XP product key / service pack idiocy

[acstech]

Ok, so I got this Dell laptop here I'm working on. Due to reasons I wont get into right now, it needs to be reinstalled. It has an XP Pro serial number and sticker on the case. Pop in my XP cd, install, doesn't take the product key. Customer did not receive XP media from dell.

So now I'm stuck with a computer and no valid install media. I have the XP Pro disk, but apparently not the right one for the service pack.

What's the quick work around here? Do I need to go on a hunt for the appropriate XP disk? You'd think with all the systems I build I would back one up. But noooo.

[zandrax]

Re: XP product key / service pack idiocy

Ok, so I got this Dell laptop here I'm working on. Due to reasons I wont get into right now, it needs to be reinstalled. It has an XP Pro serial number and sticker on the case. Pop in my XP cd, install, doesn't take the product key. Customer did not receive XP media from dell.

The Dell copy is an Oem XP - Oem serials are different from Retails or Corporate copies, so they won't work mismatched.
Your client should ask Dell about the cd unless he wants to buy a new, retail copy: it may seem quite strange it didn't came bundled, but AFAIK from 2006 some manifacturers [e.g. Acer] spared a few cents by not bundling a recovery cd and forcing the customer to burn a copy at first start. [Of course if your pc manages to boot - if not, broken hard disks are the most likely culprit] Dell may share this [criminal] policy.
If Dell denies any help, your client may call Microsoft, explain the circumstance and hoping for best: MS tecs can be comprehensive sometimes and exchange the Oem code for a retail one, but it's an exception in MS policy.

Zandrax

[willawake]

Re: XP product key / service pack idiocy

did you try an oem cd?
did they burn a special for dell or not?

[bgavin]

Re: XP product key / service pack idiocy

You will need the Dell diagnostic partition present on the disk. This is where dell stores serial number stuff. I have tried installing the Dell recover CD on fresh drivers, and it won't have any of it.

This is why I always image a customers disk... so I can retain their serial data, when the disk crashes. Doing one right now, in fact.

[acstech]

Re: XP product key / service pack idiocy

I tried the XP Pro SP1 cd from my action pack, which I have used many times before to reload computers (dell included) that had XP Pro SP1 licenses. I do not have an OEM install cd, nor do I have an XP Pro no service pack or XP Pro SP2 CD. I've seen people with this probem before, and in every case they had to go find a CD with the appropriate service pack. I thought you guys might know a way around that.

Edit: That diagnostic partition was gone when I got it. First I've ever seen this computer, so imaging was not an option unfortunately.

Re-edit: The only catch I had reinstalling previous Dells and others with the OEM license using my XP disk was that I had to call up to get it activated. At least it installed. Two different issues here, I'm afraid.

[zandrax]

Re: XP product key / service pack idiocy

I tried the XP Pro SP1 cd from my action pack, which I have used many times before to reload computers (dell included) that had XP Pro SP1 licenses. I do not have an OEM install cd, nor do I have an XP Pro no service pack or XP Pro SP2 CD. I've seen people with this probem before, and in every case they had to go find a CD with the appropriate service pack. I thought you guys might know a way around that.

This Dell is manifactured after or before 2004? If after, you should use a XP Sp2 disc; if before, most times a SP1 one.
BTW, an Oem disk should work, I'm unsure about the retail one.

Zandrax

[gastorgrab]

Re: XP product key / service pack idiocy

XP Pro no service pack or XP Pro SP2 CD

You can remake a SP1 disc into a SP2 disc. I've done it multiple times with my Win2k SP2 disc.


Look for a set of instructions that match your burning software. An example for Nero Burning Rom would be:

Slipstreaming Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2)
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase...slipstream.asp
.

[gdement]

Re: XP product key / service pack idiocy

You can remake a SP1 disc into a SP2 disc. I've done it multiple times with my Win2k SP2 disc.


Look for a set of instructions that match your burning software. An example for Nero Burning Rom would be:

Slipstreaming Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2)
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase...slipstream.asp
.

But does that change the set of allowed license keys?

[bgavin]

Re: XP product key / service pack idiocy

No.

If you check a Dell OEM disk and compare it to a Retail version, there are significant changes in the $OEM setup. Dell does a lot of customization, etc, and changes these directories.

