How to change the Product Key ?

[Mars]

Hi all!

I have a copy of a multi user licenced XP Pro, so I think I'm still using a legal product. In the mean time I bought another version of XP Pro for myself. That's a version for 'new pc's'. I would like to install it over the current one to make sure I have a legal and supported version. However the installation insists that I first uninstall the current XP... That's not something I want to do because I have a lot of other installed software and have a lot of effort put into it to make it all work together properly.

Why do I want to change the Product Key? Well... the licence of my current version seems to be expired and I cannot get updates. When I try to get an update from the microsoft site it states that an error occured. Looking further it claims I have not a valid Product Key.

Stuck between a rock and a hard place... How do I 'legalise' my XP using my (new and legally bought) Product Key?

Please help!

 

[Miha Pihler]

Hi,

check out this article:

You receive a "The product key used to install Windows is invalid" error
message
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;326904&Product=winxp

I hope it helps you out,

Mike

Hi all!

I have a copy of a multi user licenced XP Pro, so I think I'm still using

a legal product. In the mean time I bought another version of XP Pro for
myself. That's a version for 'new pc's'. I would like to install it over the
current one to make sure I have a legal and supported version. However the
installation insists that I first uninstall the current XP... That's not
something I want to do because I have a lot of other installed software and
have a lot of effort put into it to make it all work together properly.

Why do I want to change the Product Key? Well... the licence of my current

version seems to be expired and I cannot get updates. When I try to get an
update from the microsoft site it states that an error occured. Looking
further it claims I have not a valid Product Key.

Stuck between a rock and a hard place... How do I 'legalise' my XP using

my (new and legally bought) Product Key?

 

[Phil]

You're multi-license "copy" is a pirate copy and the product key has been
black listed on windows update. That's why it gives you that error message.
Volume license's are sold in groups of five or above, so if you didn't buy
five or more than you have the pirate version, usually called XP Pro
Corportate Version.

Since you now havea proper xp pro single license version your only option is
to format and clean install XP Pro. The key that comes with that version
will not work with the pirate volume license version.

 

[Richard Urban]

I have a copy of a multi user license XP Pro, so I think I'm still using a
legal product.

Did you pay for this multi user license? Of course not. How can you even
begin to think you are using a legal product?

--
Regards:

Richard Urban

aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard

 

[CS]

Hi all!

I have a copy of a multi user licenced XP Pro, so I think I'm still using a legal product. In the mean time I bought another version of XP Pro for myself. That's a version for 'new pc's'. I would like to install it over the current one to make sure I have a legal and supported version. However the installation insists that I first uninstall the current XP... That's not something I want to do because I have a lot of other installed software and have a lot of effort put into it to make it all work together properly.

Why do I want to change the Product Key? Well... the licence of my current version seems to be expired and I cannot get updates. When I try to get an update from the microsoft site it states that an error occured. Looking further it claims I have not a valid Product Key.

Stuck between a rock and a hard place... How do I 'legalise' my XP using my (new and legally bought) Product Key?

Please help!

You can try the below procedure. But as Phil has pointed out it may
not work. Certainly won't hurt to try and it might save you
re-installing all your software.

***********************************

Change Product Key without Reinstall:
NOTE: Backup your registry first.

1. Run regedit and go to:
HKey_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\Current
Version\WPAEvents, on the right double click
on "oobetimer" and change at least one digit of this value
to deactivate windows.

2. Choose run from start menu and type in this command:
%systemroot%\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe /a to get the
activation screen and go to the second option which is
activate by phone.

3. In the new screen choose the option to change product
key, and type in the new product key.

4. Close that window, reboot your system and enter the
command in step 2 for the second time to verify your
activation, you should see "windows is already activated".

 

[Alex Nichol]

I have a copy of a multi user licenced XP Pro, so I think I'm still using a legal product. In the mean time I bought another version of XP Pro for myself. That's a version for 'new pc's'. I would like to install it over the current one to make sure I have a legal and supported version. However the installation insists that I first uninstall the current XP... That's not something I want to do because I have a lot of other installed software and have a lot of effort put into it to make it all work together properly.

Why do I want to change the Product Key? Well... the licence of my current version seems to be expired and I cannot get updates. When I try to get an update from the microsoft site it states that an error occured. Looking further it claims I have not a valid Product Key.

Stuck between a rock and a hard place... How do I 'legalise' my XP using my (new and legally bought) Product Key?

If the version you bought is an 'OEM' one, they will only do a clean
install; and the Product Key is a different series from the one used for
the present installation, so will not be accepted if you try to change
to it. A 'retail Full' rather than OEM version (or probably a retail
Upgrade, but I am not sure on that) could be installed as an Upgrade
over it, running it from the present system.