Reinstall Windows XP with OEM license

[pzkpfw]

I need to "refresh" an old old netbook for my Daughter to take overseas with her. (And leave it there!)

It's got a Windows license, but the sticker on the bottom has a few characters worn off.

The license Windows itself reports is the OEM one.

So the question is: if I get hold of a fresh Windows DVD and do a full-reinstall off that, would I be expected to have an issue using the OEM key?

(Am considering SSD and Win 8 for it, but that's later. First I want all the shit off it, and much of Windows seems fudged on it (e.g. rundll.exe gives me issues just running control panel stuff).)

Sorry if this is a dumb question, I don't do this stuff much ...

[pzkpfw]

P.S. apologies, meant to stick this in the tech talk section - mods, if you please....

[Headbanger]

I take it you have used an app like jellybean to identify the active key and its different then the one on the sticker?

When these come out of the factory a pre-activated install is imaged onto all the laptops of that model, meaning thousands of apps with the same serial , I'd plan on it not working with that key after a re-install.

You need a plan B.

[pzkpfw]

I take it you have used an app like jellybean to identify the active key and its different then the one on the sticker?

No, just what Windows tells me via one of the Control Panel apps.


When these come out of the factory a pre-activated install is imaged onto all the laptops of that model, meaning thousands of apps with the same serial , ...

Yep.


... I'd plan on it not working with that key after a re-install.

You need a plan B.

Yeah, that was the question.

Stupid place for a license key. Bottom of a device that gets carried around etc.

On some laptops they stick the sticker on the inside of a battery or RAM cover or something. Keeps it protected.

I should have written it down somewhere. (Or had the thing make its own recovery media).

Live and learn. It cost me $800 back in the day. Buy a brand new one for much much less. May be "easier"...

[mashman]

Is the copy of windows already installed? If so, can't you request a new key online? note that down etc...

[wharekura]

So the question is: if I get hold of a fresh Windows DVD and do a full-reinstall off that, would I be expected to have an issue using the OEM key?
There are different flavors of winxp and the oem key will need to match the install pkg. for example, if the oem was for winhome - then only winhome install will work. if u havent already blown away the machine you can get the current prodkey using a utility that ms provides - just do a goggle.

[iYRe]

I take it you have used an app like jellybean to identify the active key and its different then the one on the sticker?

When these come out of the factory a pre-activated install is imaged onto all the laptops of that model, meaning thousands of apps with the same serial , I'd plan on it not working with that key after a re-install.

You need a plan B.

The license key on the laptop is your license key, and it should be valid for that device as many times as you want to install it. Changing hardware is where you have an issue.
The issue is, as someone else pointed out, if you have a license for XP Pro, and install home, or vice versa, the keys wont work. Same for the various flavours of win7/8. The only time they are the same is between 32/64 bit (ie, the same product key for win 7 pro 32 and win 7 pro 64, but not the same as win 7 home 32/64).

There's plenty of software available to audit the license keys for all your installed software.. google it :P

[Headbanger]

The license key on the laptop is your license key, and it should be valid for that device as many times as you want to install it. Changing hardware is where you have an issue.
The issue is, as someone else pointed out, if you have a license for XP Pro, and install home, or vice versa, the keys wont work. Same for the various flavours of win7/8. The only time they are the same is between 32/64 bit (ie, the same product key for win 7 pro 32 and win 7 pro 64, but not the same as win 7 home 32/64).

There's plenty of software available to audit the license keys for all your installed software.. google it :P


The activation key is not the software license, and the scenario queried by the thread starter is not only a real world issue but completely unrelated to your input.

[Headbanger]

No, just what Windows tells me via one of the Control Panel apps.





Then download jellybean keyfinder and it will tell you what the installed key is, then check it against whats is on the sticker, or at least what you can see of it.

