Serials and CDs

_PD_ · 14 Aug 2006 at 22:36

OK, here's the situation;

I have a laptop, which I want to re-install windows on. The laptop has an XP pro serial on the bottom, which I can re-use for this re-install.

However, I no longer have the CD for this laptop (uber scratched). Can I use a different (legit) XP Pro CD, and enter the laptop serial, and go about things that way?

Will that work?

Sorry if that's a bit hard to understand...

daven1986 · 14 Aug 2006 at 22:47

should work, as long as it is the same version, ie a hame OEM key with a hame OEM disc.

daven

Priapus · 14 Aug 2006 at 22:47

Yes it will work just fine.

marc2003 · 14 Aug 2006 at 22:49

well afaik, there 2 different types of cd - retail and oem. and you can only use oem keys with oem disks and retail keys with retail disks.

now because the laptop key is on a sticker it would seem that it is an oem key therefore you will need an oem disk. that's my understanding of it....

Trifid · 14 Aug 2006 at 22:51

You also need the correct OEM or retail disk, e.g. SP1a or SP2.

agw_01 · 14 Aug 2006 at 22:52

I agree with marc.

I've never tried it (Dell PC upstairs has a sticker on the side) with my retail CD, but I doubt it would work.

marc2003 · 14 Aug 2006 at 22:53

Trifid said:
You also need the correct OEM or retail disk, e.g. SP1a or SP2.

nope, i'm pretty sure that is not the case. many people create their own slipstreamed xp disk with sp2 using the serial they've had had since pre-sp1 and they work just fine.

Trifid · 15 Aug 2006 at 08:39

marc2003 said:
nope, i'm pretty sure that is not the case. many people create their own slipstreamed xp disk with sp2 using the serial they've had had since pre-sp1 and they work just fine.

It is different key code combinations with SP1a and SP2. It doesn't work.

csmager · 15 Aug 2006 at 11:45

Trifid said:
It is different key code combinations with SP1a and SP2. It doesn't work.

It most definitely shouldn't be. As marc2003 points out, you can slipstream your disc to whatever SP level you like, and it'll still work.

Another point to add - the big oems (e.g. Dell) have their own version of the OEM disc. Their keys won't work with standard OEM discs - so you might have to go back to the OEM for a new cd.

_PD_ · 15 Aug 2006 at 11:46

Actually tried it now, doesn't work. It was XP Pro SP2 2004 key with a XP Pro SP1 2003 CD.

Sputnik II · 15 Aug 2006 at 16:35

Had a similar thing recently. The computer originally had a hidden recovery partition to install windows from but, the owner had deleted the partition. We used an XP home OEM disk with the serial key from the sticker on the machine and somehow it detected that it wasn't the right serial for the disk.

Had a chat with Billy's boys on the phone and they happily gave us a new activation code, so I assume its ok to do it that way.

benjo plz. · 15 Aug 2006 at 16:38

csmager said:
It most definitely shouldn't be. As marc2003 points out, you can slipstream your disc to whatever SP level you like, and it'll still work.

At a guess they added code and modified the algorithm, so serials for sp2 can't be used with a disk that has vanilla xp, if you get what I mean

. (and a newer disk will work with an older code, but not vice versa).

What he could do, not that I'm condoning it, is get a serial off the web, then upgrade to SP2, and then use the activator to change the serial.

leezer3 · 15 Aug 2006 at 16:45

More to the point, the serial sticker on the laptop is almost certainly a VLPK (Volume Licencing Preinstall Key), & is not going to work with any variant of XP disk. The only way to use these keys is with the original pre-activated recovery disks- Anything else will not work. Having said that though, a lot of PCs sold pre-SP1 had plain XP disks & OEM keys, so its worth a try.

MS may or may not give out keys, as far as I can see that depends on the telephone operative in question- I have seen several threads where people were first refused a key, & then rang back up 5 mins later to be given one.

-Leezer-

_PD_ · 15 Aug 2006 at 16:47

Phnom_Penh said:
What he could do, not that I'm condoning it, is get a serial off the web, then upgrade to SP2, and then use the activator to change the serial.

Are there any legit programs that will allow me to enter a proper product key afterwards?

benjo plz. · 15 Aug 2006 at 16:47

leezer3 said:
More to the point, the serial sticker on the laptop is almost certainly a VLPK (Volume Licencing Preinstall Key), & is not going to work with any variant of XP disk.

Why would it be a VLK? :confused:

.

benjo plz. · 15 Aug 2006 at 16:49

Cobra said:
Are there any legit programs that will allow me to enter a proper product key afterwards?

Yer, the windows one

. The activation program allows you to activate by telephone, you click on this, and there's a buttpn that says change product key (or something like that) you click it and it allows you to change the key

.

Burnsy2023 · 16 Aug 2006 at 11:01

leezer3 said:
More to the point, the serial sticker on the laptop is almost certainly a VLPK (Volume Licencing Preinstall Key), & is not going to work with any variant of XP disk.

No it won't. It'll be a OEM license. The VLPK would be used on the recovery disc or recovery partition, but is not on the COA.

If the laptop is from a large distributor such as HP or Dell, the license key will be attached to a pool of keys given to each large OEM. If it is from a company like the above, ring them and request new media. Only their distro will work with your key.

Also, the Windows Genuine Advantage Key Change will not work. The algorithms will be different and your OEM license key will not be valid on a different installation.

Burnsy