How to tell which version of windows a key belongs too...

[ForumMaster]

i have this friend who wants me to reinstall windows for him. he doesn't have a CD but he does have the key (the sticker on the side). he bought the computer from some shop a couple of years ago so it's not a custom version.

i can get any installation CD that i need but i need to know what version of windows his key is. is there any way to know other then just trying each?

TIA.

 

[John]

If it was a custom built pc, and the COA stuck to the case has OEM on it, you will need an OEM cd that matches the Windows version on the COA.

ex. Win XP Home OEM product key needs OEM XP Home cd
ex. Win XP Pro OEM product key will not work if you use OEM XP Home cd

 

[Stan]

Unfortunately it is a little more complex than that.

The serial # tag should have a xxx-xxxxx identifier on it. That is the CD type you need to use. Each CD type has a different product ID tag in the registry (ie, Dell uses a different Product ID than gateway, etc). Fortunately you can change the product ID after install.

Your serial # needs to be in the range dictated by the product ID for it to activate. I had an issue where I tried to use a new Dell XP Home cd on a laptop I bought ~3 years ago, and it wouldnt activate. It was because the new Dell CD has a different PID than the really old ones did.

 

[ForumMaster]

Originally posted by: John
If it was a custom built PC, and the COA stuck to the case has OEM on it, you will need an OEM CD that matches the Windows version on the COA.

ex. Win XP Home OEM product key needs OEM XP Home CD
ex. Win XP Pro OEM product key will not work if you use OEM XP Home CD

and if it doesn't say? say i have the serial, is there a way to know which version the serial belongs too purely by the key?

 

[bruceb]

See this site:

http://wiki.djlizard.net/Product_IDs

It will help you

 

[pcgeek11]

but he does have the key (the sticker on the side).

Everything you need to know should be right on the sticker.

pcgeek11

 

[redbeard1]

Besides getting the version type right, you also need to be concerned with what Service Pack level the key was made for, and what the SP level is on the disks you have now. A key that was for XP no SP or SP1, generally will not work when your installing with a disk that has SP2 already on it.

 

[John]

Stan, great info. Just to clarify a bit, my use of the word OEM was not in reference to a specific mfg's branded disc. Typically when people are referring to those types of discs that add the mfg. name first (ex. Dell OEM, HP OEM, etc.). The OEM disc I was referring to is something you would find in a DSP pack, or the kind you can purchase from Newegg, ZZF, etc. which are unbranded, and they are typically the kind that a custom computer will come preinstalled with. Since the OP stated that he had access to any disc it would only make sense to use a non-branded version.

ForumMaster, so the 'friend' only has a product key? You can run MGAdiag to get an idea of the channel ID. If the windows license type says volume license be sure to google the PID to see if you get results on a corp key.

 

[John]

Originally posted by: redbeard1
Besides getting the version type right, you also need to be concerned with what Service Pack level the key was made for, and what the SP level is on the disks you have now. A key that was for XP no SP or SP1, generally will not work when your installing with a disk that has SP2 already on it.

Where exactly did you hear this from? In fact it is completely inaccurate.

 

[redbeard1]

John: Where exactly did you hear this from? In fact it is completely inaccurate.

I work fixing computers all day, and have run into this numerous times. When it comes up, I usually use an XP SP1 disk to do the reinstall, instead of the usual SP2 disk.

I'm glad you can be so sure of yourself.

 

[John]

Originally posted by: redbeard1

John: Where exactly did you hear this from? In fact it is completely inaccurate.

I work fixing computers all day, and have run into this numerous times. When it comes up, I usually use an XP SP1 disk to do the reinstall, instead of the usual SP2 disk.

I'm glad you can be so sure of yourself.

Not to toot any horns, but I also build/service/repair computers for a living and I have never run into that issue. You must be doing something wrong. The fact that the COA's don't list a service pack is a clear indication that as long as your use the correct disc it will work just fine no matter what service pack is on it.

 

[pcgeek11]

Originally posted by: John

Originally posted by: redbeard1

John: Where exactly did you hear this from? In fact it is completely inaccurate.

I work fixing computers all day, and have run into this numerous times. When it comes up, I usually use an XP SP1 disk to do the reinstall, instead of the usual SP2 disk.

I'm glad you can be so sure of yourself.

Not to toot any horns, but I also build/service/repair computers for a living and I have never run into that issue. You must be doing something wrong. The fact that the COA's don't list a service pack is a clear indication that as long as your use the correct disc it will work just fine no matter what service pack is on it.

I have to concur with John who is absolutely correct, how else do you think people slipstream SP1, SP2 etc into their copies and use the original key? I've never seen this as a problem.

What you ran into is probably more to do with flagged product ID's due to pirating.

pcgeek11

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: redbeard1
Besides getting the version type right, you also need to be concerned with what Service Pack level the key was made for, and what the SP level is on the disks you have now. A key that was for XP no SP or SP1, generally will not work when your installing with a disk that has SP2 already on it.

I don't believe that's correct. If it was, then all those Slipstreamed SP2 CDs that folks make (to speed up re-installs) would never work.

WGA wouldn't work either. If you updated your XP from RTM to SP2, WGA would detect the Key as being incorrect for that version of XP and would shut things down.....

What IS a problem is doing a "Repair Install" of XP on top of a previous install. If the original install is at SP2, then the "Repair CD" has to be slipstreamed to SP2, also. Otherwise, you get an error message that the current files are newer than the repair files and the repair operation stops. --- That's likely the problem that Redbeard is seeing in his PC repairs.