In the past where the oem install has been different from the provided key I have talked to MS and they have been able to spit out a new key and activate it for me over the phone, though there is no guarantee of that.

http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/

[iYRe]

Your an idiot.

oh yeah.. right.. sorry.. I apologise..
I have absolutely no idea.. its not my job.. I dont do 50 of em a day, and I DEFINITELY dont know anyone who is involved in licensing windows products for MSNZ.

Oh.. and I havent been doing it since the late 80's either.

yeah.. my bad.

[Headbanger]

oh yeah.. right.. sorry.. I apologise..
I have absolutely no idea.. its not my job.. I dont do 50 of em a day, and I DEFINITELY dont know anyone who is involved in licensing windows products for MSNZ.

Oh.. and I havent been doing it since the late 80's either.

yeah.. my bad.

Then you're an even bigger idiot then I thought.

[iYRe]

Then you're an even bigger idiot then I thought.

heh..

well.. better to be thought an idiot...

[Headbanger]

Just for the record people.

Even though the thread starter has looked in the wrong place for his install key, If you have purchased a laptop or big brand PC there is a very good chance that it was installed with a generic OEM key, there is no guarantee that the key installed on the machine at time of purchase is able to be used after a format/install, Best you write down the key that's listed on the sticker as recovering the install key won't always save your backside.


Also, The key itself is not the license, If you read the MS dribble you will see that in many cases (Im not going to talk in absolutes here as they change shit constantly) the license belongs to the original purchaser and cannot be transferred, so anyone buying ex-lease PC and on-selling them can (and have) been charged for pirating MS operating systems even when a legit key is on the machine and used for the install, The point being the system carries no license to run that install.

On the other side of the coin, Use a different activation key, You already hold a license.

[pzkpfw]

Oh, well.

Couldn't run the jelly bean thing as I didn't have rights. (The netbook had been stolen by my Wife long ago, so I'd given over all admin rights to her).

When she got home, got her to log on, and still couldn't run it. Double-clicking the install exe was popping up a "what application do you want to open this file with" dialog. Along with simple stuff like rundll.exe being shagged that all just made me tired.

Got a USB-DVD drive and confirmed the netbook would boot off it. Managed to find an XP Home DVD. Currently it's doing a fresh install. Full format of the drive. (Repair wouldn't work as it needed a password none of us knew/remembered. This is a long-disused machine).

I have another XP PC here that's not in use (and probably will never be). So I'll just try the key off it.

Worst comes to the worst, I may just shell out $80-$90 for the retail Windows 8 - may be nice to have the physical media anyway, to save me downloading next time I buy an upgrade.

----

In the mean-time it turns out 1.8" PATA SSD's are thin on the ground, so that may well be ignored.

[Headbanger]

:wacko:

Fuck I hate computers.

How old is it?, Most laptops are built cheap and nasty, I'd be hesitant to spend any money on one over 3 years old, definitely nothing if its over 5 years old.

[pzkpfw]

Ah flip. The basic XP DVD doesn't have drivers for half the hardware on the thing, including its WiFi and Ethernet.

And the drivers for the thing have gone from HP's support web sites. (Wankers!).

(The laptop I bought 3 days after this one still has links to a driver download page, this Mini doesn't.)

Could be a bit of a risk even trying to install Win 8 on it - if it doesn't have out of the box drivers that work.

You could be right. Dick Smith are doing a clearance ASUS netbook for $400. May just be easier. Already burned enough of today on the darn thing.

[James Deuce]

How much do you want for the old one?

[pzkpfw]

How much do you want for the old one?

For you?

(To put Linux on?)

It's just a 3 year old Atom laptop with 1024x600 screen, and the current HDD is 60GB.

(Also: non-standard video output, i.e. you won't plug an external screen into it, unless you fluke on to someone selling the weird adaptor cable.)

[James Deuce]

For you?

(To put Linux on?)

It's just a 3 year old Atom laptop with 1024x600 screen, and the current HDD is 60GB.

(Also: non-standard video output, i.e. you won't plug an external screen into it, unless you fluke on to someone selling the weird adaptor cable.)

