[emillman]

i put in my windows sp2 cd and it said that it couldnt upgrade. it still goes through all the stuff, except when i restart my computer it opens windows setup, whether the cd is in or not. how do i stop this and upgrade to sp2?

[Advertisements]

I'm not following you...what was it before? And the windows sp2 cd is....a full cd? or a windows update cd (windows was mailing out sp2 on cds)

[gerryf]

I'm not following you...what was it before? And the windows sp2 cd is....a full cd? or a windows update cd (windows was mailing out sp2 on cds)

[emillman]

im not sure what version i have now, i think its build 2600 or something like that. the disk is green and it says reinstallation cd on it.

[emillman]

so if i use this do i have to reformat?

[gerryf]

I'm sorry, but I am still not clear what you have on the computer, and what you have in your hand

the reinstallation cd is something supplied by your pc maker--it is not technically a windows xp disk, but a reinstallation or recovery disk. These are often disk images rather than true installations (you use an image to restore a pc to facotry condition).

The other CD...it says what?

Why are you "upgrading"--you can simply visit windows update to get sp2

[emillman]

when i use windows update it says that i have an invalid key or something like that

[samiko]

check the CD key either with your documentations or on your case.
your system won't upgrade into sp2 unless you have a valid license.

[emillman]

it never even asks for my cd key though

[DHooper]

Ok, to slove this download this application:

Magical Jelly Bean

After it is done downloading, run the application. From there goto:

Options -> Change Windows Key

Enter the CD-Key that is on the side of your computer system, and click Change

Now try updating to Windows XP Service Pack 2. Hope that this helps.

[gerryf]

wait....that may not help---and may cause you some serious issues.


Let's back up---what kind of pc do you have?

HP, Compaq? Dell?

[emillman]

i built my own computer so ill list the parts i got just in case you need to know

motherboard
GIGABYTE GA-K8NS Ultra-939 Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce3 Ultra ATX AMD Motherboard

power supply
ASPIRE ATX-AS550W-BK ATX 550W Power Supply 115/230 V UL, FCC, CSA, CB, TUV, CE, NEMCO, SEMCO, DEMCO, TC

processor
AMD Athlon 64 4000

memory
CORSAIR ValueSelect 1GB (2 x 512MB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM Unbuffered DDR 400 (PC 3200) Dual Channel Kit System Memory

harddrive
Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 ST3160023AS 160GB 7200 RPM ATA150 Serial ATA150 Hard Drive

video card
ATI Radeon All in wonder 9700

[Guse]

I think the question that everyone is asking, and it's important that you're honest, is whether or not this is a copy of Windows XP that you paid for... or did you download this?

Not accusing, but asking.

[emillman]

its a copy of what my dad bought

[emillman]

but the green reinstallation cd we got is directly from microsoft

[Guse]

If the Windows website is telling you that your CD key is invalid, then you should probably contact them to clear that up. Otherwise your system will forever be out of date (and open to infection). Typically that means something ain't quite kosher, though.

However, as for your disc. Reinstallation CDs are typically full installs... not ones you can use to upgrade. You'll either have to get ahold of a Windows XP Service Pack 2 CD (not Windows XP with Service Pack 2) or download it from Windows Update. You can go here and they'll ship you one for free.

Edited by Guse, 27 June 2005 - 05:03 PM.