Switching XP Product Codes (Valid Codes)

[LordThing]

As many of you may know from OT, I am a Net Admin in a Coporate Environment. We just got a shipment of around 100-200 IBMs in with XP on it. Well, IBM's image sucks. We have done all we can to fix it, but finally decided to do a complete re-install and start over. Of course IBM only supplied a image disk, no OEM version of XP. All I have in the office is a few copies of retail XP.

So, i go about installing the OS and tried using the IBM XP Serial. No dice. I figure because its a retail CD and not a OEM CD. Fine, so I use the retail code and figure I will change it once I try to activate it. When I try to change it, it says its invalid. I call Microsoft and they put me on hold then come back and try to explain the finer points of Retail versus OEM. So, the skinny is they wont activate....Call IBM. IBM is slow about getting back to me and we need to finish this image.

Anyone know of a way to force a ID number onto a system so I can activate it? I tried the standard trick of fixing the WPA registry entry and changing the Key, but it doesn't work. I guess because the fix is for the Corporate version of the install (aka pirated) and not a real retail CD. Here I am surrounded with a couple hundred valid liscences and no way to use them to install. Really is driving me up the wall. I might end up resorting to putting on the Corp version (pirated) of XP and then changing to a valid liscence, but I wanted to do this total legit.

Sigh...

 

[everman]

It really annoys me when companies sell you an OS such as XP and only include an image of what the shipped HD looked like and don't give you that copy of the os you paid for. I would call them and tell them I paid for windows xp, not a crappy disk image.

 

[neo4s]

Im not really sure what Im talking about - or what your asking... but I used the info / prog here to change the key on my XP corporate. I hope that MAYBE that helps.

 

[Supertrunk]

You might try this also, it came from one of the IT guys here at work:

Here is a VBscript that will automate the entire process for you. Copy the text below into a text file, and then rename the textfile extension to .vbs

Then double click the file, give it a minute or two to work.

Dim oRegShell
Dim oShell
Set oRegShell = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")
oRegShell.RegWrite "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WPAEvents\oobetimer", 0, "REG_BINARY" 'Clear WPA key so that msoobe will run
Wscript.Sleep 3000
Set oShell = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")
oShell.Run "%systemroot%\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe /a" 'Run activation program
Wscript.Sleep 8000
oShell.AppActivate "Activate"
Wscript.Sleep 5000
oShell.SendKeys "%t%n" 'Select second option "activate by phone" and hit next
Wscript.sleep 3000
oShell.SendKeys "%p" 'Change product key
' Maybe some wait time while key is generated
WScript.Sleep 13000 'multiple by 1000 for seconds
oShell.SendKeys "INPUT NEW PRODUCT KEY HERE NO SPACES" 'product key, without dashes.
oShell.SendKeys "%u" 'Hit "update"
wscript.sleep 3000
oShell.SendKeys "%{F4}" 'Close Activation program.

 

[Panther505]

As far as the crappy image from IBM- work through your customer advocate and let them know what you don't like about the images. I am surprised with all of the offerings that IBM has that you didn't take them up on a custom image (100-200 machines is SMB - Small Medium Business) so the customer advocate should work with you... Also is you need any support or have any issues the first question/statement that Level 1 is going to have/make is- You guessed it- Is it the original image? or Please Recover via F11..


Panther