XP Pro - Corp to Retail / OEM
Hi Experts,
I am doing some work for a company that has around 20 PC’s running XP Corp. They own genuine CD Keys, so I’m guessing it was just Techie laziness.
Is it possible to convert from Corp to OEM/Retail?
If I manage to change the P.I.D/CD Key, what about Activation?
Will I have to reinstall and if so, can I reinstall Retail/OEM on top of Corp?
Cheers :o)
I am doing some work for a company that has around 20 PC’s running XP Corp. They own genuine CD Keys, so I’m guessing it was just Techie laziness.
Is it possible to convert from Corp to OEM/Retail?
If I manage to change the P.I.D/CD Key, what about Activation?
Will I have to reinstall and if so, can I reinstall Retail/OEM on top of Corp?
Cheers :o)
it is possible i think but quite a lot of work.
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/xpfaq.html#18
I think you have to do the repair install to change to OEM license
here's also a MS article about it:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/328874/en-us
Hope this help.
Greetz,
Corné
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/xpfaq.html#18
I think you have to do the repair install to change to OEM license
here's also a MS article about it:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/328874/en-us
Hope this help.
Greetz,
Corné
Hi
Is it possible to convert from Corp to OEM/Retail, not retail
If you understnd what OEM is, original equipment manufacture.
Frequently asked questions about Microsoft Windows OEM
http://reviews.ebay.com/Frequently-asked-questions-about-Microsoft-Windows-OEM_W0QQugidZ10000000000087985?ssPageName=BUYGD:CAT:-1:LISTINGS:3
MS does offer this.
Preinstalling Microsoft Windows XP by Using the OEM Preinstallation Kit, Part I
https://partner.microsoft.com/40013349
OEM discussions about liscensing
http://www.aria.co.uk/ProductInfoComm.asp?ID=2103
http://channel9.msdn.com/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=191412
FYI.
How to enable 48-bit Logical Block Addressing support for ATAPI disk drives in Windows XP
This article describes the Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) 48-bit Logical Block Addressing (LBA) support for ATA Packet Interface (ATAPI) disk drives that can increase the capacity of your hard disk to more than the current 137 gigabyte (GB) limit.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;q303013
I think it all depends on how much time you have how you image this operating system to a company., how much down time to change over, and of course the costs.
Hope you can find some ideas from these or a direction.
It is not an easy answer. I hope more experienced EE will hop on board.
Best Wishes
Merete
Is it possible to convert from Corp to OEM/Retail, not retail
If you understnd what OEM is, original equipment manufacture.
Frequently asked questions about Microsoft Windows OEM
http://reviews.ebay.com/Frequently-asked-questions-about-Microsoft-Windows-OEM_W0QQugidZ10000000000087985?ssPageName=BUYGD:CAT:-1:LISTINGS:3
MS does offer this.
Preinstalling Microsoft Windows XP by Using the OEM Preinstallation Kit, Part I
https://partner.microsoft.com/40013349
OEM discussions about liscensing
http://www.aria.co.uk/ProductInfoComm.asp?ID=2103
http://channel9.msdn.com/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=191412
FYI.
How to enable 48-bit Logical Block Addressing support for ATAPI disk drives in Windows XP
This article describes the Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) 48-bit Logical Block Addressing (LBA) support for ATA Packet Interface (ATAPI) disk drives that can increase the capacity of your hard disk to more than the current 137 gigabyte (GB) limit.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;q303013
I think it all depends on how much time you have how you image this operating system to a company., how much down time to change over, and of course the costs.
Hope you can find some ideas from these or a direction.
It is not an easy answer. I hope more experienced EE will hop on board.
Best Wishes
Merete
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
You want to ask your reseller about Volume Licensing.
Ok to change a windows OEM to a retail you are goin to copy the disc into a folder on your computer then find the setup.ini file and at the end you will see something that says PID and it will have numbers these number are whats important the first 5 numbers determines how the cd will behave will it allow a clean install or upgrade or just a clean install the next 3 numbers decides the type of keys it accepts. these numbers are
Retail = 51882 335
Volume License = 51883 270
OEM = 82503 OEM
The fun part is if you wanted a retail cd that only accepted OEM keys you could do this
MIX 51882 OEM but you get the drift after your done burn what you changed make sure its bootable and have fun with your new xp install.
Retail = 51882 335
Volume License = 51883 270
OEM = 82503 OEM
The fun part is if you wanted a retail cd that only accepted OEM keys you could do this
MIX 51882 OEM but you get the drift after your done burn what you changed make sure its bootable and have fun with your new xp install.
