Laptops windows CD and product key.

P

parvenu

Apprentice
I need to format my computer since I keep getting this annoying \windows\system32 bla bla error coming up and have realised that I never got a windows CD with my now bust laptop.

I still have the product key label on the back of the laptop and was wondering that if I just use a different windows cd but the same product key to register, will microsoft take that as genuine? Or is every CD matched only to that particular product key?

I'm hoping they only care about the product key code when I register so they dont go calling it illegal.

Any one know whether I can do this?
 
Not every CD with a key, but definitely different builds with different keys,

If its OEM version, then the stock answer from M$ is contact your vendor.
 
okie... further he can simply get a say hp build from one of his friends and use his the key...

Even if he use his friends key @first,, he can easily change the key later on using so many softwares availabel to change key..

Keys shud be the least of ur worries budy..
jus pick up the latest windows media player 11 build and see if it validates or not once u change the key....or u can even try online...
 
If you find out your key, and then find out that it's OEM you could always get some OEM XP CD and edit it with something like nLite to use your CD key and remove anything that you don't need from the OEM CD you got your hands on.

I had to do this with a friend's PC when they gave me their Lenovo machine with a bad recovery partition. I had their CD key but no OEM disc. Downloaded some Dell XP CD and used nLite to swap out the illegal CD key with their valid key. I don't think this is technically piracy.. =P
 
ChambeRFienD said:
If you find out your key, and then find out that it's OEM you could always get some OEM XP CD and edit it with something like nLite to use your CD key and remove anything that you don't need from the OEM CD you got your hands on.

I had to do this with a friend's PC when they gave me their Lenovo machine with a bad recovery partition. I had their CD key but no OEM disc. Downloaded some Dell XP CD and used nLite to swap out the illegal CD key with their valid key. I don't think this is technically piracy.. =P
Click to expand...

How did you do that? I've a DELL OEM Win XP setup CD. I've a non OEM CD key that I want to use. Does nLite have an option for identifying the XP version as OEM and swapping the key with a non OEM key?
 
sydras said:
How did you do that? I've a DELL OEM Win XP setup CD. I've a non OEM CD key that I want to use. Does nLite have an option for identifying the XP version as OEM and swapping the key with a non OEM key?
Click to expand...

There is currently no way to use a non-OEM CD key with an OEM CD. The OEM XP Pro CDs from what I hear are really Win XP Corp. edition.. At least that's what I gathered while looking around online for the solution to my problem. So if you have an OEM CD you need an OEM CD key. No getting around that.
 
Wat u can do is change the keys later...dat is once u hav installed, take ur genuine key n try it wid a keychanger,,,, i didn try it on an oem but i hav a feeling it shud work...

Try it..

search for key changer...generally u find it in wga workarounds...
 
ChambeRFienD said:
There is currently no way to use a non-OEM CD key with an OEM CD. The OEM XP Pro CDs from what I hear are really Win XP Corp. edition.. At least that's what I gathered while looking around online for the solution to my problem. So if you have an OEM CD you need an OEM CD key. No getting around that.
Click to expand...

Ok, So any OEM key will do for OEM CDs and any regular key for a regular Win XP setup CD but they can't be interchanged? Hmm, that poses a problem.

Party Monger said:
Wat u can do is change the keys later...dat is once u hav installed, take ur genuine key n try it wid a keychanger,,,, i didn try it on an oem but i hav a feeling it shud work...

Try it..

search for key changer...generally u find it in wga workarounds...
Click to expand...

I did not quite follow this. Once I have what installed?

The thing is that the installation won't take place at all with an OEM CD on non OEM hardware I think. Anyway, I will look for win keychanger software. Thanks.
 
sydras said:
The thing is that the installation won't take place at all with an OEM CD on non OEM hardware I think. Anyway, I will look for win keychanger software. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Not so. I've tried lots of OEM CDs on diff hardware and there was no probs at all.
 
What i meant was dat, u instal using AnY other key(pretty easy to find...) and once the machine is ready and running, then use a keychanger to change the key, i havent tried it but logically it shud work..
 
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