Sysprep not reseting activation counter

[Jeremy Beker]

Good morning all,

I am responsible for configuring system images for a software
development shop and am having a heck of a time with XP and product
activation. My goal is to create system images that can be placed on
test computers and have the full activation period after they have been
placed back on a test computer.

(As background, I am starting with straight a plain XP install from our
MSDN subscription. This is a "Retail" copy of XP.)

From the sysprep documentation:

"The clock for WPA begins its countdown the first time Windows XP
starts. You can use Sysprep for a maximum of three times to reset the
clock for WPA. After the third time you run Sysprep, the clock can no
longer be reset."

However, no matter what I do, I can not get the activation clock to be
reset in my images. The Activation counter always seems to be tied to
my initial install of XP. Here are some scenarios I have tried:

Install XP -> run sysprep -> make machine image -> deploy image

Install XP -> Activate -> run sysprep -> make machine image -> deploy
image

In both cases I am required to enter the product key on the deployed
image, however, the activation counter is tied to the date I originally
installed XP. I know that what I want to do must be possible, as every
OEM vendor ships computers that have been sysprepped and have the full
Activation period available when the customer gets them.

Thanks in advance.

-Jeremy Beker

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

It seems that the O/S has already been resealed 3 times.
When you sysprep with the -reseal the 30-day grace period
for activation starts. If, however, you leave it in factory mode,
then the counter doesn't start until you reseal the computer.

Ref: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/chats/trans/sysbuild/05_0418_tn_pac.mspx

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/windowsxp/choose.mspx

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

:

| Good morning all,
|
| I am responsible for configuring system images for a software
| development shop and am having a heck of a time with XP and product
| activation. My goal is to create system images that can be placed on
| test computers and have the full activation period after they have been
| placed back on a test computer.
|
| (As background, I am starting with straight a plain XP install from our
| MSDN subscription. This is a "Retail" copy of XP.)
|
| From the sysprep documentation:
|
| "The clock for WPA begins its countdown the first time Windows XP
| starts. You can use Sysprep for a maximum of three times to reset the
| clock for WPA. After the third time you run Sysprep, the clock can no
| longer be reset."
|
| However, no matter what I do, I can not get the activation clock to be
| reset in my images. The Activation counter always seems to be tied to
| my initial install of XP. Here are some scenarios I have tried:
|
| Install XP -> run sysprep -> make machine image -> deploy image
|
| Install XP -> Activate -> run sysprep -> make machine image -> deploy
| image
|
| In both cases I am required to enter the product key on the deployed
| image, however, the activation counter is tied to the date I originally
| installed XP. I know that what I want to do must be possible, as every
| OEM vendor ships computers that have been sysprepped and have the full
| Activation period available when the customer gets them.
|
| Thanks in advance.
|
| -Jeremy Beker

 

[Jeremy Beker]

It seems that the O/S has already been resealed 3 times.
When you sysprep with the -reseal the 30-day grace period
for activation starts. If, however, you leave it in factory mode,
then the counter doesn't start until you reseal the computer.

That was my first thought too, but from everything I have read, if you
hit that 3 limit, you get an error message and I am not. All of these
tests are being run on fresh installs of XP, so the -reseal would be the
first.

My fear is that the MSDN "Retail' copy is somehow different from the
genuine "Retail" copy of XP. I have seen some offhand mentions of that.
Can someone from MS confirm or deny that?

-Jeremy

 

[RepublicOfTaiwan]

...
In both cases I am required to enter the product key on the deployed
image, however, the activation counter is tied to the date I originally
installed XP. I know that what I want to do must be possible, as every
OEM vendor ships computers that have been sysprepped and have the full
Activation period available when the customer gets them.

In fact, Microsoft gave OEM vendors special keys that do not require
activation on OEM version of XP.