Windows XP stuck in repair. Wants CD key that I don't have.

Greetings.

Here's my situation: I am working on a DELL PC with XP Home. A virus had infected the system and many components of Windows have been altered.

After removing many of the virii, I then tried to use a DELL XP Home disk to perform a repair on the OS. However, the DELL disk did not offer that option. I then tried a XP Home Retail disk, which did offer the repair option.

Now it wants me to type in the CD Key for XP Home, and will not accept the key that the Dell came with. I'd like to avoid having to pirate an XP Home key to get this to work. I do not want to replace the configuration files with repair files.

 

bumping the thread

 

The OEM disks usually do not offer the "REPAIR" option for an installed XP installation. Using the OEM set of disks the user is expected to reinstall everything.

The Dell OEM product key on your machine is not useable with the retail version of the software.

I believe you only have two choices. Wipe the machine and reinstall with the OEM disks or use the retail product key.

 

I'm certain that this issue is not due to malware. Certainly malware is still in the system, however.

It's a problem caused by the Windows repair feature.

 

I would suggest a complete reinstall. Otherwise you going to have to "pirate a key or other means..." Xp to make it work.And doing a repair withthe Dell disk over a retail XP won't make it activated. (trust me ..I know)