Legalizing XP Pro without re-installing

[Guest]

I have taken over sys admin for a small church's computers. I am in the
process of cleaning up the mess left by the previous "admin."

Among other problems, there is a several years old laptop that came with an
OEM license to XP Home that has what I believe to be an invalid install of XP
Pro. The Windows update service will not update it, although it has not yet
started giving me the "You may have been the victim..." startup nag. The OEM
restore disks and/or CD of Windows XP Home than came with the laptop have
been lost/destroyed/thrown away. The computer does have the license sticker
on it, though.

In addition, the laptop needs to have certain aspects of the install
repaired. I do not want to to a clean install of Windows due to the special
laptop drivers and the general pain of starting over (back up everything,
re-install all the applications, etc.).

Here is my question. If I purchase a legal copy of Win XP Pro with a legal
key, is there a way I can "activate" Win XP Pro on this machine without
actually re-installing it? If so, can I then use this legal Win XP Pro CD to
do a repair install?

Thanks.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

If you have a "Full Version" of Windows XP
Professional, you could use the following utility
program to simply change the Product Key:

The Genuine Advantage Product Key Update Tool is only valid for
users attempting to change their current non-genuine Product Key
to a genuine Product Key - all without a reinstall!
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=50346&clcid=0x409

Windows Product Key Update Tool Instructions
http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/selfhelp/PKUInstructions.aspx

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

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

:

| I have taken over sys admin for a small church's computers. I am in the
| process of cleaning up the mess left by the previous "admin."
|
| Among other problems, there is a several years old laptop that came with an
| OEM license to XP Home that has what I believe to be an invalid install of XP
| Pro. The Windows update service will not update it, although it has not yet
| started giving me the "You may have been the victim..." startup nag. The OEM
| restore disks and/or CD of Windows XP Home than came with the laptop have
| been lost/destroyed/thrown away. The computer does have the license sticker
| on it, though.
|
| In addition, the laptop needs to have certain aspects of the install
| repaired. I do not want to to a clean install of Windows due to the special
| laptop drivers and the general pain of starting over (back up everything,
| re-install all the applications, etc.).
|
| Here is my question. If I purchase a legal copy of Win XP Pro with a legal
| key, is there a way I can "activate" Win XP Pro on this machine without
| actually re-installing it? If so, can I then use this legal Win XP Pro CD to
| do a repair install?
|
| Thanks.
| --
| Tom

 

[Guest]

Sorry all, I found the answer in another post.
Thanks,