Product Key

[Guest]

Hello you all,

Because I seem to have an invalid productkey, I want to change it for a new
key.
How can I change the Product Key of my XP Pro installation?
I allready found this site, but can I also apply these actions safe to my
installation?

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;328874

My installation: Windows XP Professional + SP1a + SP2
Both Service Packs were installed by the original free cd's from Microsoft.

Sorry for my not-allways-perfect English, but I think you can read it well,

I hope you can help me out with this,

ChangeProductKey

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

Where did you get your original PK from?

--


Will Denny
MS MVP Windows Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups

 

[Guest]

From my computer store, problem is, they don't exist anymore.

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

You need to have a legitimate PK with a newly purchased XP CD, you can't
obtain a new PK otherwise. Then you can perform a 'Repair' install of XP,
using the following article by Michael Stevens:

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

If you purchase an OEM XP CD, then you may only be able to perform a 'Clean'
install of XP - which means that everything will be lost.

--


Will Denny
MS MVP Windows Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups

 

[Guest]

So, if I understand you well, it is not possible to change my product key
like the way it's possible on a SP1 installation?

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

It can be, but you will have to purchase a new XP CD to get a new PK. If
you have done that, then you can try the option in that MS KB. Preferably
though, a 'Repair' install would be better using the newly bought XP CD.

--


Will Denny
MS MVP Windows Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups

 

[Kerry Brown]

If you qualify for the "Genuine Windows Offer" Microsoft will give you a
Product Key Update Tool

http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/downloads/FAQ.aspx?displaylang=en

Kerry

 

[Guest]

Hello. I've been very very busy for school last week.
Ok, thats true, I had also found that on some WGA site, but I have a site
where Windows XP can be downloaded for free. (legal, my school has a contract
with the distributers or something) But those XP versions are English, and
while downloading i got a valid key displayed. Because I prefer Dutch and my
own key seems to be invalid I want to change my dutch key with the English
version key. So that I can download everything from microsoft.com.

bye

 

[ANONYMOUS]

You can downlaod this software which as a facility to retrieve as well
as change product keys:

http://www.magicaljellybean.com/kfbeta.shtml

hth

 

[Guest]

O, nice, but I'm not willing to use bèta's for my pc. My question was if I
could change the product key safely by following these steps:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;328874

 

[ANONYMOUS]

There is nothing wrong with the beta version. You don't need to install
it. It runs from a floppy drive! They also have a non beta version
but it will not change the product key for you.

The article relates to:

a) Volume License Key Whick you don't have
b) XP SP1 which you are no likely to have as new XPs are all SP2.

Why not Google to find for other better articles. Changing product keys
is a very simple matter these days.

hth

 

[Plato]

There is nothing wrong with the beta version. You don't need to install

Perhaps. But BETA *means* NOT DONE YET.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Perhaps. But BETA *means* NOT DONE YET.

Although that's certainly true, there's a very big difference between a beta
version of a simple program like this and a beta version of an operating
system or mission-critical application. A beta version of magicaljellybean
is very unlikely to cause any serious damage.

 

[Kerry Brown]

I'm assuming your school has an academic volume license. Many schools
misunderstand how this works. In most cases they actually have the right to
upgrade not to install a new OS. See the last question in the FAQ at the
following link:

http://www.novastor.com/pcbackup/backup/n_backup.html

You cannot download XP from Microsoft. A key for a Dutch version will not
work for an English version and vice versa. Microsoft will probably not give
you a replacement key in this case. You will have to talk to your school. It
sounds like they either have a license I've never heard of or they
misunderstand the license they have.

Kerry

 

[Kerry Brown]

Sorry wrong link. Should have been:

http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/resources/faq.mspx

Kerry

 

[ANONYMOUS]

Kerry Brown wrote this from his backside orifice:

You will have to talk to your school. It
sounds like they either have a license I've never heard of or they
misunderstand the license they have.

