Change product key and reactivate windows 2003 SBS

Go to either of these websites :

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

http://labmice.techtarget.com/windowsxp/articles/changeID.htm

and it takes you step by step through how to do it.

I hope this helps !!

May not help...but the product ID is stored in the registry under ...
HKLOCAL MACHINE - Software - Microsoft - Windows - Current Version, in the key ProductID

...the problem with this is it is NOT the install PID on the jewel case, but a product ID which is generated FROM the PID on the Jewel.  If you had the reg key for the old box, you could just drop it in there.

Best of Luck!
M

Gecko
This is exactly the proceudre I followed but the activation wizard says it is already activated.  Possible reasons: thisis 2003 and not XP or it was activated on the phone with microsft

rightmirem
Not sure what to do here but i got the ID from the original installed SBS and put it in the new SBS.  No difference.  I diodnt however reboot but i dont think that would be needed.  

Hmm...don't know if a reboot would be needed...or if a reactivation might be necessary after inserting the correct product ID.  Not familliar enough with 2003.  Sorry!

Best of Luck!
M

You dont need to change product key to re-activate Windows 2003. Just call MS suppot team and tell them that the system crashed and you have the propper key along with you and you wish to re-activate the product... they will help you... (they have the abilities to allow you re-activation).

Cyber

That is not what they told me.  I used a product key that had already been activated and they in their kindness allowed me to activate it again under the condition that I uninstall the product and reinstall using the new media and product key when it arrived.  As this is a large job I was trying to short circuit it as i still have to phone them back to inform them that i have done this.  They know what the AVL agreement key is associated with that company.   She was very adamant that i agree to uninstalling and reinstalling before she would activate it.  I also see this as a waste of time as I will restore from backup after the install and my concern then is that the activation is likely to change again and I am back to my start point.

Hmmm.... annoying....

Cant help you there... cause doing so is defining the MS laws.

Do you have any proof of a product purchasement? (i.e. a bill from your service provider... and forth)?
Do you have an original certificate from MS that confirms that you have in possetion a legal product?

If you do, take it to their management. they need to serv you... not otherwise!

Cyber

Here are some links to check out but I don't think any of the address your issue.

Description of Microsoft Product Activation
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;302806 

Frequently Asked Questions about Microsoft Product Activation
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;302878 

http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/basics/activation/windowsproductactivationtechnicalmarketbulletin.doc 

I quess i am in for a reinstall on Saturday

The media and Product key I have for the company is completly legal, I was just being kind and got them going at the start by using another companies number (which I know is not in line with MS lisensing).  The client was slow in responding to the multiple emails required to get an OVL initially and so i ended up at the end of the time with needing to Activate, at this stage the product had been paid for and we were waiting for the key and media (I was given some wrong information by my supplier about the key being emnailed on payment)  I knew the media and product key could be up to 3 weeks so i rang MS and they agreed to activate under the condition that I do a complete reinstall.  All I wanted to do was save myself some time with this process but I am happy to do what i must do

Ahhh... so this is where the bone lays... They have a strict policy regarding those issues... All clames should go to your supplier (see, ppl can use this so called breech to gain ileagal key to 'leagally' activate Windows 2003). Other than that, I dont think you have much choice (they want to be sertain that the product you installed is indeed the product you purchsed... see?).

Good luck

Cyber

Así es la Vida

So much for having a quiet weekend.

I have found all the thoughts and ideas helpful although not for this particular issue (my laziness in doing the reinstall) so I am not sure what i should with the points, any direction in this would be helpfull as i am rather new to this process

OK...well, at the risk of angering the great empire, and having my Microsoft implant chip explode...I would contact MS again and determine if you REALLY need to do a reinstall;  maybe moving a little farther up the chain than the telephone technicians (who generally don't have the whole story as far as legal...so they play it super safe.)

Point being that, as an MCSE who has managed 1000s of licenses for corporations, the CORPORATE license agreement simply iterates that you have a valid product license for each install...but they don't particularly CARE if that ID is reflected on the machine.

They do this because most corps install their machines by image, so the product ID in the registry ends up the same for all 10,000 machines...but as long as you can show 10,000 licenses during an audit...everyone is happy.  I do not BELIEVE (but cannot verify…anyone know about this?) that the general community versions of XP reach out to MS and identify themselves at any regular period after they have been registered.

Check on this, with someone farther up the chain at MS.  Now, I do realize that a call to Microsoft will probably take longer than the reinstall...so it is your call.  

Best of Luck!
m

If you are trying to change the key for the product then you can download this program "Magical Jelly Bean Key Finder"

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

If allows you to see your current key and change it.  I have used it before with XP Pro and also XP Home and it seems to work just fine.

