Dell OS have wrong winxp key and it has 2 of them

[watdahel]

I acquired and installed a Dell WinXP Home OS. It's not the traditional Microsoft holographic disk but its maroon in color with the Dell logo printed on. I'm guessing this is what Dell distributes with their PCs.

I was surprised it never asked me to enter the product key during installation. I figured the disk was configured with an answer file. I try to activate and it tells me the key is not valid. It gives me the option of entering the key. I didn't proceed.

I used a key viewer utility to see that a key was entered by default and there was. I found an answer file winnt.sif in the CD and the product key in it is different. What the hell is going on here I asked myself.

I've never used Dell before and my question is am I supposed to replace this key with my own key? Is the default key the same for all Dell PCs? What's up with the different key in the answer file?

Lastly, how do I prevent the Dell support center from installing over.

 

[Sunner]

Assuming it's an OEM license, which it sure sounds like, those licenses are only valid for the computer they came with.
Unless you have the Dell computer it came with, it's not legal.

 

[Nocturnal]

You'd have to use an OEM key otherwise it won't work. Certain keys pertain to certain types of installation CDs. You can't use an OEM key on a retail WinXP installation CD and vice versa.

 

[casper114]

You are going to need to call microsoft and tell them your situation, more then likely they will give you a key or authentication code to activate windowsd.

 

[bsobel]

The key is normally read from the system bios. As your machine is not a DELL (presumably) this isn't occuring. The license, btw, isn't transferable. So I hope you didn't pay much to 'acquire' them, as they aren't legal copies on your hardware.

Bill

 

[nweaver]

eh....Bill, the BIOS? Really? Um, sure thing....The key is read from the REGISTRY, the BIOS has nothing ot do with that. Activation may compare the hardware hash to what Dell says it is supposed to have, and that may be what's killing it, but that is still all in windows, nothing with the bios at all.


OEM Dell sometimes won't install on non Dell hardware, or on the specific Dell machine it was sold with. OEM licenses are not transferable. OEM licenses from from major manufacturers may have a hardware hash in MS's system (I don't know). OEM from Newegg does not.

 

[stash]

Activation may compare the hardware hash to what Dell says it is supposed to have, and that may be what's killing it, but that is still all in windows, nothing with the bios at all.

Actually it has plenty to do with the BIOS. Most of the major OEMs (Dell included) provide CDs that are tied to the BIOS using a technology called system locked preinstallation (SLP). The CD is linked to specific hardware so that activation and entering a product key are not necessary. SLP CDs can only be used for clean installs..running setup.exe or winnt32.exe will not work, since they run in an existing Windows install.

Normally, when you install using an SLP CD on the hardware it came with, you will not need to enter a product OR activate. If you install on different hardware, you still won't have to enter a key, but you will be prompted to activate since the BIOS does not contain the correct SLP information.

 

[mechBgon]

Most bombproof solution: WinXP Home Edition, retail full version. No strings attached, you can use your license on any single computer at a time for as many times as you like, and sell it when you're done.

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: nweaver
eh....Bill, the BIOS? Really? Um, sure thing....The key is read from the REGISTRY, the BIOS has nothing ot do with that. Activation may compare the hardware hash to what Dell says it is supposed to have, and that may be what's killing it, but that is still all in windows, nothing with the bios at all.

I'm afraid you are incorrect, as Stash has already pointed out.

Bill

 

[thegorx]

I don't know why there are two different keys
I'm guessing that neither work or the one that might work is being used

I've seen emachines with generic keys, meaning that I've seen several emachines that have a restore type CD that don't need a key during setup and have the same key as other emachines.
But they're installed already activated
And the unique key was alway affixed to the case if there was ever a need

So if your OEM product didn't come with a system or a sticker on it to place on the case with a unique key
... all you bought is a CD not a key.

 

[nweaver]

the key is tied to the HARDWARE HASH, they BIOS may be part of that hash. "The key is normally read from the BIOS" but he can use that disk on another PC and it puts the key in for him. That BIOS must be wireless too....The Hardware Hash being part of the install/verification is much different then "Reading the key from the bios".

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: nweaver
the key is tied to the HARDWARE HASH, they BIOS may be part of that hash. "The key is normally read from the BIOS" but he can use that disk on another PC and it puts the key in for him. That BIOS must be wireless too....The Hardware Hash being part of the install/verification is much different then "Reading the key from the bios".

I may have simplified the answer for him but at the high level it is correct and but your still wrong. Worse, your now kinda being a jerk.

"SLP uses information stored in an OEM PC's BIOS to protect the installation from casual piracy. No communication by the end user to Microsoft is required and no hardware hash is created or necessary. At boot, Windows XP compares the PC's BIOS to the SLP information. If it matches, no activation is required."

the BIOS has nothing ot do with that

Is that your final answer?

