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Windows Product code/activation

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Superman

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Jan 5, 2010, 7:23:55 PM1/5/10
to

Is the windows XP product code/activation number unique to each CD? (I'm
guessing not) For example what I need to know is.. could I use my
Windows XP disk to install/re-install XP onto a friends PC, who doesn't
have the original disk, but has the product code/activation number, and
then use that number to activate it, without causing any conflict with
my XP installation on my PC? thanks,

--
rgds,

Pete
=====
http://pw352.blogspot.com

"We stopped the boats coming. The facts speak for themselves. People knew where we stood. We didn't try to be all things to all men. Look, our policy worked. There was no need to alter it" - John Howard

"Our journalists are finally noticing the elephant in the room. Rudd has given us grocery watch, fuel watch, a national dept our children will still be paying, an ETS scheme that will further bankrupt the nation without making an iota of difference to global warming. Rudd is all spin and no substance. Even worse, he expects to fool all people all the time." - media comment

"I don't care what you f__kers think!" - The Hon Kevin Rudd MP, Prime Minister of Australia

sparr0w

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Jan 5, 2010, 7:49:17 PM1/5/10
to
On 2010-01-06, Superman <"the _man_of_steel"@metropolis.com> wrote:
>
> Is the windows XP product code/activation number unique to each CD? (I'm
> guessing not) For example what I need to know is.. could I use my
> Windows XP disk to install/re-install XP onto a friends PC, who doesn't
> have the original disk, but has the product code/activation number, and
> then use that number to activate it, without causing any conflict with
> my XP installation on my PC? thanks,

The serial is not linked to a CD. So, you can use your CD to install on
another PC providing you use their serial key.

--
~rjw
http://www.dynode.net/~rjw/

Superman

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Jan 5, 2010, 9:44:19 PM1/5/10
to

Thanks!

qmod

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Jan 6, 2010, 1:46:33 AM1/6/10
to
And also provided the versions are the same.
Serial number for upgrade versions is different for full versions, home
and Pro are also different.

--
Laurie.
Registered Linux user # 468070

Superman

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Jan 6, 2010, 6:53:07 AM1/6/10
to

That could be a problem then.

son of a bitch

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Jan 6, 2010, 8:10:47 AM1/6/10
to
Superman wrote:
>
> Is the windows XP product code/activation number unique to each CD? (I'm
> guessing not) For example what I need to know is.. could I use my
> Windows XP disk to install/re-install XP onto a friends PC, who doesn't
> have the original disk, but has the product code/activation number, and
> then use that number to activate it, without causing any conflict with
> my XP installation on my PC? thanks,
>

Yes and No

The number is tied to XPPro or XPHome or Manufacturer OEM versions.
It's also tied to the SP number, a SP2 number will not work on a
SP1 verson CD.

Every CD of a particular flavour are Identical


Rod Speed

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Jan 5, 2010, 8:11:21 PM1/5/10
to
Superman" <"the _man_of_steel wrote

> Is the windows XP product code/activation number unique to each CD?

Nope.

> (I'm guessing not) For example what I need to know is.. could I use my Windows XP disk to install/re-install XP onto a
> friends PC, who
> doesn't have the original disk, but has the product code/activation
> number, and then use that number to activate it, without causing any conflict with my XP installation on my PC?

That will usually work fine.

There is more than one type of CD with XP and you can find that your
CD is not the same as his originally was, but thats not that common.


qmod

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Jan 6, 2010, 4:30:10 PM1/6/10
to


I have never seen a problem with serial numbers and service packs

I regularly have re-installed/ repaired windows using SP3 disk, yet the
original numbers used were quite some years old. Original disk on many
was SP1.


> Every CD of a particular flavour are Identical
>
>

son of a bitch

unread,
Jan 6, 2010, 6:08:39 PM1/6/10
to

SP2 was basically a Anti-Pirate hack
You can load any service pack on to any version without a problem
But if you bought a SP1 version or SP1 PC, you can't use the SP1 number
on a Disk pre-loaded with SP2, the old number will be Invalid.
SP2 and SP3 are the same. You can't repair a PC that was "Installed"
originally on SP2 with a CD Updated to SP3. The repair has to take
it back the Original Installed version.

