Norton Ghost WinXP machine

[eljainc]

Hello,

We recently acquired a secondary notebook to serve as the backup in the
case the first notebook fails. They have identical hardware. It would
be a huge pain to set up the 2nd (backup) notebook manually and try to
make it identical to the primary one. Hence we are going the Ghost
route. After we clone the hard drive, we will need to change the
product key of WinXP on the backup to reflect the true key supplied
with the notebook. Do I simply use something like
the ChangeVLKey.vbs file on Microsoft's web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q328874

Or is there a better way to do this? This is not a volume license, but
instead an OEM license. Also, can this be done legally? There are two
separate WinXP licenses here. I should be able to just change the key
back so that it matches the 2nd notebook PC, right?

Mike

 

[mdp]

Hello,

We recently acquired a secondary notebook to serve as the backup in
the case the first notebook fails. They have identical hardware. It
would be a huge pain to set up the 2nd (backup) notebook manually and
try to make it identical to the primary one. Hence we are going the
Ghost route. After we clone the hard drive, we will need to change the
product key of WinXP on the backup to reflect the true key supplied
with the notebook. Do I simply use something like
the ChangeVLKey.vbs file on Microsoft's web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q328874

Or is there a better way to do this? This is not a volume license, but
instead an OEM license. Also, can this be done legally? There are two
separate WinXP licenses here. I should be able to just change the key
back so that it matches the 2nd notebook PC, right?

Mike

While the laptop might have the same HW configuration, i.e. same mfg/models,
the HW inside won't have the same 'signatures'. The HD and NIC alone may
cause XP to require a reactivation. More here:

http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.php

You can 'fix' the HD VSM with the application provided in the above link but
not the HD Device ID unless, perhaps, you physically move the HD over.
Regarding the license and changing the key, I don't know if it's legal - I
tend to think so if they have identical OEM CDs and you legally own both
licenses but I'll let others who know better weigh in.