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]

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.