Installing XP OEM

[inyourface1650]

Hi guys,

I have a laptop here with the original OEM (WINXP SP0)key sticker on the bottom. I need to reinstall windows, but am unable to track down a copy of WINXP GOLD OEM media.
How do I go about installing using the OEM key?

I thought about installing windows using a well known VLK key and then changing the Windows XP product key using a couple utilities to the key that is actually stickered to the bottom of the computer, but I cannot seem to get this to work.

NOTE: I am trying to install windows using a LEGAL KEY.

I did try ROCKXP4.exe as well

[Joe Average]

If it's a Dell laptop, then you're going to need a Dell OEM copy (going by the sig info, but it could be a secondary laptop you're speaking about).

The issue comes from the fact that if you're trying to use a "vanilla" OEM copy of XP (standard OEM System Builder copy, or MSDN/Technet OEM release version), it's not going to work with the key from an OEM branded laptop. The whole idea behind the OEM branded copies is they're tied to the hardware directly; the sticker on the laptop/hardware is only meant to show it's an authentic licensed copy - the key is meaningless, it's the sticker that matters. The sticker represents the actual legal "ownership" of the license for the OS.

If it's a brand name laptop, and you can locate a brand name OEM disc for that brand of laptop, bingo, you're all set. Until then, you'll have issues.

If you go the VLK route to install the OS, and then change the key to an OEM key (probably trying the one on the sticker), that's not going to work either: the first time you hit Windows Update it'll choke and stop you dead...

[inyourface1650]

It is a different laptop, but a dell nontheless.

I could not for the life of me find a OEM version of WINXP Gold CD on the internet so thats why I went the VLK route.

Ok, well I used the WIndows Product Key Changer ( from microsoft directly) and it seems to have actually changed the key to the correct one (the sticker one). Only the 5th program I tried.

So now I have a VLK windows version using an OEM key . Which I do imagine is going to be a problem..... I'm gonna run windows update on it here in a second and see what it does.


Whats frustrating is when I actually try and do things legally....its too hard.

[Joe Average]

If that's the original version of XP (aka XP SP0 or Gold) then you're in for more issues: you can't use Windows Update until you get at least SP1 on there, so in that effort you might as well go ahead and download the SP3 standalone installer file and then create a new XP SP3 integrated installation CD and be done with it. nLite is the tool to make that type of CD once you have the SP3 standalone installer, and it takes less than 10 minutes on most hardware to do it.

Dell's OEM XP copies work on any Dells, sooo...

[ryan_975]

If it's a Dell laptop, then you're going to need a Dell OEM copy (going by the sig info, but it could be a secondary laptop you're speaking about).

The issue comes from the fact that if you're trying to use a "vanilla" OEM copy of XP (standard OEM System Builder copy, or MSDN/Technet OEM release version), it's not going to work with the key from an OEM branded laptop. The whole idea behind the OEM branded copies is they're tied to the hardware directly; the sticker on the laptop/hardware is only meant to show it's an authentic licensed copy - the key is meaningless, it's the sticker that matters. The sticker represents the actual legal "ownership" of the license for the OS.

If it's a brand name laptop, and you can locate a brand name OEM disc for that brand of laptop, bingo, you're all set. Until then, you'll have issues.


The only problem I've ever run into with reinstalling from a vanilla OEM XP whie using the OEM key off the sticker is that I had to call in to activate, give them the reason I was reactivating, and the brand/model of the system I was installing it on. Windows update and validation worked just fine.

[inyourface1650]

Just an update. My monstrosity of a Windows install seemed to have worked. I did manage to windows update just fine. I think part of my problem might have been I installed SP3, before I tried to change the key (dunno). However, I did just install a whole bunch of updates (.net 1.1 2.0 3.0 and some drivers) from windows update (manually) and it worked just fine. I was getting WGA errors before. So I dunno.....