Sysprep removes something and causes XP Pro to require activation. Why?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

Hello everyone.
We have a copy of Win XP Pro at our college that doesn't require product
activation. When I run sysprep to prepare the drive for imaging; I enter
information such as the CD key and admin password. I restart the computer
after creating the image and I noticed that Windows setup ask for the CD
key, admin password and it requires product activation. Why does it do this?
Since the CD doesn't not require product activation I feel the image should
not require it. Sometimes I have to re-image 50 computers and I would hate
to have to run product activation on each one. Does anyone know how to get
around this without breaking any licences agreement or is this how sysprep
is made to work with Windows XP Pro?
 
All Windows XP products require the input of the Product Activation Key.
Your Volume Licensed version just self activates on entry of the appropriate
key. It does not require access to the Internet or a manual telephone
activation.
Al you need to do is provide the key (preferably in encrypted format) in the
answer file you use to complete your setup process post SYSPREP.

Remember SYSPREP is a tool to allow images to be built an then shipped to
end users who are then required to provide their personal Product Activation
Key.

Irrespective of your licensing you must provide a Product Activation Key for
each machine that is in a fresh install state.



--
Regards,

Mike
--
Mike Brannigan [Microsoft]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights

Please note I cannot respond to e-mailed questions, please use these
newsgroups
 
Mike Brannigan said:
All Windows XP products require the input of the Product Activation Key.
Your Volume Licensed version just self activates on entry of the appropriate
key. It does not require access to the Internet or a manual telephone
activation.
Al you need to do is provide the key (preferably in encrypted format) in the
answer file you use to complete your setup process post SYSPREP.

Remember SYSPREP is a tool to allow images to be built an then shipped to
end users who are then required to provide their personal Product Activation
Key.

Irrespective of your licensing you must provide a Product Activation Key for
each machine that is in a fresh install state.



--
Regards,

Mike
--
Mike Brannigan [Microsoft]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights

Please note I cannot respond to e-mailed questions, please use these
newsgroups
Click to expand...

Maybe I didn't explain well enough. True, our CD from MS requires a CD key
to install Windows however once sysprep is ran not only does one need to
enter a CD key, once someone logs into Windows a balloon by the clock on the
task bar pops up and states that I have 30 days to activate or register
Windows. The version we have on CD does not ask to be registered ever.
Something is happening during sysprep that makes registering it 30 days
mandatory.
 
I finally figured it out.
I added AutoActivate=Yes to the GUI section of the sysprep.ini and Windows
stoped asking me to activate it in 30 days.

Slacker
 
Back
Top