Changing XP from OEM to Volume License

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jason
  • Start date Start date
J

Jason

I recently took over support for a small company where the origional IT tech
loaded all their desktops with a single OEM copy of Windows XP, never
activated it, and now they have expired and all users are locked out of
their machines. The company has now ordered legal licenses under the Open
License program and are awaiting their keys from MS. I was wondering if
there is a way to register these 15 machines with the new keys from their
Open License without having to completely reload windows on these machines?
Additionally, is there anything I can do to get them working since they are
simply awaiting the email with their keys from Microsoft, they have
purchased legal licesnese? As it is now, the company has ceased to function
because of the tech that they have now since fired.

thanks,

Jason
 
You may need to reboot into "Safe-Mode" (hitting the F8 key) during BIOS
self-check bootup.

Once in Safe-Mode,
click Start / Run, type
%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe /A click ok.

The product activation wizard should walk you thru, but you must have the
license key codes available.
 
The only way to rectify the situation is to perform a "Repair Install"
using the Volume License CD and Product Key. You cannot simply
change the Product Key because the installation CDs are different.

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Michael Stevens]

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


|I recently took over support for a small company where the origional IT tech
| loaded all their desktops with a single OEM copy of Windows XP, never
| activated it, and now they have expired and all users are locked out of
| their machines. The company has now ordered legal licenses under the Open
| License program and are awaiting their keys from MS. I was wondering if
| there is a way to register these 15 machines with the new keys from their
| Open License without having to completely reload windows on these machines?
| Additionally, is there anything I can do to get them working since they are
| simply awaiting the email with their keys from Microsoft, they have
| purchased legal licesnese? As it is now, the company has ceased to function
| because of the tech that they have now since fired.
|
| thanks,
|
| Jason
 
The only way to rectify the situation is to perform a "Repair Install"
using the Volume License CD and Product Key. You cannot simply
change the Product Key because the installation CDs are different.

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Michael Stevens]

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


|I recently took over support for a small company where the origional IT tech
| loaded all their desktops with a single OEM copy of Windows XP, never
| activated it, and now they have expired and all users are locked out of
| their machines. The company has now ordered legal licenses under the Open
| License program and are awaiting their keys from MS. I was wondering if
| there is a way to register these 15 machines with the new keys from their
| Open License without having to completely reload windows on these machines?
| Additionally, is there anything I can do to get them working since they are
| simply awaiting the email with their keys from Microsoft, they have
| purchased legal licesnese? As it is now, the company has ceased to function
| because of the tech that they have now since fired.
|
| thanks,
|
| Jason
 
No, that will not work. That article only illustrates how to change
a Volume License Key when the installation was performed using
a Volume License Windows XP installation CD. One cannot change
from a Volume License version to a Retail Version unless a Repair
Install is performed using a legitimate "Full Version" of Widows XP.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


| --
| For Volume License conversion to Regular License XP product, take a look at
| the article see if this may help.
|
| http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;328874
|
|
| You may need to change at least "one" value in OOBETimer value data.
|
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\Current Version\WPAEvents
|
| --
|
| > -------------------------------------------------------------------
| >
| > | >
| > I recently took over support for a small company where the origional IT
| tech
| > loaded all their desktops with a single OEM copy of Windows XP, never
| > activated it, and now they have expired and all users are locked out of
| > their machines. The company has now ordered legal licenses under the Open
| > License program and are awaiting their keys from MS. I was wondering if
| > there is a way to register these 15 machines with the new keys from their
| > Open License without having to completely reload windows on these
| machines?
| > Additionally, is there anything I can do to get them working since they
| are
| > simply awaiting the email with their keys from Microsoft, they have
| > purchased legal licesnese? As it is now, the company has ceased to
| function
| > because of the tech that they have now since fired.
| >
|
|
 
So what I am going to do is:

-Using my volume licensed version of XP, do a repair on my OEM licensed
version
-when it asks for a license, use my volume license key
-Then update all the service packs.

Question:
Will I need to reinstall all my apps?

thanks,

Jason
 
No, you cannot use a Volume License Product Key with an OEM
Windows XP CD. The Product Key will be rejected. You must
use a Volume License Windows XP CD with a Volume License
Product Key when performing a "Repair Install".

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


| So what I am going to do is:
|
| -Using my volume licensed version of XP, do a repair on my OEM licensed
| version
| -when it asks for a license, use my volume license key
| -Then update all the service packs.
|
| Question:
| Will I need to reinstall all my apps?
|
| thanks,
|
| Jason
 
Actually that is what I said I think??

-Using my XP Volume License CD do a repair on my current OEM Licensed XP
installation
-when it asks for a key, use my VLK
-update as needed......

Jason
 
Jason;
Yes, that will work.
Updates will need to be reinstalled.
Other data and applications should be safe.
Back-up important data just in case.
 
ra said:
How can he back up data if all the users are locked out of the
machines?
Click to expand...
Pull it off with Knoppix and use k3b to burn to a cd-r. Or slave the
hard drive in another XP box and pull off data that way.

Malke
 
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