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Windows product activation system identification number is all dashes

Article ID: 322960 - View products that this article applies to.

This article was previously published under Q322960

SYMPTOMS

When you try to activate your copy of Windows XP by telephone, Windows may generate an Installation ID that consists completely of dashes, and you cannot continue with activation.

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CAUSE

This problem usually occurs when the combination of the product key that is used for installation and the channel of the media is not licensed or is incompatible with the current hardware.

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RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, repair your installation of Windows XP, and then activate the product. To do so, follow these steps:

Insert the Windows XP CD into your computer's CD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM drive.
Restart your computer. If you have to, change the BIOS settings to start from the CD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM drive, and then restart your computer again.
At the Welcome to Setup page, press ENTER.
Press F8 to accept the Licensing Agreement.
Use the arrow keys to select the installation of Windows XP that you want to repair, and then press R to start the automatic repair process.
When Setup is completed, activate Windows XP.

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MORE INFORMATION

For more information about how to complete an in-place upgrade or repair ofWindows XP, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

315341

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341/ )

How to perform an in-place (reinstallation) upgrade of Windows XP

For more information about Microsoft product activation, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

302806

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302806/ )

Description of Microsoft product activation

For more information about how to activate Windows XP, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

307890

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307890/ )

How to activate Windows XP

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