SG1

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Jan 6, 2010, 7:30:50 PM1/6/10
to

"son of a bitch" <bitchi...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:4b4517f9$1...@dnews.tpgi.com.au...

Just reinstalled XP Home SP3 on my HP zv5405AP (P4 3.4GHz) Clean install
using slipstreamed CD & old COA. Was going to install W7 but only got 64 bit
version.


>
>
>
>
>
>
>


tryspam...@ozemail.com.au

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Jan 7, 2010, 2:06:20 AM1/7/10
to
On Thu, 7 Jan 2010 10:30:50 +1000, "SG1" <lost...@the.races> wrote:
>>
> but only got 64 bit version.
>

I thought all W7 installation disks had 32 & 64 on them for whatever
version the disk was for.

The Old Bloke

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Jan 7, 2010, 2:47:30 AM1/7/10
to
On Thu, 07 Jan 2010 18:06:20 +1100, tryspam...@ozemail.com.au
wrote:

True for some versions. My OEM versions are 64 or 32 bit, not both

Rob

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Jan 7, 2010, 3:15:27 AM1/7/10
to

Yes you can. I have done repair installs with the SP3 CD over a SP2
install which stuffed up on the SP3 auto download auto install file problem.


The repair has to take
> it back the Original Installed version.
>


My install XP sp2 CD was slipstreamed up to SP3.

>
>
>
>
>
>

Rob

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Jan 7, 2010, 3:35:51 AM1/7/10
to

My 64bit DVD has only one version. Its a OEM System Builders Pack. This
I found was the cheapest way to go.

Another install I did, was bought as a 32bit version.

You would have to pay extra for both versions on a DVD?

Fred

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Jan 7, 2010, 6:30:11 AM1/7/10
to

"Rob" <mesa...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:hi46dd$o7k$1...@news.eternal-september.org...

That is true for OEM versions, the license key is only good for 32 bit or 64
bit.
Retail license keys, however, will cover both versions. You get two dvd's in
the packaging.
If you have a retail key but no dvd you could download the appropriate iso
from digital river or elsewhere or borrow one from a friend.
e.g
7 Home Premium x86 ISO
http://msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net/msvista/pub/X15-65732/X15-65732.iso
7 Home Premium x64 ISO
http://msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net/msvista/pub/X15-65733/X15-65733.iso

then delete ei.cfg from the image and you have a 7 dvd that will instal all
x86 versions or x64 versions.


Campervanman

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Jan 7, 2010, 7:01:43 PM1/7/10
to
"Fred" <blu...@gaymail.com> wrote in message
news:7qluu7...@mid.individual.net...
=====================================================
Look here for more details and to download a program that will patch the ISO
image file to remove ei.cfg so that you don't have to fiddle around with the
ISO image yourself in case you are not familiar with such operations.

http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=809014

Cheers Campervanman


Campervanman

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Jan 7, 2010, 7:27:32 PM1/7/10
to

"Superman" <"the _man_of_steel"@metropolis.com> wrote in message
news:vKQ0n.67113$ze1....@news-server.bigpond.net.au...

>
> Is the windows XP product code/activation number unique to each CD? (I'm
> guessing not) For example what I need to know is.. could I use my Windows
> XP disk to install/re-install XP onto a friends PC, who doesn't have the
> original disk, but has the product code/activation number, and then use
> that number to activate it, without causing any conflict with my XP
> installation on my PC? thanks,
>
> --
> rgds,
>
> Pete
> =====

You can change the product key of an installed Windows very easily. So
install with whatever key you have that works with your install CD/DVD, and
then change it to whatever you want leter.

Just look here
http://www.technize.com/2008/03/13/how-to-change-windows-xp-product-key/

Cheers Campervanman.


David

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Jan 8, 2010, 1:25:52 AM1/8/10
to
In article <4b44...@dnews.tpgi.com.au>,

son of a bitch <bitchi...@yahoo.com> wrote:

>
> The number is tied to XPPro or XPHome or Manufacturer OEM versions.
> It's also tied to the SP number, a SP2 number will not work on a
> SP1 verson CD.
>

But a SP1 number works fine on a SP2 install

David

Rob

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Jan 8, 2010, 3:32:54 AM1/8/10
to

There are some who have only been issued with an original XP VLK for
which is still works on all Service Pack versions of the corporate edition.

