Re: Upgrade pirate XP pro with OEMCD XP pro

From: Mike Brannigan [MSFT] (mikebran_at_online.microsoft.com)
Date: 11/18/04 

Date: Thu, 18 Nov 2004 17:03:08 -0000

"d d" <dd@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:E9B363CE-FF2A-4F3F-B479-FEFD3A356538@microsoft.com...
> Thanks Mike, that's pretty clear.
>
> Do you think I could use one of these key-changer tools successfully
> somehow? I tried the jellybean keyfinder.exe but it said 'invalid key'.
> I've
> found a new one here:
>
> http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4138.html
>
> but haven't tried it yet. It seems like I'm really stuck with only one
> option, but if you think this could work I'll give it a go.
>

No your pirated copy contains specific files that only accept pirated
product activation keys - you need to replace the entire installation with
your clean OEM CD install. 

-- 
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
"d d" <dd@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message 
news:E9B363CE-FF2A-4F3F-B479-FEFD3A356538@microsoft.com...
> Thanks Mike, that's pretty clear.
>
> Do you think I could use one of these key-changer tools successfully
> somehow? I tried the jellybean keyfinder.exe but it said 'invalid key'. 
> I've
> found a new one here:
>
> http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4138.html
>
> but haven't tried it yet. It seems like I'm really stuck with only one
> option, but if you think this could work I'll give it a go.
>
> Thanks...
>
> "Mike Brannigan [MSFT]" wrote:
>
>> If you bought an OEM CD then you can only install it cleanly (not an
>> upgrade) and the key for that OEM CD will not work with your pirated 
>> product
>> or a retail Windows XP product.
>> You can tell if it is an OEM CD as retail product come in big blue or 
>> green
>> boxes.
>> OEM CDs I believe actually have OEM written on the CD surface and usually
>> come wrapped to a prince of cardboard and with various stickers saying
>> things like only for sale or distribution with a new PC etc.
>>
>>
>> -- 
>>
>> 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
>>
>> "d d" <dd@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:4571ADC1-084C-4E0F-82D0-97BFD2D4E8AF@microsoft.com...
>> > Hi,
>> >
>> > I recently learned that the XP Pro I bought on ebay a couple of years 
>> > back
>> > (for a new PC I built from components) has turned out to be one of 
>> > those
>> > corporate ones that generates the bad product ID so it won't upgrade to
>> > SP2.
>> > Obviously I've been using it for a long time so I've installed loads of
>> > stuff, have loads of data that I don't want to lose.
>> >
>> > I found in some articles on Microsoft's knowledge base that it's 
>> > possible
>> > to
>> > change your activation key by invalidating the old key and re-running 
>> > the
>> > activation process.
>> >
>> > So I went to ebay again, found a more reputable seller with lots of
>> > positive
>> > feedback based on his XP sales, and I bought a new XP Professional
>> > (non-upgrade, non-academic) FULL version.
>> >
>> > When I try to reactivate as described at microsoft knowledge base I get
>> > the
>> > message that the key is not valid.
>> >
>> > When I try to install from the CD I get the message that an upgrade is 
>> > not
>> > allowed, only a new installation. Presumably this means it's an OEM CD 
>> > I
>> > have. If I try to follow the new installation route just so that I can 
>> > get
>> > a
>> > few steps into it and confirm my COA/key are valid it's quite happy 
>> > with
>> > it.
>> > I believe this is a legal XP CD with a valid key.
>> >
>> > I thought I'd be able to use my original bad CD to do the install, and
>> > enter
>> > the key from the new good CD, but the key doesn't seem to match the CD
>> > type
>> > (OEM key vs non-OEM CD).
>> >
>> > What are my options here?
>> >
>> > I can't reactivate with this key for some unknown reason.
>> >
>> > I can't do an upgrade install.
>> >
>> > Am I left with the only option of doing a new installation and spending 
>> > a
>> > couple of days re-installing everything I had on it and backing up and
>> > restoring data?
>> >
>> > ~dd
>>
>>
>>