When you try to validate a copy of Windows XP, you receive the following error message: "0x80080201 Cannot detect product ID (PID)"

To resolve this issue, follow these steps.

Step 1: Verify that the validation check is failing

1. Click Start, click Run, type oobe/msoobe /a, and then click OK.
   
   Note There is a space between msoobe and /a.
2. The Activate Windows dialog box appears. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen to activate Windows XP. If you still receive an error message, go to step 2.

Step 2: Download and then register the latest version of the Legitcheckcontrol.dll file

1. To download the LegitCheckControl.cab file, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
2. Extract the LegitCheckControl.cab file to a temporary directory on your computer.
3. Copy the Legitcheckcontrol.dll file in the temporary directory to the %windir%\System32 directory.
4. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
5. Register the new version of the LegitcheckControl.dll file by typing the following command at the command prompt:
   regsvr32 %windir%\system32\legitcheckcontrol.dll
6. Restart the computer.
7. After the computer has restarted, perform step 1 again to determine whether the problem still exists. If you still receive the error message, go to step 3.

Step 3: Reregister the Licwmi.dll file

1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
2. At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
   regsvr32 /u %windir%\system32\licwmi.dll
3. Perform step 1 again. If you still receive the error message, go to step 4.

Step 4: Reregister the Licdll.dll file

1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
2. At the command prompt, type the following commands. Press ENTER after each command.
   regsvr32 /u %windir%\system32\licdll.dll
   net stop winmgmt
3. After the Winmgmt service stops, type the following command at the command prompt, and then press ENTER:
   net start winmgmt
4. Perform step 1 again. If you still receive the error message, go to step 5.

Step 5: Verify the value for the ProductID in the registry

1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
2. Locate and then right-click the following registry value:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProductID
3. Verify that the registry value appears in the following format:
   <12345-VER-1234567-89012>
4. If the value appears correctly, restart the computer, and then perform step 1 again.
5. If you still receive the error message, go to step 6.

Step 6: Make sure that the attributes for the Wpa.dbl file are not set to read-only

1. Click Start, click Run, type attrib -r %windir%\system32\wpa.dbl, and then click OK.
2. Perform step 1 again. If you still receive the error message, go to step 7.

Step 7: Verify the security settings for the Wpa.dbl file

1. In Windows Explorer, locate the %windir%\System32\Wpa.dbl file.
2. Right-click Wpa.dbl, and then click Properties.
3. On the Security tab, click to select the SYSTEM group. Verify that the Allow check box for Full Control is selected. If Full Control is not selected for the SYSTEM group, select it, and then click OK.
4. Perform step 1 again. If you still receive the error message, go to step 8.

Note In Windows XP Home Edition, the Security tab appears only when the computer is running in safe mode. Also, In Windows XP Professional, the Security tab appears only when the Use the simple file sharing (recommended) check box in the Folder Options dialog box is not selected.

Step 8: Run the Microsoft Genuine Advantage Diagnostic (MGADIAG) tool

1. To run the tool, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
   http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=52012
2. In the File Download - Security Warning dialog box, click Run.
3. In the Internet Explorer - Security Warning dialog box, click Run.
4. In the Microsoft Genuine Advantage Diagnostic Tool dialog box, click Continue.
5. When the MGADIAG tool finishes, click Copy.
6. Visit the online Windows XP Genuine Advantage Validation Issues forum at the following Microsoft Web site:
   http://forums.microsoft.com/Genuine/ShowForum.aspx?ForumID=442&SiteID=25
   You can create a new thread at this Web site that includes the information that you copied from the MGADIAG tool.