Wrong Product Key (COA)

[gman127]

I have a unique question/problem. I have 7 home-built pc's all running
different hardware with Win XP Home (OEM) installed in each. I need a
magnifier to read the COA stickers, so I took the liberty of writing the
product keys on the cd case for each machine. The kids are always messing
something up, so fresh installs are common around here.

During a reinstall on pc1, I inadvertantly used the wrong product key (COA),
and it was activated over the net before I knew there was a problem. I
discovered the mistake after reinstalling XP on pc2 using the same product
key. PC2 is the correct machine for that key. I found the cd case for pc1
under a pile of mail on my desk. I don't dare try to activate pc2 not knowing
what might happen. Wouldn't want to be labeled a pirate!

Now I have 2 pc's with fresh installs under the same product key and one
homeless product key. It takes about two days per machine to install and
configure all the software and drivers. I can't believe I did that!

Is there a way to change the product keys on both machines to ensure the
right keys are again associated with the correct pc's, without doing new
installs? Given that the product key was activated on the wrong pc, will it
even work on the correct one now?

Thanks,
Gary

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Try using the Windows Product Key Update Tool:
http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/selfhelp/PKUInstructions.aspx

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience -
Windows Vista Enthusiast

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

I have a unique question/problem. I have 7 home-built pc's all running
different hardware with Win XP Home (OEM) installed in each. I need a
magnifier to read the COA stickers, so I took the liberty of writing the
product keys on the cd case for each machine. The kids are always messing
something up, so fresh installs are common around here.

During a reinstall on pc1, I inadvertantly used the wrong product key (COA),
and it was activated over the net before I knew there was a problem. I
discovered the mistake after reinstalling XP on pc2 using the same product
key. PC2 is the correct machine for that key. I found the cd case for pc1
under a pile of mail on my desk. I don't dare try to activate pc2 not knowing
what might happen. Wouldn't want to be labeled a pirate!

Now I have 2 pc's with fresh installs under the same product key and one
homeless product key. It takes about two days per machine to install and
configure all the software and drivers. I can't believe I did that!

Is there a way to change the product keys on both machines to ensure the
right keys are again associated with the correct pc's, without doing new
installs? Given that the product key was activated on the wrong pc, will it
even work on the correct one now?

Thanks,
Gary

 

[Ron Badour]

The product key is not locked to a particular CD--it is locked to the
particular type of CD (OEM vs retail, Home vs Pro, etc.) The update tool
that Carey provided the link to should fix you right up.

--
Regards

Ron Badour
MS MVP
Windows Desktop Experience

 

[gman127]

Thanks Carey... I will do that! Even when I get the right key in pc1, I will
probably not be able to activate pc2 over the net, since its key was recently
mistakenly activated in pc1. I may end up on the phone trying to explain all
this.

 

[gman127]

Thanks Ron! Since all seven cd's are XP Home SP2, all seven product keys
will work with any one of them. The keys are what I'm concerned about since
they are each individually tied to a particular box of hardware.

I don't know why pc1 (with the wrong key) was able to be activated over the
net, since the hardware in that box is completely different from pc2, the box
previously tied to that product key.

When I change the product key in pc1, there's probably a good chance I won't
be able to activate pc2 over the net, because of the recent activation using
its product key. Anyway, I will give it a try. ~ Gary

 

[LVTravel]

And to save yourself a lot of grief in the future, I would recommend that
when you get the machines up and running the way you want them, either drive
image or clone the drive the operating system is on to another drive for
each of your machines using a program like Acronis True Image. Then when
the kids screw up the system the rebuild will be minutes instead of days.
Well worth the money.

 

[Doum]

Thanks Ron! Since all seven cd's are XP Home SP2, all seven product
keys will work with any one of them. The keys are what I'm concerned
about since they are each individually tied to a particular box of
hardware.

I don't know why pc1 (with the wrong key) was able to be activated
over the net, since the hardware in that box is completely different
from pc2, the box previously tied to that product key.

When I change the product key in pc1, there's probably a good chance I
won't be able to activate pc2 over the net, because of the recent
activation using its product key. Anyway, I will give it a try. ~
Gary

<snip>

If I were you, I wouldn't touch pc1 since it's already up and running and
activated.

What I would do is use the Product Key Update Tool mentioned earlier on
PC2 and use the key that was on PC1 before you reformatted, if it's been
more than 120 days since that key was activated (on the previous PC1
installation), there shouldn't be any problem activating on-line.

Now you will have PC1 using the previous PC2 key, and PC2 using the
previous PC1 key, I don't see any problem there.

HTH
Doum

 

[CONFUSED]

how come when i download Windows Product Key Update Tool it says it is a 0
byte file??????

and i cant open the file.

windows says that it is not a valid win32 file



please help ASAP!

 

[Ecoman]

Sometimes a fresh install is the only way to go with all the driver updates.
Imaging is nice...but unless you image with only the basics, it's really not
a clean fresh setup.
Is there anyway to read the current keys (OS, MS Office) installed on a
system?
Office makes it really hard to keep track of which key goes where.

 

[~~Alan~~]

Look into the Belarc Advisor www.belarc.com to audit your system. The
results will tell you the keys you need to reinstall your product.

~alan