Symptoms
Running Microsoft Windows Server 2003 in Service Pack 4 (SP 4), Microsoft Windows Storage Server 2003, or Microsoft Windows 2000 Server, you are attempting to install Microsoft SQL Server 2000 through Volume License Agreement (VLA) media. When you do this, you receive the following error message on the CD KEY page of the SQL Server Setup Wizard:
Unable to verify product key
Solution
Warning If you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using a different method, you may have serious problems. These issues may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can resolve these issues. It is at your own risk to modify the registry.
To resolve this issue, follow these steps:
1. In the SQL Server Setup Wizard, click Cancel.
2. Start Registry Editor. To do this, click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
3. Locate and double-click the SafeDllSearchMode registry key.
On a server running Windows Server 2003 or Windows Storage Server 2003, this registry key is located under the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager
On a server running Windows 2000 with SP 4, this registry key is located under the following registry subkey:
Hkey_local_machine\system\control\session Manager
Note If the SafeDllSearchMode registry key does not exist, create the SafeDllSearchMode registry key as a DWORD value.
4. In the Value data box, change the value from 1 to 0, and then click OK.
5. Quit Registry Editor.
6. Reinstall SQL Server 2000, and then install the latest SQL Server Service Pack.
7. Reboot the server.
Concise version:
In the Windows2003 SP1 or SP2 environment, the installation of SQLServer2000, where no need to enter the Cd-key place needs to enter, and also prompted "Cannot verify product key."
the solution is as follows (Microsoft's official solution):
Cancel the installation and open Registry Editor. Browse the SafeDllSearchMode key in Hklm\system\control\session Manager\, which is a DWORD value and changes the value from 1 to 0. If the key does not exist, it is created. You can resolve the problem by restarting SQL Server Setup and continuing to install SQL Server after you finish.
In fact, the installation of SQL Server and security issues need to be resolved. The specific setting method can refer to
WIN2003 MSSQL to run set articles for ordinary users
SQL Server normal user run error resolution supplement