Have a friends 5-6 year old Packard Bell PC for repair. No Recovery CD's etc 
available or can be found.  

I undertook a repair install using MCE 2005 discs I had.  Used associated 
Product Key to install.  

After repair, no 30/60 day activation period; has to activate prior no log 
on.  No problem, or so I thought.

Changed product key to the one on sticker attached to PC but having gone 
through the telephone process to activate, I'm told that I may be subject to 
piracy ?!?  I've double checked that I'd inserted the correct and valid 
product key - I had.  What do I do now ???

Sounds like a OEM disc mismatch.

The codes for OEM /mfr's is not the same as the system builders "retail" 
versions (or the same between mfr's for that matter). The number on the 
system is a Packard Bell-specific code and MCE was not installed with their 
media. Where did the install discs you used come from?
-- 
James Wolf [MS-MVP]
Orlando, FL

"barrowhill" <barrowhill@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message 
news:09439635-8931-47C3-A781-BCAF18E52811@microsoft.com...
> Have a friends 5-6 year old Packard Bell PC for repair. No Recovery CD's 
> etc
> available or can be found.
>
> I undertook a repair install using MCE 2005 discs I had.  Used associated
> Product Key to install.
>
> After repair, no 30/60 day activation period; has to activate prior no log
> on.  No problem, or so I thought.
>
> Changed product key to the one on sticker attached to PC but having gone
> through the telephone process to activate, I'm told that I may be subject 
> to
> piracy ?!?  I've double checked that I'd inserted the correct and valid
> product key - I had.  What do I do now ???