Key Mismatch

  • Thread starter Thread starter Lisa Murphy
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Lisa Murphy

I just bought a LAPTOP from HP. It has XP PRO. The key on the label doesnt
match the key returned by KEYFINDER. HP support acknologes that this isnt
right but says its not a problem.

I think it is - Can anybody shed light on this?

Thanks
Lisa
 
HP uses a "Global" image for each notebook it makes. This image
uses a factory key. Once the image is applied, your particular unit
gets a sticker that shows your individual/unique Key to meet the
licensing requirements.
 
Thanks for the info. However my brother got hit with a invalid sw ICON from
MS and he no longer can get updates. His keys dont match. He bought the
laptop from frys and Im sure they got it directlly from HP.
BTW: How else can MS tell if your SW is invalid if all keys are the same?
 
Customer service/support often lies like a rug. Anyway, what happens with a
reinstall when the installed key is used, or conversely when the sticker key
is used might be interesting. (Assuming you can even do a reinstall with
what was furnished.) In reality, even with a global OEM image install, the
key should have been changed to match the sticker key. At the same time, you
should remember that such keys exist, and can be quite useful under specific
circumstances. For instance a corporate purchase might have the same key for
all systems bought under that purchase order, or even be changed by the
corporate IT department to a corporate key before the systems go into
service.

A fly in the otherwise murky ointment is that the OEM has virtually all
support responsibility, not Microsoft. This allows Microsoft to sell the
software at a bigger discount to volume OEMs, and helps to avoid lawsuits
based upon wholesale selling prices and availability. At one time, the
windows "update" scheme was planned to go to the OEM's site instead of
Microsoft. One of my older HP laptops did this, until it was changed to
comply with
 
Lisa said:
I just bought a LAPTOP from HP. It has XP PRO. The key on the label doesnt
match the key returned by KEYFINDER. HP support acknologes that this isnt
right but says its not a problem.

I think it is - Can anybody shed light on this?

Thanks
Lisa
Click to expand...


HP's partially correct; it is, in fact, right, and you don't have a
problem.

If you have a factory-installed OEM license, and haven't since
reinstalled the OS, the revealed Product Key is that of the drive image
used at the factory and not your specific Product Key. Only if you have
to re-install WinXP would you need to enter the Product Key affixed to
the computer.


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Bruce Chambers

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Thanks
but let me ask one more question. HP owes me an upgrade to VISTA. Is this
upgrade going to be trouble - should I change the key to match the label to
avoid a problem?
 
Leave the key alone.
The key on the label may not work for activation of Windows XP depending on
the type of media HP uses.
 
Thanks to you all for your help. It would far less confusing if technology
giants like HP and MS would make this less ambiguous/confusing. No wonder
there is so much counterfit SW!

Lisa
 
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