Windows Serial Number and matching CD

[Guest]

Hello all

in my organization we use Windows Xp Pro OEM
I've come to realized that the OEM CD-key have to be installed with the same
OEM CD he was supplyed..

I've been told that the serial need to match the cd Part-Number (the part
number is written on top of the OEM-cd)

I want to find a way to know which cd-key belongs to which cd, or know which
Part-Number the current installed os is.
via a script or some other utility....

Does anybody know how ?

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Hello all

in my organization we use Windows Xp Pro OEM
I've come to realized that the OEM CD-key have to be installed with
the same OEM CD he was supplyed..

I've been told that the serial need to match the cd Part-Number
(the part number is written on top of the OEM-cd)

I want to find a way to know which cd-key belongs to which cd, or
know which Part-Number the current installed os is.
via a script or some other utility....

Does anybody know how ?

In general - any OEM CD/OEM Product Key will match.

Unless the CDs were modified by the OEM (that part is actually more than
likely) in such a way that only the product key for the machine it came with
will function (that part is unlikely) with it - an OEM CD does not know what
product key you will enter at installation and doesn't care beyond it being
an OEM Licensed Product Key.

In other words - very seldom do the product key you get on the sticker have
to match the CD beyond the license type (OEM, retail, upgrade, volume, etc.)

 

[David B.]

Not true, if they are actual Microsoft OEM CD's, there are no differences in
the CD itself, one CD can be used with any OEM Product key.
If they are CD's provided by a PC mfg, they may be tied to the machine they
came with.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the quick response =)

I've talked with my local Microsoft support about this issue and they said
that every once in a while microsoft release a new set of OEM cd's with a new
cd part-number.
That means that if i will try to install a new pc with an old OEM cd, and
the new serial number (that came with the new cd) i won't be succesful (I'm
talking from expirience)

And so, Because of the above i would like to have a way to know the
part-number of an installed system.
or some how to know which CD-Key is related to which OEM-cd

pls help !!

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Thanks for the quick response =)

I've talked with my local Microsoft support about this issue and
they said that every once in a while microsoft release a new set of
OEM cd's with a new cd part-number.
That means that if i will try to install a new pc with an old OEM
cd, and the new serial number (that came with the new cd) i won't
be succesful (I'm talking from expirience)

And so, Because of the above i would like to have a way to know the
part-number of an installed system.
or some how to know which CD-Key is related to which OEM-cd

No.
I believe your 'local Microsoft support' is blowing smoke.

OEM is OEM is OEM.
If it is a 'branded' OEM, you miught want to be sure that all Dell CDs stick
with the Dell PCs, IBM CDs with the IBM PCs, etc... Beyond that... They
can be BIOS Locked by the OEM - but in general - any generic OEM CD should
work with any legitimate OEM key.

 

[Guest]

I'm afraid Microsoft is not blowing smoke...

What i've been saying is happened to me a number of time...

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I'm afraid Microsoft is not blowing smoke...

What i've been saying is happened to me a number of time...

At best, the OEM Product KEYS 'go bad' because they get leaked (after all -
they are stuck to the sid of many machines that might sit in public
places.) - but the CDs themselves - I just don't buy it.

Maybe your personal experience is different - that's fine. Mine - over the
past decade - is that even if the CD is 'bios locked', it doesn't take much
to make it into a generic OEM CD that will work with the OEM product key I
have. Heck - you can make a Retail CD that accepts OEM product keys,
vice-versa and other things.

http://www.petri.co.il/use_oem_version_to_upgrade_xp.htm

The unmodified generic CD has no idea what product key you will use when
installing - only what type of license it is expecting (thus what type of
product key.)

 

[David B.]

I have to agree with Shenan, in my 15 years I've never run into this issue.

 

[Guest]

Pls take a look

http://oem.microsoft.com/script/sites/public/winxp_sp2c.htm

 

[David B.]

SP2c is a very recent development, if your going to put that into the mix,
then yes, OEM keys are not interchangeable, but prior to that they are.

 

[Guest]

Ok

So my question is: if i have an installed system with Windows Xp OEM Sp2
how do i know if it sp2c or the former sp2 ?

 

[David B.]

That is a question I don't have the answer for, maybe someone else does as
I'd like to know as well. I haven't seen a system with SP2c on it yet so I
don't know if it will be identified as such in the standard locations.

 

[Guest]

ok.... thanks David =)

Anyway, if some know's how to to that pls pls let me know

many thanks,
Ran

 

[Rob J Vargas]

Ok

So my question is: if i have an installed system with Windows Xp OEM Sp2
how do i know if it sp2c or the former sp2 ?

I realize this post is old, but I think there may have been a
misunderstanding.

Then again, maybe it's me.

This sp2c wasn't going to render any Product ID's invalid. All it was doing
was extending the number of PID's that worked. If you have Product ID's
that predate that release, they'll continue to work unless MS invalidates
them using an update.

So unless you get new PID's, it shouldn't matter.

That's how I read it, anyway.

-+-
RØß
O/Siris