You've got it. :) Linux is the answer. :)

[Headbanger]

Well, Its an alternative.....

And it is where I'd be looking.

Then I'd give it away to a poor person.

[James Deuce]

I luff's you Headbanger.

[pzkpfw]

Well molest my poodle and call me a Mormon - suddenly I find drivers on an HP website. So far only have WEP available on the WiFi (so can't connect to my router yet) but getting somewhere.

I can't believe I couldn't find them last time, but they can't have suddenly added them 'cos I had a little cry on a website feedback form two hours ago.

I'll blame sunspots. And the end of the Mayan calendar.

Once I've connected, I'll make Windows verify/validate itself, and see if the key I used works or is claimed dodgy.



(Why is it real "pirates" always find ways to work around things, but legit users with legit equipment get screwed around by software?)

[pzkpfw]

So the HP WiFi assistant won't run because XP didn't come with .Net 2.0; and getting that seemed a hassle so I thought I'd just go straight for the Win 8 upgrade, see if it works (Win 8 has pretty good default driver support).

But the Microsoft website won't let me do anything 'till I upgrade to IE 8. (IE 6 is what XP came with).

So I do the upgrade, but it chokes on an obscure error.

It seems that's related to XP service packs, so now ... I'm busy installing SP1a so I can then install SP3 so I can then try to install IE8 so I can then try to upgrade to Win 8.


Gosh I love computers.

[pzkpfw]

XP SP3 won't install unless at least SP1 (or SP1a) is installed first.

But I can only find the express install of SP1a on the MS site, and it keeps failing part-way through.

Sigh.

[Gremlin]

So the question is: if I get hold of a fresh Windows DVD and do a full-reinstall off that, would I be expected to have an issue using the OEM key?
Just for reference (didn't see a specific answer), yes, you will generally have issues. OEM keys usually can't be used with retail installs. Equally, the keys won't work on different hardware if you try to migrate it etc. Pain in the damn arse.


XP SP3 won't install unless at least SP1 (or SP1a) is installed first.

But I can only find the express install of SP1a on the MS site, and it keeps failing part-way through.

Not sure exactly what you're after, but searching using the "standalone" keyword should normally find something.

[pzkpfw]

Cheers,


Eventually got as far as SP3 being installed on it. (Used a key off a different (un-used) machine. Funnily enough it was another OEM license, also for an HP, but currently on a non-HP desktop.)

Now need to get the drivers for all the stuff working (WiFi etc).

Then will have to make a complete backup, before I dare upgrading to Win 8 (I'm just kind of curious now about whether it'll work).

[davereid]

Eventually got as far as SP3 being installed on it. (Used a key off a different (un-used) machine. Funnily enough it was another OEM license, also for an HP, but currently on a non-HP desktop.)Now need to get the drivers for all the stuff working (WiFi etc).Then will have to make a complete backup, before I dare upgrading to Win 8 (I'm just kind of curious now about whether it'll work).

Ubuntu is so much better than windows, that I have moved all my machines to it.

I have a small number of programs I need to run that are not available for Ubuntu, so I have installed virtual box. https://www.virtualbox.org/ and I run a copy of windows in virtual box. Its nice and stable, and I didnt need any drivers, as Ubuntu has them all anyway.

Once you get used to Ubuntu you won't go back to windoze.

[pzkpfw]

Ubuntu is so much better than windows, that I have moved all my machines to it.

I have a small number of programs I need to run that are not available for Ubuntu, so I have installed virtual box. https://www.virtualbox.org/ and I run a copy of windows in virtual box. Its nice and stable, and I didnt need any drivers, as Ubuntu has them all anyway.

Once you get used to Ubuntu you won't go back to windoze.

Yeah, I make my living off Microsoft products, so I'll be Windows for a while.

Putting Ubuntu on this thing for my Daughter on the other hand, would have been a good option (given the small list of things she'll actually do with it), but as she's off overseas shortly, it's the wrong time to throw a different OS at her (esp. given my own lack of experience with it).

