Product key Question

  • Thread starter Thread starter Wab
  • Start date Start date
W

Wab

I am leaving my employer in the next few weeks.

Up to now they have allowed me to use their corporate XP Pro product key.

I have purchased my own retail copy now and wish to change the product
code and activate it etc, but I have been told that I can't do this
without re-installing XP which I am reluctant to do.

Anyone help out on this?

Many thanks

Wab
 
You cannot change the Product Key. You'll need to perform
a "Repair Install" using your new retail Windows XP CD and the
new retail Product Key.

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User
Microsoft Community Newsgroups
news://msnews.microsoft.com/

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

:

| I am leaving my employer in the next few weeks.
|
| Up to now they have allowed me to use their corporate XP Pro product key.
|
| I have purchased my own retail copy now and wish to change the product
| code and activate it etc, but I have been told that I can't do this
| without re-installing XP which I am reluctant to do.
|
| Anyone help out on this?
|
| Many thanks
|
| Wab
 
Then you did not perform the "Repair Install"
procedure correctly. Make sure to follow the
instructions precisely.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User
Microsoft Community Newsgroups
news://msnews.microsoft.com/

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

:

| Last time I did this on a machine I lost many files including all the
| Office software and ended up re-formating and starting from scratch!
|
| Kind regards
|
| Wab
 
Wab said:
I am leaving my employer in the next few weeks.

Up to now they have allowed me to use their corporate XP Pro product key.

I have purchased my own retail copy now and wish to change the product
code and activate it etc, but I have been told that I can't do this
without re-installing XP which I am reluctant to do.

Anyone help out on this?

Many thanks

Wab
Click to expand...


You'll need to use your retail copy of WinXP Pro (And it *must* be
WinXP Pro -- if you purchased WinXP Home, you'll need to format the hard
drive and start fresh.) to perform a repair (a.k.a. in-place upgrade)
installation, using the new CD and Product Key.

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/directory/article.asp?ID=KB;EN-US;Q315341



--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH
 
Peter said:
A possibility maybe

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


As the title to that KB Article states, that technique only works when
replacing one Volume License product key with another Volume License
product key. The OP has a retail license.

Product Keys are bound to the specific type and language of CD/license
(OEM, Volume, retail, full, or Upgrade) with which they are purchased.
For example, a WinXP Home OEM Product Key won't work for any retail
version of WinXP Home, or for any version of WinXP Pro, and vice versa.
An upgrade's Product Key cannot be used with a full version CD, and
vice versa. An OEM Product Key will not work to install a retail
product. An Italian Product Key will not work with an English CD.
Bottom line: Product Keys and CD/license types cannot be mixed & matched.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH
 
Peter said:
Thanks for the info Bruce. And for correcting me
Click to expand...


You're welcome.

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH
 
Wab said:
Last time I did this on a machine I lost many files including all the
Office software and ended up re-formating and starting from scratch!

Kind regards

Wab
Click to expand...

Two words; backup first!

Steve
 
Carey said:
Then you did not perform the "Repair Install"
procedure correctly. Make sure to follow the
instructions precisely.
Click to expand...

How the hell do you know? Got a crystal ball now? Even following the
precise steps can result in disater. I've seen it happen and if you
haven't then you have less computer eXPerience than I thought.

Steve
 
Steve said:
Two words; backup first!

Steve
Click to expand...
How do you know I didn't?
The files lost were windows and programme ones and try as I might the
situation couldn't be recovered.

Kind regards

Wab
 
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