XP Pro CD w/ NO Serial Number. Can it be purchased?

[LeeTJ]

I have a bunch of legal Product ID OEM numbers that I paid for. Can i get a generic WinXP CD w/o Product ID number so i can just install all of my numbers w/o the cd's? it's really a matter of convenience. i don't like carrying soo many different cd's when i go onsite to clients.

 

[Lord Evermore]

Each CD is identical, you can use any valid CD key with it. Setup only checks whether a key is valid based on an algorithm, it doesn't compare your typed-in key to anything on the disc itself.

 

[LeeTJ]

Originally posted by: Lord Evermore
Each CD is identical, you can use any valid CD key with it. Setup only checks whether a key is valid based on an algorithm, it doesn't compare your typed-in key to anything on the disc itself.

that hasn't been my experience. i bought 6 copies of XP Pro for a client. I have to keep each Product ID w/ it's respective CD otherwise it won't install.

 

[josphII]

Originally posted by: LeeTJ

Originally posted by: Lord Evermore
Each CD is identical, you can use any valid CD key with it. Setup only checks whether a key is valid based on an algorithm, it doesn't compare your typed-in key to anything on the disc itself.

that hasn't been my experience. i bought 6 copies of XP Pro for a client. I have to keep each Product ID w/ it's respective CD otherwise it won't install.

Your mistaken

 

[LeeTJ]

Originally posted by: josphII

Originally posted by: LeeTJ

Originally posted by: Lord Evermore
Each CD is identical, you can use any valid CD key with it. Setup only checks whether a key is valid based on an algorithm, it doesn't compare your typed-in key to anything on the disc itself.

that hasn't been my experience. i bought 6 copies of XP Pro for a client. I have to keep each Product ID w/ it's respective CD otherwise it won't install.

Your mistaken

all right. i'll try it again. if it doesn't work, i'm going to blame you two, OK??

🙂

 

[cleverhandle]

XP CD's of the same type (Volume-License, OEM, or Retail) should be interchangeable. Probably a different set of algorithms since SP1, too, I would think.

edit: typo

 

[bozo1]

Can i get a generic WinXP CD w/o Product ID number so i can just install all of my numbers w/o the cd's?

As long is it is an OEM CD. A retail version CD won't take an OEM key, etc.

 

[ProviaFan]

Originally posted by: josphII

Originally posted by: LeeTJ

Originally posted by: Lord Evermore
Each CD is identical, you can use any valid CD key with it. Setup only checks whether a key is valid based on an algorithm, it doesn't compare your typed-in key to anything on the disc itself.

that hasn't been my experience. i bought 6 copies of XP Pro for a client. I have to keep each Product ID w/ it's respective CD otherwise it won't install.

Your mistaken

The only way he could be right is if some of the CDs were retail fullversion, and some were retail upgrade, and some were OEM, or something like that. As others explained, the CD key must be matched with a CD of its "class" to work properly.

 

[LeeTJ]

Originally posted by: jliechty

Originally posted by: josphII

Originally posted by: LeeTJ

Originally posted by: Lord Evermore
Each CD is identical, you can use any valid CD key with it. Setup only checks whether a key is valid based on an algorithm, it doesn't compare your typed-in key to anything on the disc itself.

that hasn't been my experience. i bought 6 copies of XP Pro for a client. I have to keep each Product ID w/ it's respective CD otherwise it won't install.

Your mistaken

The only way he could be right is if some of the CDs were retail fullversion, and some were retail upgrade, and some were OEM, or something like that. As others explained, the CD key must be matched with a CD of its "class" to work properly.

all 6 copies were OEM and bought from the same place www.directdeals.com

anyway, i have 2 copies here now, so i'll try it this week. i have an extra machine so i'll try installing both keys from 1 cd.