 

[John]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger
What IS a problem is doing a "Repair Install" of XP on top of a previous install. If the original install is at SP2, then the "Repair CD" has to be slipstreamed to SP2, also. Otherwise, you get an error message that the current files are newer than the repair files and the repair operation stops. --- That's likely the problem that Redbeard is seeing in his PC repairs.

While that is a possibility I don't think redbeard1 was referring to that at all considering his typed out responses. He had an opportunity to come clean and say he was mistaken, but instead he chose to puff out his virtual chest.

A couple of times over the years I've mistakenly used an XP SP1 cd for a repair install when the system already has SP2. I can't say that I've seen the repair stop and/or fail in any way, but it does remove SP2. Afterwards I would simply do another repair using the correct XP SP2 disc. It's also still necessary to use the proper cd during a repair install because you'll either need to use a new product key that matches the cd version, or you'll need to use the same key that is already being used for the original install.

Granted nobody is perfect, but knowing when you're wrong and having the courtesy to admit it speaks volumes about your character. After all we're here to learn from each other, right?

 

[pkme2]

When I do a reinstall on a Dell computer, I use my SP1 or SP2 (Win XP Home/Pro) OEM System Disk.
I usually look for the CD key (usually found attached to side of case), do the wipe and re-install O/S.
I usually run Belarc Advisor (free utilty) to find CD keys & serial numbers on computer before wipe.
(usually done on seriously infected computers); back up all files to external USB HDD for later repair.

I've done repair installs in the past, but time is too involved to fix and clean hdd of viruses, malware and to repair damaged files. My restoration time is cut as much as half with complete wipe and new install.

 

[John]

Originally posted by: pkme2
I've done repair installs in the past, but time is too involved to fix and clean hdd of viruses, malware and to repair damaged files. My restoration time is cut as much as half with complete wipe and new install.

This may work for you and me, but when your customer has proprietary software, dozens of assorted applications, network shares, several printers, scanners, etc. a clean install isn't always practical and can take several hours to reconfigure the system. When I encounter this type of customer it requires little to no effort to sell him a copy of Acronis TrueImage.

 

[imaheadcase]

As stated the key tells you what you have. SN for xp with have OEM in the key. I've got like 8 winxp cds i just checked out. Oddly enough my OEM business Vista does not though, maybe they changed it with vista.

 

[redbeard1]

I will not admit I'm wrong when I know what I've seen.

Scenario: Dead customer hard drive on older XP home or XP Pro system. Install new hard drive. Use new OEM SP2 disk to reinstall OS. When asked for the key during the install, use key from side of computer. Install does not accept key. Start process over. Use OEM SP1 disk. Install accepts key. System can be authenticated and SP2 can be installed on it.

I also have had to explain this to friends that are techs in the business because they ran into the same thing. They switched to SP1 disks and everything then worked as well.

Don't know why, but it is what it is.

Know matter what you think you know, you may not know it all.

 

[pcgeek11]

Know matter what you think you know, you may not know it all.

Well you are right, on this point anyway.

pcgeek11

 

[pkme2]

Originally posted by: John

Originally posted by: pkme2
I've done repair installs in the past, but time is too involved to fix and clean hdd of viruses, malware and to repair damaged files. My restoration time is cut as much as half with complete wipe and new install.

This may work for you and me, but when your customer has proprietary software, dozens of assorted applications, network shares, several printers, scanners, etc. a clean install isn't always practical and can take several hours to reconfigure the system. When I encounter this type of customer it requires little to no effort to sell him a copy of Acronis TrueImage.

Very true in your what you say.
I tried your way but since I do a physical backup on a external hdd, my restoration technique IMO is faster and better than before.
Any missing dlls, exe's, inf's, sys's etc. files are already on DVD disk, just in case.

I just finished an complete reinstall of Dell Desktop
It took me less time than before. This time I was better prepared.

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: redbeard1
Install new hard drive. Use new OEM SP2 disk to reinstall OS. When asked for the key during the install, use key from side of computer. Install does not accept key. Start process over. Use OEM SP1 disk. Install accepts key. System can be authenticated and SP2 can be installed on it.

What kind of PCs are we talking about? Name-brand PCs (like Dell, HP, Compaq, eMachines, etc.)? Or generic "white-box" PCs?

I assume the latter, since an XP install (using factory XP Install CDs) on a name-brand PC would never ask for a Key number.

 

[bigdaddy51]

The sp1 and sp2 problem may be definitely pirate related, as when you use an sp1 disc and then go to the windows update website, the first thing it loads is a system validation tool, that requires your copy be activated, before it will allow updates. The last XP PRO I did with an SP1 disc ,gave me all kinds of crap, by trying to download sp2, without activating the install first. It put a big old icon in the tool bar, and kept popping up a this copy of XP needs to be validated message, about 50 times a day. It required the old numbers swap via the phone call to India Charlie to get it all fixed up.I just wish they would give us small systems builders some kind of bypass, so that we didn't have to go thru the numbers swap game twice. once with the computer, that tells you you need to talk to a rep. I ALREADY KNOW this. But once you are used to it, it isn't bad. It's the wife, screaming from the living room"Who are you talking to?" that the most annoying., knowing if you answer her, you are gonna screw up the phone call.

 

[pcgeek11]

It's the wife, screaming from the living room"Who are you talking to?" that the most annoying., knowing if you answer her, you are gonna screw up the phone call.

Now that is priceless, True however!

pcgeek11