Update at the end of this description, bad news: this won't work
Apologies if the questions sounds out of place, please help me stay on the right track.
Have this Compaq TC1100 (Tablet), came with original and legit Windows XP Tablet Edition preinstalled and it's been collecting dust, to my surprise some tech formatted the device and placed a non-legit Windows Ultimate minimalist version on it and to be expected: part of the hardware is not recognized. All the previous data was lost, but besides that it's just dust on the device.
Windows came preinstalled and I no longer have any CD, backup, installer or anything close to it, just the tablet-laptop and a green sticker under the battery with a windows code (it says "Product Key") and it's specific to the Windows XP Tablet Edition. My options as far as I have researched:
- Use another Windows version with license, but Windows 7 is too slow on the device, not a real option for me
- Another XP installer/license from some old laptop, but it won't recognize all the hardware and plus, I think I will be facing the same activation scenario
Or, follow the procedure (phone call) for activation. The problem is, it doesn't work. I don't live in the US, tried the activation by phone and it reports a phone number in my country (after indicating what country I live in), the number is there saying "toll-free-number" (502-470 0877) but this won't work. My country uses 8 digit phone numbers, when I try to use this 7 digit number it calls but it's mute and the call is hung after a few seconds.
Tried downloading some XP Tablet Edition from the web, installed it and that's it, I don't know how to get around this even with my legit Product Key.
Under the battery (removable) there is a Product Key, but I don't know what to do with it to get this going and avoid any "deactivation" issues in the future. I do have powerful hardware around with newer versions of Windows, please don't turn this question into "why don't you move on", because I do find this device useful, want to resurrect it, use all the hardware and keep using the previously connected devices instead of getting some more junk that I don't need.
Any help will be appreciated.
UPDATE: Stop trying, it won't work. It has nothing to do with the validation servers being online or not, or the product key being legit or not (mine is). The thing is this machines come with Windows XP Tablet edition preinstalled (not just any Windows), so whatever you try it won't load the right drivers no matter what you do, even downloading the official drivers from HP won't work. You just can't use any installer, even if it says "Tablet Edition" because your legit Product Key must be in a special range (type), so no, not all legit product keys work on any legit installer.
Found several detailed threads on the web from people trying to resurrect this device and are having no luck (tried several keys and diff installers), many managed to install the Tablet Edition but despite any attempt on activation (even hacks) it would deactivate again, been there, done that several times so don't waste your time.
There are some threads at reddit talking about this too with no luck so far, and the last thing to add is some are pointing to a guy having a website, this guy (Europe) has the original installers and some restore CDs and sells the copies.
My solution? managed to install another XP and worked great BUT couldn't get the Stylus to work regardless of the approaches and attempts. Then moved to Windows 7, it works, everything!, but slower, that's the catch.