There were some world wide keys around plus world wide cracks and I
think MS bundled these things and made it harder to apply them to installs.

Hugh Jeego

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Jan 8, 2010, 7:15:24 AM1/8/10
to

"Superman" <"the _man_of_steel"@metropolis.com> wrote in message
news:vKQ0n.67113$ze1....@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>
> Is the windows XP product code/activation number unique to each CD? (I'm
> guessing not) For example what I need to know is.. could I use my Windows
> XP disk to install/re-install XP onto a friends PC, who doesn't have the
> original disk, but has the product code/activation number, and then use
> that number to activate it, without causing any conflict with my XP
> installation on my PC? thanks,
>

Depends on what your friend has - XP Pro, Home, OEM or upgrade versions and
if your CD is the same version as his key.

Hugh Jeego

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Jan 8, 2010, 7:16:09 AM1/8/10
to

"sparr0w" <spa...@sparr0w.nest> wrote in message
news:0353caf8$0$1384$c3e...@news.astraweb.com...

...depends on what version cd he has and what version serial number friend
has.

Hugh Jeego

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Jan 8, 2010, 7:23:20 AM1/8/10
to

"Rod Speed" <rod.sp...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:7qi69r...@mid.individual.net...

I had to get a copy of XP Pro OEM and upgrade disks and Home OEM and upgrade
disks to be sure. One doesn't take, I use another if all I was given was a
rego key they had written down and didn't know which version it was. Helped
out a lot.

Nowadays, Windows 7 is Windows 7 on each disk. I did an upgrade from Vista
64 bit Ultimate on my laptop to Windows 7 Ultimate using an OEM disk and key
and it worked just fine. Oh sure, I should have used W.E.T. and done a clean
install, I know. I just wanted to be sure it would do it no matter WHAT
Microsoft said. GodMode didn't look any different on Windows 7 to what it
did on Vista to me, though, darn it. Useful little hack, though.

Oh and the most useful thing I found is that Windows Mail WILL copy from
Vista to Windows 7 and work fine. I just copied the whole Windows Mail dir
from a Vista Business machine I have to the Windows 7 to see if it would and
it did. I prefer Outlook 2007 though...

Rod Speed

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Jan 8, 2010, 10:35:42 PM1/8/10
to
Hugh Jeego wrote:
> "Rod Speed" <rod.sp...@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:7qi69r...@mid.individual.net...
>> Superman" <"the _man_of_steel wrote
>>
>>> Is the windows XP product code/activation number unique to each CD?
>>
>> Nope.
>>
>>> (I'm guessing not) For example what I need to know is.. could I use
>>> my Windows XP disk to install/re-install XP onto a friends PC, who
>>> doesn't have the original disk, but has the product code/activation
>>> number, and then use that number to activate it, without causing any
>>> conflict with my XP installation on my PC?
>>
>> That will usually work fine.
>>
>> There is more than one type of CD with XP and you can find that your
>> CD is not the same as his originally was, but thats not that common.
>>
>
> I had to get a copy of XP Pro OEM and upgrade disks and Home OEM and
> upgrade disks to be sure. One doesn't take, I use another if all I
> was given was a rego key they had written down and didn't know which
> version it was.

Yeah, thats what I did too.

> Helped out a lot.

> Nowadays, Windows 7 is Windows 7 on each disk. I did an upgrade from
> Vista 64 bit Ultimate on my laptop to Windows 7 Ultimate using an OEM
> disk and key and it worked just fine. Oh sure, I should have used
> W.E.T. and done a clean install, I know. I just wanted to be sure it
> would do it no matter WHAT Microsoft said. GodMode didn't look any
> different on Windows 7 to what it did on Vista to me, though, darn
> it. Useful little hack, though.

> Oh and the most useful thing I found is that Windows Mail WILL copy
> from Vista to Windows 7 and work fine. I just copied the whole
> Windows Mail dir from a Vista Business machine I have to the Windows
> 7 to see if it would and it did. I prefer Outlook 2007 though...

OK, havent tried that myself, because I havent needed to.


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