The program is a stand alone so it doesn't require an install.  You just run the executable and it should work for you.  The newest version says it works for Server 2003 but I cannot confirm that myselft.

This might be something to give a try before you re-install if this is what you where planning on doing anyway.

Good Luck.

Tony

thanks but I have tried this program with 2003 and it did not work

Are you logged in as the Adminstrator on this machine or a user?  Just wondering because if you are a user then this is maybe why some of these suggestions are not working.

Just a thought.

All reinstalled and going again (just a bit more configuration to go.)

An interesting point that i noticed.  When I changed the registry it reverted back to the original if i logged off and on again.  This would suggest to me that the changes were not being registered in some way

it seems to be a virus, nothing else would do MALICIOUS harm and then return it after every repair. I guess that reinstall solved your problem. it would NOT clear your programs or anything, because it would export the previous program and user settings form the original install. The reason this could NOT have been spyware is that spyware is simply not capable of doing SERIOUS harm to your computer, other than slowing it down and tracking your every move, although spyware IS usually characterized recurring problems that keep being "unfixed." Glad to hear you fixed your problem!

This was rather an epic for me, last time I am going to nice guy, when they have the product i will install it.

Thanks for all your input although all the ideas I knew and had tried, trying to go further up the MS chain didnt work.

So with the concern that some may think me unappreciative (which I am not) I am going to give all the points to ComputerGuru101, not what i wanted to here this but this is what I had to do any way, and at the end of the day what i was morally obliged to do

Hi,

I have installed the Windows 2003 Server SP1 Integrated with Volume License (no activation) for testing purposes. I have used the illegal key to install the system and after that I have obtained the legal license as this was going to become a production server. As a solution I have found this VBscript on the Microsoft support site. It was made for Windows XP but I have tested it on my Windows 2003 and it works! Copy/paste the script in the notepad and save it as changeVLKey.vbs. The usage is then:

cscript.exe changevlkey.vbs ABCDE-FGHIJ-KLMNO-PRSTU-WYQZX

Use your own legal key of course. It worked correctly in my case. Afterwards, I have used the program Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder to check if the change was correct (there is a link for this software in one of the previous post items in the same thread). I hope this fill sort the problem for you as well.

Here is the script:

'
' WMI Script - ChangeVLKey.vbs
'
' This script changes the product key on the computer
'
'***************************************************************************

ON ERROR RESUME NEXT


if Wscript.arguments.count<1 then
   Wscript.echo "Script can't run without VolumeProductKey argument"
   Wscript.echo "Correct usage: Cscript ChangeVLKey.vbs ABCDE-FGHIJ-KLMNO-PRSTU-WYQZX"
   Wscript.quit
end if

Dim VOL_PROD_KEY
VOL_PROD_KEY = Wscript.arguments.Item(0)
VOL_PROD_KEY = Replace(VOL_PROD_KEY,"-","") 'remove hyphens if any

for each Obj in GetObject("winmgmts:{impersonationLevel=impersonate}").InstancesOf ("win32_WindowsProductActivation")

   result = Obj.SetProductKey (VOL_PROD_KEY)

   if err <> 0 then
      WScript.Echo Err.Description, "0x" & Hex(Err.Number)
      Err.Clear
   end if

Next
                        

Nice script. Here is a batch file I wrote to go with it. Call it what you like, but put it in the same folder as the VBS file.




@ECHO OFF
CLS
ECHO WARNING !!!!
ECHO.
ECHO If you press a key to continue, your Windows XP/2003 CD Key will
ECHO be replaced with the one inside this batch file.
ECHO.
ECHO I STRONGLY recommend you make a note of your current key, AND
ECHO ensure that the batch file specifies the new key you want to use,
ECHO typed perfectly without mistakes.
ECHO.
ECHO Ensure those are done BEFORE continuing. To exit, press CTRL+C
ECHO now.
ECHO.
PAUSE
ECHO.
ECHO [ SCRIPT RUNNING ]
ECHO.
ECHO.
ECHO.
cscript.exe changevlkey.vbs <product key removed by CetusMOD per http:/help.jsp#hi100>
ECHO.
ECHO.
ECHO.
ECHO [ SCRIPT FINISHED ]
ECHO.
PAUSE

I've done the same thing where the user needed the installation to be done before they got their key. But now, none of the suggestions here work. The MS script will return an error "Object Required 0x1A8" on Server 2003 SP1. Anybody with any suggestions?

hI aLL,

The script doesn't work for WIndows Server 2003 Web Server Edition !

Just found out not long ago that with it being a server it will most likely require a repair install from the original media for the OS and you should be able to re enter the serial key then.

Yes, you could be right mate,

the following tool only works for Windows XP only not Windows Server 2003, even the Magical Jelly Bean doesn't work.


The Genuine Advantage Product Key Update Tool
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=50346&clcid=0x409