I'm trying to re-install XP Pro on an Extended Dos Partition but it won't accept the same product code it did last year. Also, it won't load Killdisk from a floppy. It's like somethings wrong with the HDD although it formatted OK to FAT32 and then to NTFS. I even tried using several other product codes and they were rejected as well. Any ideas? Thanx

Are any of the product codes you tried the legal key for that installation? What do you mean it won't load killdisk from a floppy? Where are you trying to place it and why?

If you have a hard disk with a Dell recovery partition, I suggest that you do not run 'Killdisk'. It will remove that 'valuable' partition, which is needed for a Dell Recovery. TWIMC NTVDM = NT, Win2K and WinXP Virtual DOS Manager http://kb.iu.edu/data

If it rejects the code then you must have all ready installed the operating sytem... For all of MS operating system the product code is linked to the TYPE (version) of installation CD that is used.... OEM must have OEM COA Retail must have retail COA Upgrade must use upgrade COA ETC...... There is no way around this requirement. So check the installation CD that you used and determine what version it is as it is stamped into the hieroglyphic background of the original Microsoft installation CD. If you are using a supplied disc from the manufacturer it is more than likely an OEM version... The next thing to check is to make sure that you typed the code in exactly as shown...take great care in reading 8's and B's as they are sometimes hard to distinguish. In reference to 11/05/2008 "So this is how liberty dies. With thunderous applause." - George Lucas

Why would you be using an extended partition? What do you have on the primary? going past the coa issue there may be more afoot than the license. "So this is how liberty dies... with thunderous applause." - Padme from Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith

DELL XP do not require a Key Code, only that a CoA is attached to casing. They use BIOS LOCK to authenticate XP.

1. othehill: yes, it is the legal key. I was trying earlier to delete the partions and was using Killdisk but I couldn't even install killdisk from the floppy, normally a simple do. 2. aegis1 - what do you mean by a "valuable' partition? Do Dells require a special recovery? 3. lurkswith - yes, I did an O.S. load onto the ntfs partition and it asked for a product code. It wouldn't accept, however, the product code that came with the system disk which was purchased at C-City. 4. wanderer - I used an extended dos partition because I was installing two O.S. WinMe and Win XP. 5. itgure - pls explain why Dell doesn't require an XP product code, and how do I get around a BIOS lock to install a non-oem version of XP. That is very interesting. Thanx to all.