[Akzle]

get a linux distro. hack win xp's .pwd file - this gives you your admin access back.
it won't halp if winblows has blowed.

then image your drive to an external one - you can go through this and pull files later.

then write the drive in the machine to zeros

then install your linux flavour on 10% or 1GB of the drive

then install microsoft on the rest of the drive.

then next time M$ fucks out (and it will), you can re-write your MBR, and linux the fuck out of it.

[pzkpfw]

get a linux distro. hack win xp's .pwd file - this gives you your admin access back.
it won't halp if winblows has blowed.

then image your drive to an external one - you can go through this and pull files later.

then write the drive in the machine to zeros

then install your linux flavour on 10% or 1GB of the drive

then install microsoft on the rest of the drive.

then next time M$ fucks out (and it will), you can re-write your MBR, and linux the fuck out of it.


I'd rather stick a fork in my eyes.


Having said that, it'd be nice to have a simple way for my Daughter to re-build the thing without my help.

Ideally something that'd let me image the HDD as at some point, like a Ghost to USB stick, with a wrapper on the stick that'd let her boot off it to copy the image back to the HDD.

Basically what Akzle talks about, but without all the dicking around with Linux.

I figure there must be some simple combination of utilities that'd do all that ...

[Akzle]

I figure there must be some simple combination of utilities that'd do all that ...

there is. it's called linux.

seriously, even a winblows fanboy will find his way around ubuntu.

go get UBCD, that will do everything, it's good to have on hand.

and get a 'buntu liveCD, it should have utilities for everything i said.

sudo -i
dd if=/dev/(main drive) of=/dev/(usb/flashdrive)/backup.iso

that's your backup, exact copy of everything on your disk including partitions and master boot record. literally byte by byte.
you can then mount that image as a virtual drive and cruise it just like you had it installed to main disk. or dd it back to the drive, or dd it into a virtual box or... or... or...

you can also dd a drive to blank but you'd be better going through either the ubuntu install or gparted to format the drive/arange the partitions. even if you don't install ubuntu

(i'd reccomend you do, GRUB bootloader is heaps much better than winblows one.)(when you install windows after it, it will rewrite your MBR, so only show up and load windows, but linux will be installed in the background. OR you can fix the MBR to point to GRUB which gives you the option of winblows vs ubuntu - i think you'll find after a while you'll hardly ever click into windows)

seriously.
go get an ubuntu liveCD. you'll be buying me a beer.

[davereid]

Yeah, I make my living off Microsoft products, so I'll be Windows for a while.

Putting Ubuntu on this thing for my Daughter on the other hand, would have been a good option (given the small list of things she'll actually do with it), but as she's off overseas shortly, it's the wrong time to throw a different OS at her (esp. given my own lack of experience with it).

Yeah I have a mate who repairs Fisher and Paykel products.

He said that he BUYS Samsung and LG. But there isn't much money fixing them so he still recommends F&P.

[pzkpfw]

Yeah I have a mate who repairs Fisher and Paykel products.

He said that he BUYS Samsung and LG. But there isn't much money fixing them so he still recommends F&P.

Cool story, but not very relevant. Having an LG dishwasher at home doesn't have much at all to do with whether he can fix an F&P dishwasher for his job.

I happen to pay my bills doing programming in a Windows environment. Windows isn't perfect (I'm no fanboy), but for personal use I just can't be arsed having another environment (whether another machine, or dual boot, or VM's or whatever. Just. can't. be. arsed.); I just use my Windows gear, it doesn't hurt at all.

And it doesn't mean I recommend Windows in particular (like your mate with evil intentions recommends F&P!). Heck, I bought my Wife an iPod a few weeks back - it just happened to be the device (and OS) that suited her at the time. Might have been an Android Tablet in different circumstances (or even Windows 8 RT).


