How can I "fix" an illegal corporate version of XP before SP1 comes out?

[mcveigh]

A new client of mine had the corporate version of XP pro on his home desktop, I just installed a fresh legal version for him, but I checked his office workstation and it has the same key as well, I asked him who else had XP and he replied "everyone" (8 workstations)

I'll bet the bank their old sysadmin put the corporate version on all and charged them for it.
that's their problem, I just want to get them "legal" in the most painless way. can I somehow just install a new key?
hmm 8x$150=$1200 I'm sure they'll like him

any ideas?

 

[Workin']

Do they have any proof of purchasing ANY valid XP licenses? If not the only option is to cough up the funds for legitimate licenses. Or maybe that's what you meant they are doing, and you want to know if you can just enter the new keys into the existing installations somehow? In which case I don't know if you can do that or not.

 

[mcveigh]

I don't think they purchased any vails licenses. they trusted their old guy, he said "i'm going to upgrade you" they don't ask questions.

thats' why I see their only option is to pay. but I don't want to do a clean install. on every PC

 

[Need4Speed]

use the sysprep tool on the cd to "shrink wrap" the os again. it will ask for the Serial Key again on the next reboot
no re-install required....

 

[mcveigh]

Originally posted by: Need4Speed
use the sysprep tool on the cd to "shrink wrap" the os again. it will ask for the Serial Key again on the next reboot
no re-install required....

sounds like the ticket, could you give more detail or a link?

edit: nevermind, found it...
here

 

[aircooled]

mcveigh, I found this also Change XP id. Hopefully it's of some help you.

 

[NogginBoink]

Originally posted by: Need4Speed
use the sysprep tool on the cd to "shrink wrap" the os again. it will ask for the Serial Key again on the next reboot
no re-install required....

That doesn't change the fact that the company still needs to buy licenses for the OS.

 

[Rainsford]

Originally posted by: NogginBoink

Originally posted by: Need4Speed
use the sysprep tool on the cd to "shrink wrap" the os again. it will ask for the Serial Key again on the next reboot
no re-install required....

That doesn't change the fact that the company still needs to buy licenses for the OS.

Right, but he wants them to be legal in the most painless way. So I'm assuming that means buying licenses for each computer and then just using sysprep to use the legal key.

 

[mcveigh]

Thanks!

I also found this
http://www.labmice.net/WindowsXP/articles/changeID.htm

and this tool
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/tools/ViewKeyXP.exe

 

[CTho9305]

I put in the real XP pro cd (try before you buy ), and told it to do a repair. it deleted a bunch of files, then replaced them. As far as I can tell now, my install is exactly the same as a normal install. Note that I had had corp for 12 days (since previous format) and the legal version did recognize the previous install date (so I only had 18 days to activate instead of 30).