How to invalidate licenses on stolen computer

[Guest]

Is there any way I can have Microsoft invaldate the licences for XP and
Office on a computer that was stolen? Ideally I'd like to be able to locate
the machine, but at least I don't want the thief (or his buyer) to be able to
get support or updates.
Thanks,

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Jeff;
No to invalidating and locating the computer.
If Windows and Office are, OEM, they were stolen with the computer
regardless if you have the media and key or not.
They should be included in the insurance claim if applicable.

If they are retail and you have the original key and media, they are
yours.,

 

[Xandros]

No.

 

[Guest]

Thanks... they're OEM so I guess I'm SOL. From a practical standpoint, what
would I have to do to install retail licenses on a new computer given that
the originals were still out there in the wild? Wouldn't the new
installations fail to activate?

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Very little, worst case is a call to Microsoft to activate.
Activation would be allowed assuming you have original media and key.

 

[M.I.5¾]

Is there any way I can have Microsoft invaldate the licences for XP and
Office on a computer that was stolen? Ideally I'd like to be able to
locate
the machine, but at least I don't want the thief (or his buyer) to be able
to
get support or updates.
Thanks,

I wouldn't worry about it. The first thing any thief does is to completely
wipe the hard disk. He doesn't want to leave any evidence that the machine
belonged to someone else.

 

[GHalleck]

Thanks... they're OEM so I guess I'm SOL. From a practical standpoint, what
would I have to do to install retail licenses on a new computer given that
the originals were still out there in the wild? Wouldn't the new
installations fail to activate?

What you ask for would involve discrete Product Keys and activation keys
that are linked. Unfortunately, Microsoft did not adopt this approach and
there are only a relatively small number of statistically significant,
valid Product ID's that can be generated for activating any given Microsoft
product. You will understand what is meant when there are only 7 discrete
digits that are involved in activating a product that has been sold in the
hundreds of millions and only 1/7th of those combinations are able to
activate the product.

 

[M.I.5¾]

What you ask for would involve discrete Product Keys and activation keys
that are linked. Unfortunately, Microsoft did not adopt this approach and
there are only a relatively small number of statistically significant,
valid Product ID's that can be generated for activating any given
Microsoft
product. You will understand what is meant when there are only 7 discrete
digits that are involved in activating a product that has been sold in the
hundreds of millions and only 1/7th of those combinations are able to
activate the product.

That system of product keys was dropped years ago.