How to change Dell XP key?

[Kaido]

I have a number of PCs at work that I am ghosting with XP. They all have unique Dell XP Pro CD keys (stickers on the cases). I created a master Ghost image and started to Ghost, but I can't change the keys and don't know why. I've followed the Microsoft KB doc on it, I've tried the Magic Jellybean key changer, nothing. Any ideas? I don't want to have to do all the computers by hand, which is why I got Ghost.

 

[thehstrybean]

Do you not have a corporate key?

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: thehstrybean
Do you not have a corporate key?

No, we only got like 15 new machines, just snagged them through our Small Business account. They each have a sticker with the CD key on them, however.

 

[John]

Was the master ghost image created on one of the new Dells using XP Pro oem?

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: John
Was the master ghost image created on one of the new Dells using XP Pro oem?

No. I cleaned all of the Dell crap on, put our custom software on it plus a few other apps like Thunderbird, and created the master Ghost image using the default Dell install. All of the new machines are the same. The Ghost image works perfectly; I just can't change the CD key using any method. I am going to check the other computers to see if the default CD keys even match up with the ones printing on the stickers on each machine. Annoying eh

 

[TG2]

Im guessing its because all the 'from Dell' installs use there VLK key and your trying to change that to an OEM key.

LINKY might be what you have to do to get those keys to work

 

[John]

Dell uses a VLK so the key on the side of the case should not match. Have you tried other keychangers?

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download2745.html

http://michaelstevenstech.com/xppid.zip

 

[RebateMonger]

Why do you need to change the CD Key? All factory-loaded Dell XP computers will have identical Key numbers, since they use a BIOS-locked version of XP which is NOT intended to ever require Activation.

Are they asking to be Activated?

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger
Why do you need to change the CD Key? All factory-loaded Dell XP computers will have identical Key numbers, since they use a BIOS-locked version of XP which is NOT intended to ever require Activation.

Are they asking to be Activated?

No, I just figured since we didn't get a Corporate key and each machine had a unique number, that they would each need to be activated. I'll check the rest when I get back to work to see if they are all the same.

 

[intogamer]

If each computer had their own key then you'll probably have to create separate ghosts

The purple reinstallation discs come with preloaded keys.

If you all have the same identical computers.. I don't think it will be a problem until you update stuff from MS

But just update one computer... ghost and load to all computers

 

[pcgeek11]

All the Dell's should have the same key that it is installed with from the factory as it is BIOS locked and the key is contained in the winnt.sif file in the i386 directory on the Dell install CD. MS doesn't care and it will pass the WGA and update just fine. If you do a clean install from the Dell CD it will not even ask for a key.

If you do change these keys to the one on the COA you will more than likely have to CALL on the phone to MS to activate. Do a google search; microsoft cut off the ability to activate those keys on the labels a very long time ago from the major mfgs., as people were stealing the numbers from the stores and using them. If you change the key your life is going to get very miserable very fast... How many PC's. I would leave well enough alone as you are perfectly legal the way you are now.

pcgeek11

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: pcgeek11
All the Dell's should have the same key that it is installed with from the factory as it is BIOS locked and the key is contained in the winnt.sif file in the i386 directory on the Dell install CD. MS doesn't care and it will pass the WGA and update just fine. If you do a clean install from the Dell CD it will not even ask for a key.

If you do change these keys to the one on the COA you will more than likely have to CALL on the phone to MS to activate. Do a google search; microsoft cut off the ability to activate those keys on the labels a very long time ago from the major mfgs., as people were stealing the numbers from the stores and using them. If you change the key your life is going to get very miserable very fast... How many PC's. I would leave well enough alone as you are perfectly legal the way you are now.

pcgeek11

Just 15, not huge, but good enough to keep us busy transferring files for a week or two. That's good to know, thanks for the info on that.

 

[John]

I have a Dell I am servicing right now where the VLK fails genuine advantage and none of my keychangers work. Here is the fix so make sure you have an active internet connection and afterwards you must phone in the activation.

 

[Nolonemo]

Originally posted by: John
I have a Dell I am servicing right now where the VLK fails genuine advantage and none of my keychangers work. Here is the fix so make sure you have an active internet connection and afterwards you must phone in the activation.

Has this actually worked for you, John?

I'm in a situation where I installed a pirated version of Media Center Edition 2005 to try out, liked it and bought the OEM version (for system builders) from Newegg so I could be legit. My plan was to change the key on the install to my COA key and validate, but keychangers wouldn't do the change. Neither would the method where you mangle the hash for the key in the registry to invalidate it and then enter the new key from inside the Validation applet in the accessories menu. Obviously the key on my COA is invalid for the "flavor" of MCE I downloaded and installed. I want to avoid doing a clean install if I can, and want to end up validated and legal, etc.

 

[John]

Yes, I just used to the tool to modify the key and activated by phone. I assume it will work on MCE as well.

 

[networkman]

Maybe I missed this earlier in the thread, but had we considered running Microsoft's Sysprep utility on the master image(prior to ghosting) and then ghosting that onto each PC, so that upon boot it prompts for the key and you just enter the one from each machine?

 

[Nolonemo]

Originally posted by: John
Yes, I just used to the tool to modify the key and activated by phone. I assume it will work on MCE as well.

Damn, just tried it on my MCE install, and got a "this product must be run on a suported version of the Windows XP operating system" error message. SO unless someone has a good idea, I'm hosed and facing a bare metal reinstall.

[Edit] Postings on MS message boards confirm that the applet will not work on MCE by design.

 

[Chris2wire]

Originally posted by: networkman
Maybe I missed this earlier in the thread, but had we considered running Microsoft's Sysprep utility on the master image(prior to ghosting) and then ghosting that onto each PC, so that upon boot it prompts for the key and you just enter the one from each machine?

Yup, this IS an option with Sysprep. It will load the image you made and run through a quick setup that will ask for you to enter the key you want to use.

The catch is you have to activate, despite the original image being made from a Dell CD. This means calling for every single PC...

Its exactly why I didnt do it. But if you dont mind calling for each PC you put the image on then go for it.

 

[pcgeek11]

Why is everyone fixated on changing the CD Key for a Dell Preactivated CD? You do not need or are you required to change the CD key for legal or moral purposes. The only reason you would need to may be in the case of where John had one that wouldn't pass the WGA and he changed it and called. I think I would have called Microsoft before changing the key to the one on the side, ( play dumb ).

Since MS changed their policy I have found for all the major OEM copy COA CD Keys from the label on the PC will need to be called in none of them should activate via the web. I have never seen a Dell VLK ( winnt.sif file ) that is installed from a genuine Dell CD onto a Dell PC require activation. Do not take this wrong I am not saying that it doesn't happen, just I've never seen it.

pcgeek11