Incorrect Product Key following Sysprep

R

Rixter

We've been using Sysprep forever to prepare our PCs before Ghosting.
Once the image is downloaded we enter the COA Product Key on the side
of the Dell PC.

For the past several weeks/months we've been exepriencing problems
since we upgraded to XP SP2.

The two problems we're suffering from:
1) After entering the Product Key we get an activation error and we
have to call Microsoft for each activation. This is VERY time
consuming. I believe I fixed that by running Sysprep -factory.
2) Our activation is only good for 30 days before expiration

What am I doing wrong?

Help?!?
 
C

Carey Frisch [MVP]

The Dell Product Key is only valid when
using the Dell Reinstallation CD.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

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

:

| We've been using Sysprep forever to prepare our PCs before Ghosting.
| Once the image is downloaded we enter the COA Product Key on the side
| of the Dell PC.
|
| For the past several weeks/months we've been exepriencing problems
| since we upgraded to XP SP2.
|
| The two problems we're suffering from:
| 1) After entering the Product Key we get an activation error and we
| have to call Microsoft for each activation. This is VERY time
| consuming. I believe I fixed that by running Sysprep -factory.
| 2) Our activation is only good for 30 days before expiration
|
| What am I doing wrong?
|
| Help?!?
|
 
D

Darrell Gorter[MSFT]

Hello,
There was a licensing change where the COA keys now require Phone
Activation rather than Internet Activation.

From the link below:
In order to reduce a significant source of piracy, Microsoft has disabled
online activation for COA Keys that are attached to PCs that have been
pre-activated by OEMs. This change should have a minimal impact on licensed
users who generally do not use their COA Key to activate the software
because it has been pre-activated by the OEM. However, if a licensed end
user needs to activate because the OEM pre-activation does not work as
expected (e.g., after the replacement of a defective motherboard) they can
do so via phone-based activation.

To help minimize the potential impact on licensed users, this whitepaper
provides steps licensed end users can take to preserve OEM pre-activation
when reinstalling the operating system using any of the four scenarios
outlined below (sysprep, OOBEinfo, manual and unattended).

You can use the workaround in the following link:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/deploy/oempreac.mspx

Thanks,
Darrell Gorter[MSFT]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
--------------------
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