Why do you pass judgement on people? You don't know how Microsoft does
its business on the international arena. For example, In china the
terms of usage of Microsoft Propducts are quite different then in the
USA. This is to stop piracy and secondly to penetrate that market.

You seem to pass judgement on everybody. Why don't you just shut up and
answer the question without judging people's character or intelectual
ability. If you haven't heard of a particular license then you have now
from OP. People always learn new things in life.

You have no business to decide whether the school understands or
misunerstands the license. Microsoft can deal with them. The link you
have given is not Microsoft's official so why should people rely on what
it says? It has no legal force and no one is bound by what it says.

 

[Kerry Brown]

Kerry Brown wrote this from his backside orifice:


Why do you pass judgement on people? You don't know how Microsoft
does its business on the international arena. For example, In china
the terms of usage of Microsoft Propducts are quite different then in
the USA. This is to stop piracy and secondly to penetrate that
market.

You seem to pass judgement on everybody. Why don't you just shut up
and answer the question without judging people's character or
intelectual ability. If you haven't heard of a particular license
then you have now from OP. People always learn new things in life.

You have no business to decide whether the school understands or
misunerstands the license. Microsoft can deal with them. The link
you have given is not Microsoft's official so why should people rely
on what it says? It has no legal force and no one is bound by what
it says.

I wasn't passing judgement on anybody. I was quite clear that there may be a
license I haven't heard of. It is a common misconception that a volume
license means you can install XP on a new machine with no underlying
existing license. To the best of my knowledge this is true worldwide. I
posted a Microsoft link which explain in layman's terms what can be done
with volume licenses of XP. The actual holder of the license will have the
actual legal document. If anyone consistently passes judgement on someone in
their posts it is you. You are so anti-Microsoft at times you are blind to
seeing any other answer. I told the OP the truth. Microsoft is very unlikely
to give them a new key given the description they have posted. XP is not
available for download from Microsoft. Keys cannot be interchanged between
versions.

The utility you posted a link to is useful for changing keys on similar
versions. On anything but a VL version it will usually cause an activation
event which may fail because of the key change. I don't know of any way to
use an English language VL key with a Dutch language license of any kind. Do
you? At best it would be unethical to do this. At worst it may be illegal.

Kerry

 

[ANONYMOUS]

There you go again scumbag.

actual legal document. If anyone consistently passes judgement on someone in
their posts it is you. You are so anti-Microsoft at times you are blind to
seeing any other answer.

You are completely wrong and stupid to suggest this. I have
consistently said that I only use MS products except Netscape to post
messages on NGs. A Microsoft sceptic (English spelling) will try
anything reasonably possible to use non MS products So you have judged
me without knowing me or knowing my background. What excuse have you
got for this?.

seeing any other answer. I told the OP the truth. Microsoft is very unlikely
to give them a new key given the description they have posted.

Firstly, he wasn't asking for a new key. How did you come to this
irrational conclusion? He already has a system which has XP running.
For some extraneous reasons he wants to change the key. He says he can
download the software from somewhere and I am glad he was wise not to
tell the entire world from where.

Whether the product is in English or Dutch it is not for you, an
American, to decide. Microsoft in his country (or MS Europe) will have
special arrangements with large organizations such as colleges, schools,
universities etc. I know this because, MS has special deals with a
London College where I work and manage IT systems. I had two Dutch
language VLK media sent to me by a supplier because we quoted the wrong
catalogue number. This was exchanged immediately by MS - UK for no cost
to us and we also got a new VLK for it. So you are wrong again.

Microsoft is not going to let down its large customers for short term
profits. They know that public bodies such as schools, colleges,
governments, local councils etc are all exploring ways to cut costs. MS
has to be flexible in how they enforce their terms and EULAs on these
people. This is good business management.

The link you provided,
http://www.novastor.com/pcbackup/backup/n_backup.html was about backup
products. The Dutch guy wasn't interested in backup products. It had
nothing to do with the product key issue unless you wanted him to backup
his data before doing anything. You did not specify or make it clear to
him.

