*@"!ING WINDOWS!!!!!

[gobblox]

Im really gonna need some help here if im not gonna end up paying another $150 to Microsoft FOR MY THIRD GODDAMN COPY OF WINDOWS.

 

Basically, my windows computer was OEM, i won it at a raffle, and someone set it up like a complete jackass. In light of this, and the fact i was completely overwhelmed with spyware, adware, and trojans, i decided to reformat my drive and reinstall. Pretty basic, shouldnt have been a problem. It wasnt, until it asked for my Product code, which I have, right on the side of the box (i never got a sheet of paper, but it shoudl be the same right?), and windows just says invalid cdkey or something like it.

 

now when i boot with ANY boot disks, in the drive, even when i take the hard drive off of bios for booting, IT STILL GOES TO WINDOWS WHERE IT REJECTS BOTH MY LEGIT KEYS. Im downloading the Fedora core right now, but ive got a feeling i wont be able to do anything with it once i get it, since this goddamn windows installer overrides anyother boot disk i put in my comp.

 

In sum: I had a version of windows freaking out on me so bad i had to reformat my drive, then it wouldnt let me install it, even though i rightfully own TWO copies of windows. Now this is the kicker, now i cant install any other OS, so im left with a really fancy box that M$ has taken a big old shit on.

 

I'm about to tear my hair out, when i asked M$ support (with one of my two free tech supports) they just told me i cant install my windows on two computers. BULLSHIT, they didnt even bother to read my whole email, besides, this freshly formatted harddrive was never on the internet, and previously had this windows on it. there is no way this computer would be aware of another computer that used that key, EVEN if there were one, which there isnt.

 

Im getting allittle of topic here, and just venting my INFINATE FRUSTRATION, but if anyone could give me some advice that would help me get out of this hole (so i can boot off a Fedora disk and if you could, tell me how to deal with my product id problem so i could do a dual boot.)

 

Thanks to anyone who read my whole POST OF ANGER!

[anyweb]

go into the bios

 

change the boot order to CD first instead of hdd

 

that way it'll boot from your Fedora core CD, to get windows to work, call microsoft when it asks for your key, give them your key on the side of the box and they'll help you

 

if it says invalid key then you are using the WRONG key type for the media

 

in other words you cannot use an OEM xp cd key with a RETAIL or CORP/PRO version of Windows XP,

 

you can only use an OEM key with an OEM cd of windows xp.

 

cheers

 

anyweb

[gobblox]

Im hoping it will boot from the Fedora disk once I DL and burn it, but I'm pretty sure it wont boot off of it now. In bios I not only bumped the CD drive above the HDD and tryed 2 other boot disks (which both were skipped by windows in its attempt to install) i completely removed my hdd from my boot process and it still boots off of my hdd. But time will tell (about 6 hours left on fedora core dl)

 

I'll try calling MS with my problem, but based on my email support i got, i dont expect much.

 

Thanks for the reply, reading a voice that isnt mine screaming in my head helped calm down quite a bit.

 

(edit: It is an OEM key being used with a OEM version of windows. I believe it was the same key that was used on the first install)

[anyweb]

most computers have a one time 'boot' key,

 

for example on Dell's you can press F12 at the bios screen and you'll get a one time boot menu, you can then select CD and it'll boot to the cdrom drive

 

check to see if your pc has such a key,

 

and in addition, make sure its all cabled correctly and that the cd is correctly identified by the bios, otherwise it will skip it

 

cheers

anyweb

[gobblox]

Im sure everything was cabled right, and my bios was set up to boot from the disk. I think it was because of the unusual place in Windows set up that i was forced to simply turn the power off in to reboot was what was making it not boot off of any Boot disks.

 

However I Called Tech support and they gave me a new product id#. So windows is running, and not preventing boot disks from booting. Problem solved.

 

Now, if you would be so kind, I need to know how you think i should partition my hard drive before i spend too much time setting up all my windows drivers and things. right now i have a 140odd some gb partition for windows, and a 20 gb partition i naively thought i would put fedora on.

 

right now i plan to put fedora on that 20 Gb partition on the end of the drive, but i also read that you might want to put the kernel in a different partion than the rest of fedora things, and that you should have a partion for your swapfile. How does this set up sound to you (sizes approximate, rounded figures)

 

Start of drive

(140 GB storage, and windows space)

(3Gb swapfile (3xRam) in the middle)

(17Gb Fedora files?)

End of drive

 

Should i split the 17Gb into a little one for the kernel the the rest for (i dont even know)?

is it posible to make another partition out of that 140GB one smaller, so i can devote more to fedora with out completely reinstalling windows?

[Draven]

Hey Man I don't know if you have solved your problem yet But there are three types of windows License Upgrade, OEM, and Volume, Each has a particular kinda prod. Key they will accept. You must use the specific install disc with that key. now that is not to say that only one key can be used per box no, but they have to be for the right installation. Okay and if you keep getting the invalid key error you are either entering a wrong alpha-numeric character (watch 8's & B's they tend to blend together) or you are using the wrong install media. And as for the Service Packs a code for sp1 will work for sp2 & sp3 and visa versa.

There are many different was around the stupid windows key crap legally! If you need help PM me and I will be happy to tell you anything I can. And for anyone who does not know if your install takes the key but when you activate over net it say invalid, use the activate by phone option, only use the automated and always say yes major repair and no change of M/B.

 

 

Thanks