I'm frankly sick of all the fanboy bullshit. Oh how funny to see Akzle et al call Windows "Winblows". Whatever. Each of the devices and OS's have their place.

[Akzle]

I'm frankly sick of all the fanboy bullshit. Oh how funny to see Akzle et al call Windows "Winblows". Whatever. Each of the devices and OS's have their place.

this isn't really fanboy shit.
-ubuntu is easy as shit for winblows and even mono-button-mac users to find their way around.
-it is free
-it has all the required tools (for this and much more) BUILT IN, you're not downloading an .exe or installer for every fucking thing you want to do.
-you don't need a running/installed environment to use it from
-you don't even need to install it, it will run natively off a CD/DVD/flashdrive, and still do everything you want it to. how polite.

find me an MS tool that does that shit. FOR FREE.
or go pay norton for ghost to make a shitty proprietary image that you'll still need to re-write the MBR on.

many other linux flavours are probably also suitable (i'm thinking mandrake distros) but i learned hat back when it was hat and before debian->ubuntu etc.

and win does blows. thus winblows.
i have no time or place in my life for an i-Anything, because there are better tools for the job. and while windows mobile USED to be on my pilot, and it'd still be my second choice for a mobile device (linux flavours win, google=umbrella corp=evil, and will cause the zombie apocalypse) infuct, some of teh windows lumias look quite neat...

long story short. you want it done quick and easy, piss and moan all you like, linux is about as quick and easy as you're going to get. else take it to the computer shop and pay 120$/hr for someone else ("technician", heh.) to use linux on it.

[redhat]

Worst comes to the worst, I may just shell out $80-$90 for the retail Windows 8 - may be nice to have the physical media anyway, to save me downloading next time I buy an upgrade.


Have you considered using a free Linux distro rather than using Windows? Many have a polished interface and are very user-friendly (easy to learn too) - these often can bring an old computer thriving back to life, such as your old netbook.
All it takes is a simple download of the .iso file which you can either burn to a CD/DVD or set it up to install from a USB drive. The installers make it as easy as (if not better than) installing Windows.

Some of the more popular options...
Linux Mint (Cinnamon): http://cinnamon.linuxmint.com/ (my personal choice)
Ubuntu: http://www.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/take-the-tour
Fedora: http://fedoraproject.org/en/features/#desktop (http://fedoraproject.org/en/features/#overview)


Edit: just read the other pages, I still recommend Linux for your daughter

[pzkpfw]

Edit: just read the other pages, I still recommend Linux for your daughter

Yeah, if I had more time to make sure it was all good for her, I'd consider it. But she's off in just a few days. I don't want to take the risk. The netbook ran fine for 3 years on XP, I just think that's the safest/easiest thing for her to take away.

Thanks anyway. I've got a bunch of old PC's 'round here... may well try mint just for a peek one of these days.

[Akzle]

may well try mint just for a peek one of these days.

enter SMOKEU.

[Jezxa]

Dont know why I still use windows now that I dont game anymore, just used to it i guess. Windows 7 is a very solid OS though, leagues ahead of XP.

Might try Mint when I put an SSD in my laptop. or BackTrack :innocent:

[Gremlin]

Have you considered using a free Linux distro rather than using Windows? Many have a polished interface and are very user-friendly (easy to learn too) - these often can bring an old computer thriving back to life, such as your old netbook.
Tested before for users in a business network, as they used terminal server. More hassle and less functionality (rdp didn't work well either) than just using Windows. Can't remember the version, but something modern (was earlier this year).

Not really hating, but sometimes (in personal stuff as well) we just want to work with what we know and provided you look after it, Windows does just fine.

[Akzle]

provided you look after it, Windows does just fine.

can i has your install, please?

(that said, the XP on this laptop has been "stable" for a couple years now (20/04/11 @ 5:04PM) last "windows update" was about that time, too. no point in replacing the old bugs with new ones.
a fucking miracle as it used to be monthly re-installs)