XP product key question

[MoLaker]

I just bought a used IBM T42 laptop from a company's obsolete resale program. The laptop came with XP Pro installed and operating - no problems. However, the company did not provide a backup CD of the O/S nor does the laptop have a recovery partition. There is the original product key label on the computer with a legible key. I'm assuming the current install was done against the product key on the label and that it is an OEM version. The label states Windows XP Professional IBM P A plus the key.

I have an OEM version CD of XP Pro that I have installed on another machine.

My question is (before something breaks), if I have to reinstall Windows XP Pro on this laptop, can I use the XP Pro OEM CD that I own and then use the product key that is attached to the computer - and expect it to validate?

"Retired Programmer". So, please be patient.

 

[danomac]

It's highly unlikely that key will work with your media. There's a high chance it'll require the original IBM OEM CD that came with the laptop.

 

[wolluf]

XP pro only comes in a few flavours - OEM keys (whether from Dell, IBM...) work with all OEM CDs in my experience (retail and corporate keys won't) - so reckon you're likely good.

You could of course test the key is you have either a spare laptop hard drive or a spare hard drive and a PC.

PS. the current installation, if its the original will almost certainly NOT have the key on the label, but a generic one from the IBM image used (which can't be used to reinstall - you need the one on the label for that).

A copy of something like Ghost or True image and an external hard drive could give you a backup image you could restore from.

 

[biglebowski]

DELL generally ship OEM cd's which can only be used on DELL machines. They don't normally have the COA on the laptop.

IBM have a COA and I've used a standard XP disc to reinstall a thinkpad using the COA key on the laptop.

"Anything that’s invented between when you’re fifteen and thirty-five is new and exciting and revolutionary, and you can probably get a career in it.
Anything invented after you’re thirty-five is against the natural order of things."

 

[goombawaho]

I use a copy of a Dell OEM PRO or HOME CD to load everything from Gateway, HP, Compaq, etc. laptops and desktops and no problems as long as you have a valid OEM XP COA on the side of the computer.

Also, I've never seen a Dell desktop or laptop without a COA unless the bonehead owner peeled it off.

 

[kjv1611]

Generally speaking, if you have an OEM CD of Windows XP, and an OEM CD Key, so long as it's the same version - Pro, Home, Media Center, it'll work. Just don't mix between the three. There are exceptions, but I don't think IBM will be an exception.

But you know what you could do to test for yourself, to make absolute certain that it WILL work?

If you have an extra hard drive, pull out your working hard drive, so you don't get mixed up which is which, and accidentally overwrite your working system.

Next, install Windows with your OEM CD and the CD Key from the case.

Next, make sure you get on the web, and attempt to activiate..

If it works, great, you know it works.... Or if you want to make extra sure, do something that requires genuine validation, like say download Windows media player 11, or install Windows Defender, or install one of a handful of Windows XP PowerToys that require validation... and see how it goes.

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[cdogg]

goombawaho,
Actually, you're both right. While many OEM CD's from HP and Dell will work with other brands, there are some that will not. INSTEAD of asking for the product key, it looks for a signature in the BIOS during the install. If the particular signature from the BIOS is not present, then the installation will not complete.

I have a WinXP PRO SP2 OEM CD's right here in front of me from HP that's like that. It only works on HP computers that qualify during the install (there are some that don't pass this test, especially ones that are more than 4-5 years old). I have other discs from HP that only look for a valid "restore CD". Once it validates that CD, the install will continue and then ask for a product key. Any OEM product key works at this point.

Bottom line: It all depends on the version of the OEM CD that you have.

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Einstein
[tab][navy]For posting policies, click [/navy]here.

 

[kjv1611]

True. cdogg did help clarify. Basically if you've got a generic OEM CD, more than likely it'll work, b/c it requires your input of the CD key. But like I mentioned, if it were me, and I were really concerned about it, I'd do a test run with a different hard drive just to see (now), so that if/when I did need to reinstall, I wouldn't have to hope or guess.