I've done a signfiicant amount of scripting for unattended installation, and am familair with the $OEM structures. I never bothered understanding Dell's configuration, because I have no need. I always image the Dell disk image on ally my client machines, so I can restore the image when a disk changes.

If the OP is up against the wall, he can download any number of XP cracks and validation bypasses from the torrent sites. I think he is better of obtaining his own legit copy of XP Pro and doing a fresh install. Considering what a piece of shit Vista is, XP will be with us for quite awhile. It is best to have your own working copy of XP.

[hkivan]

Re: XP product key / service pack idiocy

Learnt from some sites that OEM mobo BIOS store some specfic info .
During XP setup , system will check up the specific info see if it is
e.g. a Dell , IBM... etc machine.

Therefore, if u have a DELL pc just try to use an OEM XP CD for
installation. If it can install, whether no SP,SP1 or 2 doesn't matter,
it can be upgraded to the latest patches.

[Bookworm]

Re: XP product key / service pack idiocy

Specifically, you need _any_ Dell XP CD. Pro, Home, it doesn't matter.

They'll be Purple or Blue generally.

They do a half-assed unattended installation, doing a BIOS check during install. If the machine states it's a Dell, no activation or serial number is required.

The COA on the outside of the case will work, but you have to use an XP OEM cd (anything that'll accept the sticker number), but you'll have to call Microsoft for a full activation code. It'll tell you the key is invalid at that point.

I keep Dell XP Home and Pro cd's around just for that problem, due to a number of customers losing the bloody things.

[Krankshaft]

Re: XP product key / service pack idiocy

I've been through this many times and after hours of hair pulling I found a simple solution.

Install with the product key that the CD came with so that the setup will go through then after the install is over and you're in Windows.

Use a Windows XP key changer just google it and you'll find one. Simply open the key changer application then enter the original CD key that came with the computer into the app and click the confirm button. This isn't a hack of any sort it just changes the key recorded in Windows so that you don't have to go through the registry and do it manually.

If you're interested in the manual way and have the original product ID on hand (not the actual CD key) check out this link:

http://searchwincomputing.techtarget...=WSYLBxptip126

It will then bring up the Microsoft activation window if it doesn't bring it up manually go through that after you're activated you're done.

After the install Windows activation doesn't seem to care OEM CD key or not. It just seems to care if its a legitimate CD key or not.

I have done this on many computers without problems.

And without having to call Microsoft in India trying to make sense of the accents .

[acstech]

Re: XP product key / service pack idiocy

I got it working. The customer had a OEM XP SP2 disc that I sold them with another computer. I used that and it worked fine.

Internet activation worked fine.

[Topcat]

Re: XP product key / service pack idiocy

I need a copy of WinXP OEM.... I have legit numbers, but my OEM XP CD has seen better days, it won't read well enough to install or copy it... If anyone has an ISO or Nero image of it, I'd be appreciative.

[Bookworm]

Re: XP product key / service pack idiocy

PM me with what you need. Gold (no SP) SP1, or SP2.

[severach]

Re: XP product key / service pack idiocy

Specifically, you need _any_ Dell XP CD. Pro, Home, it doesn't matter.

To be legal the chosen version should match the COA. Dell's XP SP2 adds more model support over the previous versions. A fairly new Dell might require Dell SP2 to preactivate. The most common Dell disk does not support all Dell models.

They'll be Purple or Blue generally.

And gray and green.

They do a half-assed unattended installation, doing a BIOS check during install. If the machine states it's a Dell, no activation or serial number is required.

System Restore disks are often locked to a small model range. The Windows Install disks are not locked at all. The unattended install is mainly to prevent the installer from asking for a CD key which is already in the WINNT.SIF file. The BIOS is not checked during install so the Dell disk will install on any motherboard though when you get to a desktop the keys will show and activation will always fail.

The COA on the outside of the case will work, but you have to use an XP OEM cd (anything that'll accept the sticker number), but you'll have to call Microsoft for a full activation code. It'll tell you the key is invalid at that point.

XP OEM Single User will accept the key so long as Home, Pro, TabletPC, or MCE matches.

The preactivation process is pretty well understood and much more pleasant to work with than activating through the Internet or by phone. Once you learn it you can support all brand name PC's instead of just the ones that supply install CD's.

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=63258

If the OP is up against the wall, he can download any number of XP cracks and validation bypasses from the torrent sites. I think he is better of obtaining his own legit copy of XP Pro and doing a fresh install.