Even if you do a repair install it will not activate the only way to change a OEM to a retail is to reinstall it. It will just get stuck in the activation stage if you try to do a repair install bacuase not enough of the OS has changed.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Interesting... never knew there was such a tool as smiffy13 linked to. That should definitely be the first thing to try.
Whatever the case, I disagree with venom96737 and cschipper.
I've also changed a XP Pro corporate key to an XP Pro retail key by doing a repair installation.
Whatever the case, I disagree with venom96737 and cschipper.
I've also changed a XP Pro corporate key to an XP Pro retail key by doing a repair installation.
Consider this:
The Corporate versions usually do not have CD Key tracking from Microsoft Activated. This is the best since you have the flexability to move XP from system to system. The Licenses are purchased with corporate flexability in mind. The OEM version is cheapest, but is married to the comp it is installed on and when it dies, so does the OEM version...yikes. The retail version gives you some flexability, but you have to call MS each time to reactivate. The only basis for retail is that you get tech support from MS for 30 days or something like that. GL!
The Corporate versions usually do not have CD Key tracking from Microsoft Activated. This is the best since you have the flexability to move XP from system to system. The Licenses are purchased with corporate flexability in mind. The OEM version is cheapest, but is married to the comp it is installed on and when it dies, so does the OEM version...yikes. The retail version gives you some flexability, but you have to call MS each time to reactivate. The only basis for retail is that you get tech support from MS for 30 days or something like that. GL!
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
If you just want to change the licence key use magic jelly bean, find it on google run it and change the key, done.
http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml
http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
the magic jellybean is only to find the current key if you need to reformat/reinstall curent operating system.
You cannot use this key on any other operating system than the current.
When you buy a new OEM xpcd this comes with its own new Reg Key.
You cannot use this key on any other operating system than the current.
When you buy a new OEM xpcd this comes with its own new Reg Key.
ASKER
Thanks for all the advice, but I haven't had a chance to test out all the different theories yet.
I did check out the MS Key Update Tool that smiffy13 mentioned, but that has the same problem as Magic Jelly Bean. It seems to check the hardware ID against the new CD Key and responds with "Invalid Key"
It's easy enough to force the issue via msoobe.exe doing the Activate/By Phone/Change Product Key thing, which did change the P.I.D to an OEM one, but it still complained like a bitch when I tried to activate it…
Anyhow, I'll keep trying :o)
I did check out the MS Key Update Tool that smiffy13 mentioned, but that has the same problem as Magic Jelly Bean. It seems to check the hardware ID against the new CD Key and responds with "Invalid Key"
It's easy enough to force the issue via msoobe.exe doing the Activate/By Phone/Change Product Key thing, which did change the P.I.D to an OEM one, but it still complained like a bitch when I tried to activate it…
Anyhow, I'll keep trying :o)
Oh well - I had high expectaions that the MS utility would do it. venom may be right.
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Did you try that "repair" procedure I mentioned?
Like Merete said though, OEM ver is locked to the first comp it is installed on, so unless you know what comp each key was originally installed on, you might have to buy new copies. Since you have 20 PCs there, if you do have to end up buying new ones, buy a Volume License copy (which start at groups of 5), then you can just use JellyBean or whatever.
Like Merete said though, OEM ver is locked to the first comp it is installed on, so unless you know what comp each key was originally installed on, you might have to buy new copies. Since you have 20 PCs there, if you do have to end up buying new ones, buy a Volume License copy (which start at groups of 5), then you can just use JellyBean or whatever.
ASKER
I have bought an XP Pro OEM CD (under the counter) from my local retailer, who had no idea what system I was going to install it on.
As long as the CD Key is valid (PIDGen.dll) for the version you are installing, I can’t see how there would be a problem.
It would seem that the hardware profile/ID is generated during setup, so if you used that key to install, it will be valid on that system.
As long as the Key had been issued by MS and hadn’t been used to activate a different hardware profile, it would happily activate over the net.
OEM is a rather misleading acronym, which now seems to refer more to the type of licensing agreement (restricted it to one machine)
As long as the CD Key is valid (PIDGen.dll) for the version you are installing, I can’t see how there would be a problem.
It would seem that the hardware profile/ID is generated during setup, so if you used that key to install, it will be valid on that system.
As long as the Key had been issued by MS and hadn’t been used to activate a different hardware profile, it would happily activate over the net.
OEM is a rather misleading acronym, which now seems to refer more to the type of licensing agreement (restricted it to one machine)
Greetings,
Robin