Win XP Pro Product key 1

[coronel]

Hi Folks.
I have a machine that has a windows XP-Pro, for some reason
it had to be reformated and reinstall the OS.
I have in my machine a sticker with a windows xp-pro product key, but i do not have the windows XP-Pro cd-rom with me, can you tell me guys what type of windows do i have buy? an oem version or a retail version in order to allow me to use the same product key which is located in my machine.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Auger282]

The best advice would be to call the maker of the desktop and get factory restore cds....

not all OEM cds are created =

 

[vacunita]

Technically since you already have the Product Key for your own machine, all you would need is to have someone lone you a Windows CD to install. You might have to call Microsoft for the activation but you should have no problem.

If its a Brand machine (HP,DELL,etc,,) they are usually OEM.
But again all you would need is a loner Windows CD.

If you do decide to buy a new windows CD, then your Product key is irrelevant. as the new Cd will have its own Product key.




----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

 

[Auger282]

site codes only work with site disks..
OEM codes only work with OEM disks..
Retail codes only work with Retail disks..

 

[bcastner]

1. If you are going to buy a retail or OEM license, why would you need to use the Key on the side of the case?

2. Sometimes it is obvious what is required, as when it has *OEM* in the key itself.

3. Hopefull you can find the setupp.ini file in the i386 directory. Open it up, it'll look something like this:

ExtraData=707A667567736F696F697911AE7E05
Pid=55034000

The Pid value is what we're in this for. There are special numbers that determine if it's a retail, OEM, or volume license edition. First, we must break down that number into two parts. The first five digits determines how the CD will behave, i.e. is it a retail CD that lets you clean install or upgrade, or an OEM CD that only lets you perform a clean install? The last three digits determine what CD key it will accept.

Here are the individual values, the first and last values are interchangeable but you should keep them together:

Retail = 51882 335

Volume License = 51883 270

OEM = 82503 OEM

 

[JockMullin]

Hi, Bill

I'd star you for that if I understood "the first and last values are interchangeable but you should keep them together".

What "values" are you referring to (digits, maybe)?

I checked my own, which is 55274OEM, so it is OEM (no surprise), but how does 55274 compute? The machine is a Dell and the OS came pre-installed so it should be retail, therefore clean install or upgrade (?) but I can't conclude that from your post - or does the first part simply not matter if it is OEM.

Sorry to be a bit thick.

Jock

 

[bcastner]

For the "first and last values are interchangeable" comment I meant that the first five digits determine what kind of CD SKU you have; the last three digits the acceptable key.

For example, conceivably you could create a VLK CD with an OEM Key requirement by changing the PID to:

51883OEM


If it is a Dell, pre-installed, it most certainly is an OEM installation.
This type of installation is done with a BIOS lock so that activation is not necessary.

See:

http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.php

You can call Dell to get a replacement CD, or use any Dell CD from the same motherboard/Model series with your case key.

 

[JockMullin]

Hi, Bill

Oh, OK, I gotcha now. I thought the values in your examples for the first part of the product id were the only possibilities.

Thanks for clearing that up.
And here's your star - I have wanted a quick way to determine that stuff a couple of times and this does it nicely.

Jock