Cracks and new copies are a waste of your customer's time or money. Working with preactivation is the best for all involved. Installation is easier and the customer can change hardware other than the motherboard without triggering activation.

You can remake a SP1 disc into a SP2 disc.

A Dell SP1 disk slipstreamed to SP2 will not have the improved drivers and additional model support that a real Dell SP2 disk has.

[Bookworm]

Re: XP product key / service pack idiocy

To be legal the chosen version should match the COA. Dell's XP SP2 adds more model support over the previous versions. A fairly new Dell might require Dell SP2 to preactivate. The most common Dell disk does not support all Dell models.

And gray and green.

Haven't seen these. I have a large pile of them in a binder. I _think_ I may have seen _one_ green a long time ago, but purple and blue are what I have.

System Restore disks are often locked to a small model range. The Windows Install disks are not locked at all. The unattended install is mainly to prevent the installer from asking for a CD key which is already in the WINNT.SIF file. The BIOS is not checked during install so the Dell disk will install on any motherboard though when you get to a desktop the keys will show and activation will always fail.

Here you're talking through your hat.

1) Dell doesn't provide "System Restore" disks. They never really have. They provide a windows reinstall cd, an application install cd, and one or more driver installation CD's.

2) The _Dell_ OEM CD's do _not_ fail activation. You're mistaking using a Dell CD on a Dell PC for using a Dell CD on a non-Dell PC. Just for fun, I've tested in on all sorts of machines (even ones that were then wiped and had 98 put back on them). Below the 450 mhz machines don't take it - they must have different BIOS id's. I haven't found a machine going _up_ that the cd's don't work on. (This helps a _lot_ with downgrading to XP. *cough*upgrade*cough*) If you try to use a Dell OEM cd on a non-dell, it will install, then will fail activation. This is because the VLK stored on the CD is for Dell _only_, and there's an additional check after installation between the VLK and the BIOS.

XP OEM Single User will accept the key so long as Home, Pro, TabletPC, or MCE matches.

The preactivation process is pretty well understood and much more pleasant to work with than activating through the Internet or by phone. Once you learn it you can support all brand name PC's instead of just the ones that supply install CD's.

Yes, the COA license key is accepted as an OEM. I've found some that required Gold, some SP1, and some SP2. I've found that it's easier to keep the various Dell OEM CD's around, so that you don't have to fiddle with this.

I'll look at whatever 'preactivation' might be. I hadn't run across the term, at least, not that I remember.

Cracks and new copies are a waste of your customer's time or money. Working with preactivation is the best for all involved. Installation is easier and the customer can change hardware other than the motherboard without triggering activation.

you can do that anyway - remember, it's a multi-step trigger. Usually it takes four or more individual items, unless it's motherboard, video, and hard drive. Those three together will trigger a reactivation for certain.

A Dell SP1 disk slipstreamed to SP2 will not have the improved drivers and additional model support that a real Dell SP2 disk has.

More hat tricks. I ripped a Dell OEM Windows Installation cd apart, and found _zero_ 'model support' other than the aforementioned BIOS check. In fact, I had to use nlite last night to slipstream support for the buggering SATA driver on an XPS laptop.

Note: I do not 'steal' Microsoft software, nor do I advocate it. I don't need to. I own several completely unused retail copies of every OS since Windows 3.1 - I personally run Linux, and my workbench windows PC (because the recovery tools and such only run in windows) is running Windows 2000 Professional.

[RJARRRPCGP]

Re: XP product key / service pack idiocy

The product key rejection has nothing to do with the service pack, except for service pack 3 (at least for beta) for 99.9 percent.

Reportedly, the service pack 3 PIDGEN.DLL rejects current product keys!

Reportedly, if you integrate service pack 3, which isn't officially released yet, that it changes the product key acceptance, reportedly PIDGEN.DLL and thus required to replace the PIDGEN.DLL file with the one from service pack 2 for it to let you use your product key!

This information is from people over at msfn.org

[willawake]

Re: XP product key / service pack idiocy

good info

[acstech]

Re: XP product key / service pack idiocy

The product key rejection has nothing to do with the service pack, except for service pack 3 (at least for beta) for 99.9 percent.

That's fine and all, they can say whatever they want, but I know what I've seen, many times.

Explain to me then why the SP1 CD did not work and the SP2 CD did. Both were OEM non-Dell cd's.