much for that. It worked perfectly.
>>>
>>> "TaurArian [MS-MVP]" wrote:


>>> Submitted via EggHeadCafe
>>> OAuth Basics for .NET Developers
>>> http://www.eggheadcafe.com/tutorials...evelopers.aspx

fab stilet wrote:

> to check xp product key try xp key checker, is free

Why is it called XP-checker?

It doesn't actually check the key - it finds the existing key on the
system it's run on.

It should be called XP-key-finder. Which means you just have to run it
on some other working XP machine to get the key on that machine and use
that key for your own machine.

Is there actually a program that will check a key to see if it's a valid
key (ie - the sequence is valid)?

I assume that the formula that MicroShaft uses to check the internal
consistency of a product key is known or has leaked out. ?