Service Pack 2 reports invalid product key

[mdgrkb]

Hi,

I'm trying to install Service Pack 2 on Windows Server 2003 (not R2) with no
Service Pack, the RTM version, and I'm getting an error:

"The product key used to install Microsoft Windows may not be valid. For
more information about why you have received this error message, and steps
you can take to resolve the issue visit www.howtotell.com"

I checked www.howtotell.com and it talks mostly on how to tell if media is
genuine.

These servers (three of them at the moment) were installed with the same
media and product keys as other servers I have successfully put into
production.

What can I do? Can a product key become invalid eventually for some reason?
I hope I can fix this without reinstalling Windows.

Thanks

[Olaf Engelke [MVP Windows Server]]

Hello,
"mdgrkb" <mdgrkb at gmail dot com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:[email protected]...
> I'm trying to install Service Pack 2 on Windows Server 2003 (not R2) with
> no Service Pack, the RTM version, and I'm getting an error:
>
> "The product key used to install Microsoft Windows may not be valid. For
> more information about why you have received this error message, and steps
> you can take to resolve the issue visit www.howtotell.com"
>
> I checked www.howtotell.com and it talks mostly on how to tell if media is
> genuine.

> These servers (three of them at the moment) were installed with the same
> media and product keys as other servers I have successfully put into
> production.

what kind of installation media and license was it? Retail, OEM, Open,
Corporate or some other specific program (i.e. MSDN or Technet)?
Dependend of this there may be different outcomings. So if you installed and
activated all systems with the same product keys and it is the retail
version, that may be a reason, since one retail key is only good for one
server install.
But without telling us the backgrounds its hard to help you (and maybe only
MS or your vendor can).
What does the event log give exactly for error messages?

Best greetings from Germany
Olaf

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

If that key worked with that media before, it will still work.
First verify you are using the specific key that came with that media.

Look very closely, O-0, B-8, S-5 and others look alike.
Have someone else try, sometimes another set of eyes and fingers can
get it.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
http://www.dts-l.org


"mdgrkb" <mdgrkb at gmail dot com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi,
>
> I'm trying to install Service Pack 2 on Windows Server 2003 (not R2)
> with no Service Pack, the RTM version, and I'm getting an error:
>
> "The product key used to install Microsoft Windows may not be valid.
> For more information about why you have received this error message,
> and steps you can take to resolve the issue visit www.howtotell.com"
>
> I checked www.howtotell.com and it talks mostly on how to tell if
> media is genuine.
>
> These servers (three of them at the moment) were installed with the
> same media and product keys as other servers I have successfully put
> into production.
>
> What can I do? Can a product key become invalid eventually for some
> reason? I hope I can fix this without reinstalling Windows.
>
> Thanks