OEM Product ID Not Accepted During Reinstallation

 Last reviewed: January 22, 1997
Article ID: Q162453
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows 95
  • Microsoft Windows 95 OEM Service Release version 2

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to reinstall an OEM version of Windows 95, you may receive one of the following error messages:

  • INVALID PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION NUMBER The number you entered is not valid. Please make sure you typed the correct number of digits, including dashes if appropriate.
  • CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY The Certificate of Authenticity number you entered is not valid. Number entered : <number you entered> You cannot complete Setup without it. To return to the previous screen and retype the number, click on the re-enter button.

CAUSE

You did not enter the product ID correctly, or the product ID originally entered on the computer does not match the number being entered.

RESOLUTION

You Did Not Correctly Enter the Product ID

You need to type the OEM Product ID number from the Certificate of Authenticity correctly. This number can be found on the front of the Windows 95 booklet included with your PC. Enter the number as follows: 

   xxxxx-OEM-xxxxxxx-xxxxx
The Certificate of Authenticity is your assurance that the software you purchased with your computer system is legally licensed from Microsoft. If you have any concerns regarding the legitimacy of your Certificate of Authenticity (or if you do not have one), call the Microsoft Piracy Hotline 1-800-RU-Legit (in the United States or Canada), or contact your local Microsoft Subsidiary.

Product ID Number Does Not Match

When your computer was manufactured, your manufacturer entered a Certificate of Authenticity number other than the one that is printed on your Certificate of Authenticity. Therefore, the numbers do not match and the software cannot be reinstalled.

They only way to solve this is to enter the number that the manufacturer used instead of the one that is printed on your Certificate of Authenticity. You should be able to start Windows 95 in Safe mode in order to find the original number. In Windows 95, use the right mouse button to click My Computer, and then click Properties on the menu that appears. The number you should enter should be listed. If you can no longer access Windows 95, you should contact your computer's manufacturer for more information.

KBCategory: kberrmsg kbsetup
KBSubcategory: win95
Additional reference words: 95

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Last reviewed: January 22, 1997
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