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[edfair]

And once you figure out what works on the machine write the version on the label so you or whoever follows you doesn't have to go through the pain again.

From the whine, you should be able to deduce that I'm into just that type of scene, valuable customer data, "system infected" wallpaper, disabled regedit and task manager, and no anti-virus allowed. Somebody reloaded the OS with a different version because they couldn't load the right one with the license key where they attempted to use a "8" for a "B" in the code.




Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[biglebowski]

I never stated that all DELL oem would not work, I said generally.

None of our 500+ DELL latitudes have COA stickers, only service tags. This is the way we receive them from DELL.




"Anything that’s invented between when you’re fifteen and thirty-five is new and exciting and revolutionary, and you can probably get a career in it.
Anything invented after you’re thirty-five is against the natural order of things."

 

[goombawaho]

You must be a corporate customer then with a special order (VLA or CLA). We're talking about mom and pop machines. I've never seen one that mom and pop ordered from Dell that didn't have a COA sticker.

Regarding the BIOS string, I was under the impression that a Dell computer using a Dell CD will often not ASK for a product key during installation or require activation because it is sensed by the BIOS string and bypassed.

Whereas the string won't "make sense" to another brand computer brand and while it will still install XP without a problem, entereing a product key and activating will be required.

 

[strongm]

Dell are what is known as a 'Royalty OEM'. To quote the OEM Preinstallation Kit:

Royalty OEMs receive a ‘golden master’ copy of Windows from Microsoft. The royalty OEM may customize Windows as described in the OPK, their license agreement, or a signed addendum… These OEMs obtain all customized media, end-user manuals, and bulk quantities of COA stickers from MS authorized replicators.

Royalty OEMs may provide recovery media for each computer, and that media must be protected so that it can be used only on that particular computer. Both printed books and any recovery media display the OEM name and branding.

System-locked preinstallation (SLP) is an anti-piracy technology that helps prevent the copying of legitimately licensed operating system software onto non-licensed systems. SLP is available only to royalty OEMs.

A Dell machine shipped with such an SLP recovery/installation disk will have a COA with a product key, but that product key is not used by the installation. Nor, in theory, will the disk work on any other PC.

 

[goombawaho]

We should never be discussing these type of machines or licensing. Most of the people that post here are talking about mom & pop computers. Corporate IT and licensing agreements are a whole different story. It will just confuse Joe ComputerUser.

 

[DTSMAN]

goombawaho, you are incorrect.
Tek-Tips is geared toward IT professionals. Both IT professionals and "Joe ComputerUsers" post here.

My company has 500 plus laptops without COA because of bulk licensing. They are all stamped out using a couple of different Ghost images depending on the department it is going too. They aren't bootlegged.

Back to the question at the start of the thread. He has a COA, he just asked what version of installation CD does he need? If his OEM doesn't work he can buy or borrow a standard XP installation disk and run with it. They will activate it by phone every time.

Bo

Remember,
If the women don't find you handsome,
they should at least find you handy.
(Red Green)

http://www.redgreen.com

 

[goombawaho]

You missed my point entirely. The original post was about a machine that was a "mom and pop" machine because it had a COA on it. So bringing corporate licensed machines was off the mark.

 

[strongm]

>The original post was about a machine that was a "mom and pop" machine because it had a COA on it

And as I pointed out, just because a machine has a COA on it does not mean that it is not using a Royalty OEM Recovery Disk rather than a full, unrestricted OEM CD

 

[kjv1611]

http://www.microsoft.com/howtotell/content.aspx?pg=coa

Regardless of opinions, a COA is required unless the product installed is a retail product (the software). If it is a retail version, then the COA is required on the software packaging.

For a corporate edition, where one key installs on several PCs, I'd imagine the COA is kept on the original installation media, specifically on its packaging.

So in your case, biglebowski, I'm assuming that Dell does not install an OS when they ship them to you. That is highly possible. Either that, or they are installing Linux.

The service tag is something totally separate from the Windows COA, so it's not really in context of the question at hand.

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me