J
Jeremy Beker
Good morning all,
I am responsible for configuring system images for a software
development shop and am having a heck of a time with XP and product
activation. My goal is to create system images that can be placed on
test computers and have the full activation period after they have been
placed back on a test computer.
(As background, I am starting with straight a plain XP install from our
MSDN subscription. This is a "Retail" copy of XP.)
From the sysprep documentation:
"The clock for WPA begins its countdown the first time Windows XP
starts. You can use Sysprep for a maximum of three times to reset the
clock for WPA. After the third time you run Sysprep, the clock can no
longer be reset."
However, no matter what I do, I can not get the activation clock to be
reset in my images. The Activation counter always seems to be tied to
my initial install of XP. Here are some scenarios I have tried:
Install XP -> run sysprep -> make machine image -> deploy image
Install XP -> Activate -> run sysprep -> make machine image -> deploy
image
In both cases I am required to enter the product key on the deployed
image, however, the activation counter is tied to the date I originally
installed XP. I know that what I want to do must be possible, as every
OEM vendor ships computers that have been sysprepped and have the full
Activation period available when the customer gets them.
Thanks in advance.
-Jeremy Beker
I am responsible for configuring system images for a software
development shop and am having a heck of a time with XP and product
activation. My goal is to create system images that can be placed on
test computers and have the full activation period after they have been
placed back on a test computer.
(As background, I am starting with straight a plain XP install from our
MSDN subscription. This is a "Retail" copy of XP.)
From the sysprep documentation:
"The clock for WPA begins its countdown the first time Windows XP
starts. You can use Sysprep for a maximum of three times to reset the
clock for WPA. After the third time you run Sysprep, the clock can no
longer be reset."
However, no matter what I do, I can not get the activation clock to be
reset in my images. The Activation counter always seems to be tied to
my initial install of XP. Here are some scenarios I have tried:
Install XP -> run sysprep -> make machine image -> deploy image
Install XP -> Activate -> run sysprep -> make machine image -> deploy
image
In both cases I am required to enter the product key on the deployed
image, however, the activation counter is tied to the date I originally
installed XP. I know that what I want to do must be possible, as every
OEM vendor ships computers that have been sysprepped and have the full
Activation period available when the customer gets them.
Thanks in advance.
-Jeremy Beker