You are the most scumbag on this NG I and others have come across.
Whenever, somebody gives a solution, you jump in to say that is wrong
and only your way is right. In UK we have many ways to skin a cat and
this applies to solving a computer problem.

I hope you will refrain from intimidating or accusing people of piracy.
Indeed, you have no business to moralize people's conduct as you have
already done about me by saying "At best it would be unethical to do
this. At worst it may be illegal." You can't generalise this because
you are not a lawyer nor have you demonstrated of having any training in
that direction.

 

[Plato]

Although that's certainly true, there's a very big difference between a beta
version of a simple program like this and a beta version of an operating
system or mission-critical application. A beta version of magicaljellybean
is very unlikely to cause any serious damage.

Agreed.

 

[Kerry Brown]

There you go again scumbag.


You are completely wrong and stupid to suggest this. I have
consistently said that I only use MS products except Netscape to post
messages on NGs. A Microsoft sceptic (English spelling) will try
anything reasonably possible to use non MS products So you have
judged me without knowing me or knowing my background. What excuse
have you got for this?.


Firstly, he wasn't asking for a new key. How did you come to this
irrational conclusion? He already has a system which has XP running.
For some extraneous reasons he wants to change the key. He says he
can download the software from somewhere and I am glad he was wise
not to tell the entire world from where.

Whether the product is in English or Dutch it is not for you, an
American, to decide. Microsoft in his country (or MS Europe) will
have special arrangements with large organizations such as colleges,
schools, universities etc. I know this because, MS has special deals
with a London College where I work and manage IT systems. I had two
Dutch language VLK media sent to me by a supplier because we quoted
the wrong catalogue number. This was exchanged immediately by MS -
UK for no cost to us and we also got a new VLK for it. So you are
wrong again.

Microsoft is not going to let down its large customers for short term
profits. They know that public bodies such as schools, colleges,
governments, local councils etc are all exploring ways to cut costs.
MS has to be flexible in how they enforce their terms and EULAs on
these people. This is good business management.

The link you provided,
http://www.novastor.com/pcbackup/backup/n_backup.html was about backup
products. The Dutch guy wasn't interested in backup products. It had
nothing to do with the product key issue unless you wanted him to
backup his data before doing anything. You did not specify or make
it clear to him.

You are the most scumbag on this NG I and others have come across.
Whenever, somebody gives a solution, you jump in to say that is wrong
and only your way is right. In UK we have many ways to skin a cat and
this applies to solving a computer problem.

I hope you will refrain from intimidating or accusing people of
piracy. Indeed, you have no business to moralize people's conduct as
you have already done about me by saying "At best it would be
unethical to do this. At worst it may be illegal." You can't
generalise this because you are not a lawyer nor have you
demonstrated of having any training in that direction.

I am not an American. I am not posting from the US which is clearly
indicated by the headers. When I realised I had pasted the wrong link into
the post I posted the proper one in a reply. Read your VL license for XP and
decide for yourself what your rights are. All the ones I have seen are as I
stated. Office and other software has different terms from XP.

If you actually read the OP the poster said he had an invalid key and wanted
to change it for a new key.

You made a mistake and ordered the wrong product and they switched it for
you. It's common business practice to exchange product when the wrong
product is ordered. What does this have to do with changing keys or anything
else in the thread?

If you check the MS newsgroups for posts in threads regarding COAs,
activations, etc. over the past few weeks it is obvious you use MS products
but don't like the way the company does business. Here are some quotes from
some of your posts:

"Have a nice day and if you are London, UK then contact me so that we can
have good laughs together at the expense of Microsoft UK."

"It seems NG is as buggy as other MS products!"

Those were just a couple from today that didn't get censored. You will make
Kurt jealous if you keep getting so many posts censored

Call me names all you want. I haven't seen any proof disputing my facts.

Kerry