Bill

 

[nweaver]

"In the unlikely scenario that the BIOS information does not match, the PC would need to be activated within 30 days by contacting the Microsoft activation center via the Internet or telephone call ? just as in a retail scenario."

I eat my words, and apologize Bill...I've been cranky lately, I'm sorry.


It looks like you MAY be able to call MS and get them to activate this copy still though, as it will default to normal activation if it cannot get the SLP info from the BIOS.

 

[rahvin]

It's fool proof, I have never heard of someone breaching it. The installation is permanently tied to the mainboard.

 

[nweaver]

actually, it's not....to a point. If you replace the mainboard with an OEM mainboard with the correct SLP info, it would work....or you call MS to reactivate, and explain why.

 

[bsobel]

I eat my words, and apologize Bill...I've been cranky lately, I'm sorry.

Thanks, noted and appreciated.
Bill

 

[watdahel]

Here's the full story. I acquired an old Compaq PC from some company that had winXP Home preinstalled. I didn't have a password to login to it which pretty much entailed reinstalling winXP. The company gave me a Dell winXP CD instead to my delight.

Here's is where it gets confusing. I installed the OS on the Compaq and another PC. As I mentioned, the installation didn't ask for the product key. After installation I used a key viewer and found that the key in the Compaq matched the one in the answer file of the CD but my other PC had a different one entered for some reason. How is that possible? I then tried activating the Compaq but it tells me the key was unauthorized. I proceeded to enter the key that was on the sticker on the case, which was the original key of the winXP installation of the Compaq. The activation went through this time. I used the key viewer once again and the key was changed to the new one.

It gets confusing again. I rebooted the Compaq and viewed the key once again only this time it was totally changed again.

Is there a rip in the space-time-continuum? What's up with the oddities I've experienced?

I haven't tried the other PC.

 

[cubby1223]

Originally posted by: erwin1978
Here's the full story. I acquired an old Compaq PC from some company that had winXP Home preinstalled. I didn't have a password to login to it which pretty much entailed reinstalling winXP. The company gave me a Dell winXP CD instead to my delight.

Most pc repair people have the software that can change any password on an XP machine. Or atleast I hope most do.

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: erwin1978
Here's the full story. I acquired an old Compaq PC from some company that had winXP Home preinstalled. I didn't have a password to login to it which pretty much entailed reinstalling winXP. The company gave me a Dell winXP CD instead to my delight.

Why were you delighted? You are not licensed to run XP with that combination. Doesn't matter why it doesn't work, it shouldn't anyway.

Bill

 

[mindgam3]

The Dell OEM version of Windows XP Home or Pro requires activation after a motherboard replacement.


This may occur after the customer has received a replacement motherboard from field service. It is most likely to occur with Intel motherboards.



This is due to an incorrect system ID in the BIOS. Note, the incorrect manufacturer and product will not be updated by upgrading the BIOS version. If the motherboard is replaced with one that has the correct manufacturer and product information then the activation wizard will go away.



This can affect any Intel field service motherboards. This problem has been seen worldwide.



NOTE: If the operating system is reinstalled at this point, it will still require activation. It is best not to reinstall because a reinstall would remove the SLP (system locked preinstall) portions of the operating system.



What is happening?

Microsoft has introduced SLP (system locked preinstall) with Windows XP. The SLP technology verifies that the operating system is installed on a Dell computer on every boot. If SLP does not detect the string in BIOS that identifies the system as ?Dell Computer Corporation? then it will decide it is not on a Dell system and will bring up the activation wizard.



Intel has provided Dell a utility (as of November 2002) that can be used to update the service tag on the new motherboard to match the service tag on the system chassis. It will also automatically set the correct information in BIOS so that Windows XP activation is not triggered. Contact your L2 for a copy of this utility, if needed. All of Dell?s onsite service partners will be provided this utility, but tech support also has the ability to distribute it.



Do not reinstall the operating system. Reinstalling the operating system while the Manufacturer and Product are incorrect will remove all the SLP technology from the system. Upon reboot the operating system will still require activation. Then, when the issue is corrected on the motherboard the OS will not turn off activation. See NOTE above.



If a customer contacts Microsoft directly about activation they will be informed that since this is an OEM product they cannot provide an activation code.

 

[stash]

^^That would be all well and good *IF* he had a Dell *AND* that copy of XP was licensed to be used with said Dell.

 

[mindgam3]

Dell > *

 

[thegorx]

you might try looking on your case for the oem sticker with the key
I'm pretty sure they have to put it on there somewhere

then get an plain oem cd

but after reading all this I have know idea if compaqs install any better.
I mostly deal with self built systems

 

[watdahel]

I backed up the previous installation before reinstalling the Dell winxp on the Compaq. How do I extract the slp from the backup?

 

[sourceninja]

I've managed to talk my way though ms tech support to do the same thing for a friend. We build him a new box and used his dell cd.