Cloning OEM XP's

[William Stokes]

Hello,

I am trying to clone XP SP2 pc's that are purchased from HP with Windows XP
OEM licence. (Atleast it think so because there's the -OEM- part in the
product ID.)
All PC's have the XP product key sticker with the original product key in
it.

After image restore (with Ghost 8.3 and Sysprep run) the XP want's me to
activate the it. When I try activate it with the original product key from
the sticker the key is invalid!

Why is that? Do one need to have Volume Licenses in order to clone XP pc's?
Is there some way to get rid of the whole activation when cloning several
pc's? Can OEM XP's be cloned at all?

Thanks
-Will

 

[Atlguide2000]

1. OEM is for one PC. If you want clone to another PC it's wrong.
2. If you want clone PC for backup - don't use sysprep.

http://www.atlguide2000.com/windowsxp/index.php?act=view&aid=2
http://www.atlguide2000.com/links/index.php?act=cat&cat=138

 

[William Stokes]

Yeah.

This licensing stuff just keep getting better. I Called our PC supplier
(DELL) to ask if we could purchase the PC's with no OEM OS. They said yes,
sure but the price is the SAME with or without an WinXP!

So if I want to start using Volume Licenses on new PC's, to avoid the
product activation after cloning, do I need to aquire Windows XP volume
licenses from MS reseller and pay for it full price? This would mean that I
get one OS license with the OEM manufacturer and pay for another directly to
Microsoft! This can't be right! What have I misunderstood? How large
companies normally handle their XP licenses?

I really don't want to call to MS every time I have cloned (with Sysprep) a
PC or restored one from image. I also REALLY don't want go tell my boss that
"OK we can get WinXP included in the PC hardware price. Or we can 'do it
right' and aquire VolumeLicences for XP and pay like 200$ * number of new
workstations"

Thanks
-Will

 

[Ron Martell]

Yeah.

This licensing stuff just keep getting better. I Called our PC supplier
(DELL) to ask if we could purchase the PC's with no OEM OS. They said yes,
sure but the price is the SAME with or without an WinXP!

They are ripping you off.

So if I want to start using Volume Licenses on new PC's, to avoid the
product activation after cloning, do I need to aquire Windows XP volume
licenses from MS reseller and pay for it full price? This would mean that I
get one OS license with the OEM manufacturer and pay for another directly to
Microsoft! This can't be right! What have I misunderstood? How large
companies normally handle their XP licenses?

I really don't want to call to MS every time I have cloned (with Sysprep) a
PC or restored one from image. I also REALLY don't want go tell my boss that
"OK we can get WinXP included in the PC hardware price. Or we can 'do it
right' and aquire VolumeLicences for XP and pay like 200$ * number of new
workstations"

Check out other suppliers. Dell, for example, has an option where you
can purchase at least some of their models without an operating system
installed.

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."

 

[Ron Martell]

Hello,

I am trying to clone XP SP2 pc's that are purchased from HP with Windows XP
OEM licence. (Atleast it think so because there's the -OEM- part in the
product ID.)
All PC's have the XP product key sticker with the original product key in
it.

After image restore (with Ghost 8.3 and Sysprep run) the XP want's me to
activate the it. When I try activate it with the original product key from
the sticker the key is invalid!

Why is that? Do one need to have Volume Licenses in order to clone XP pc's?
Is there some way to get rid of the whole activation when cloning several
pc's? Can OEM XP's be cloned at all?

This should not be a problem, especially if it has been more than 120
days since the last time that particular Windows XP license was
activated.

There are a large number of businesses which are able to successfully
clone OEM versions of Windows XP, using unique product keys for each
machine, such as you describe.

Try doing a telephone activation the next time you encounter an
activation issue. Emphasize to the person on the telephone that you
are *reinstalling* the license onto the exact same hardware using the
product key that is on sticker on the side of the case.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."

 

[j.sestrich]

After image restore (with Ghost 8.3 and Sysprep run) the XP want's me
to
activate the it. When I try activate it with the original product key
from
the sticker the key is invalid!


It's been a while, but I'm pretty sure sysprep has an option that
allows you to enter a serial number when you bring up the system for
the first time. That integrates that serial number to that PC.

Sysprep it in this fashion, then when you boot the system for the first
time, it should prompt you for the serial number at the same time it's
asking you for a PC name, domain, etcetera. Use the serial number on
the sticker, so each PC has it's own individual, valid number. Then
activate it usng that serial number.

 

[Kent W. England]

William Stokes wrote on 24-Jan-2006 5:15 AM:

So if I want to start using Volume Licenses on new PC's, to avoid the
product activation after cloning, do I need to aquire Windows XP volume
licenses from MS reseller and pay for it full price? This would mean that I
get one OS license with the OEM manufacturer and pay for another directly to
Microsoft! This can't be right! What have I misunderstood? How large
companies normally handle their XP licenses?

I really don't want to call to MS every time I have cloned (with Sysprep) a
PC or restored one from image. I also REALLY don't want go tell my boss that
"OK we can get WinXP included in the PC hardware price. Or we can 'do it
right' and aquire VolumeLicences for XP and pay like 200$ * number of new
workstations"

I don't know exactly how you are cloning your PCs, but I know if you
have Dell hardware and a single Dell XP CD, you can restore Windows to
any Dell platform without activation. All the device drivers for your
particular model are on the Resource CD which varies from model to model.

Examination of OEMed XP installs from Dell indicate that they use an OEM
key instead of the COA key that is stuck on the outside. (It's been a
while since I checked the Dell keys and we have some new SX620s, but I
doubt that the procedure has changed.)

I think you should be able to do what you want with any Dell system if
you start with the Dell OEM CD. For myself, I have too many different
hardware platforms and configurations to make cloning and disk imaging
practical. I start with the OEM XP SP2 CD and script all the updates and
application installs with customizations per user-type and site. I never
have to enter the XP key and I don't use an XP OS volume license.