New Microsoft activation process for OEM Windows - it does check OEM keys

Question

This past weekend I experienced this myself, so I thought relating what I learned firsthand would be of assistance to someone.   I have 4 current Dell computers.  Two came with OEM Dell Windows XP.  One came with no OS (but I had a retail copy of XP to use on that machine).  One came with Windows 98SE and was upgraded via a Retail Windows XP upgrade kit.    Last Fall I got the machine with no OS from Dell.  Rather than install the retail copy of XP, I used a slipstreamed Dell SP2 CD to skip all the updates as I had a valid XP license for that machine.  Worked great.   This weekend I decided to do a clean install on the older machine, the one that was updated to XP with the retail upgrade kit.  Again, to save time, I opted to do a CLEAN install with the slipstreamed disk.  Worked fine, but when I went to activate it it did not activate.  Made me call Microsoft.  They refused to activate the product despite my careful explanation, even after being transfered to Customer Service.  They said that under the new 3/1/05 policy, they will no longer activate OEM software unless you have a product id for that machine.  So, I had to do an install from the retail CD, then run my SP2 update disk (wasn't worth making slipstream as I didn't know if it would work on an upgrade OS).   Hope this helps someone else.

Bay Wolf · Answer

That's weird.  I have reinstalled my OS many times and I have never had to activate it.  If I boot from the Dell OEM WinXP CD, it checks to make sure that it is a Dell BIOS and then it automatically activated itself.  I never activated or registered the OS software.   Now if I booted using any means other than the WinXP OEM CD, then I would have to activate it.  I chose not to do it that way and just reinstalled booting from the CD and it was all set.   It will be interesting to see what happens next time I have to do this.

rickmktg · Answer

@Bay Wolf wrote:

That's weird. I have reinstalled my OS many times and I have never had to activate it. If I boot from the Dell OEM WinXP CD, it checks to make sure that it is a Dell BIOS and then it automatically activated itself. I never activated or registered the OS software.

Now if I booted using any means other than the WinXP OEM CD, then I would have to activate it. I chose not to do it that way and just reinstalled booting from the CD and it was all set.

It will be interesting to see what happens next time I have to do this.

That's what I've always done too. On the screen to enter the CD key, it showed an OEM tag that I should look for on the side of the computer, and told me to get the code from there. When I entered the retail code it told me to call my computer manufacturer. Again, I believe this is due to the new policy. Cost me 2 wasted hours.

VBdotNet · Answer

I think it'll only fuel more demand for Ghost and other drive imaging products - as methods to get around the activation limit.

esquire · Answer

Guys, neither of the two issues is new.   The Dell OEM Windows XP does not identify some of the older pre-Windows 2000 Dell models, and Microsoft made the announcement some time ago about a change in policy on OEM activation in an attempt to stem out illegal OEM installations by unscrupulous vendors.     Message Edited by esquire on 06-21-2005 11:04 PM

Hydralisk00222 · Answer

@esquire wrote:

in an attempt to stem out illegal OEM installations by unscrupulous vendors.

or unscrupulous students/workers that copy down the cdkey on the sticker and using it for their own amusement

:smileyvery-happy:

GreyMack · Answer

I have a Dell I8100 with Windows XP that has been longing for a clean installation. I've planned to do it soon and I really don't understand the activation mechanism. Not that it matters, but curiousity is a strong addiction.

If the original Dell OEM Windows XP CD(ROM) software was originally pre-activated on a stand-alone, off-line system, how is this change implemented? I presume the SP2 update (or less likely, but certainly possible, the original XP code) may have contained a date and new code for implememting the change, but other than that I can't see how the change to the activation process could be implemented.

Is that the most likely case or is there something more obvious that I'm just not seeing? Of course, I really didn't understand the announcement months ago either.

If I perform a clean install on a new hard drive with no connection to the internet and no other software installed, how can the change to the activation process be implemented unless the date and change have been previously encoded in either the Dell OEM XP CD or the SP2 CD?

And then my quandry goes on to speculate about whether the original pre-activation process is retained if XP is installed initially from the Dell OEM Windows XP CD without SP2, rather than as a slipstreamed package.

I guess I can try it both ways and find out, and even throw in the time and date variable to boot. (Pun!)

I'll go pull dust bunnies and cat hair from the innards, and wax the keyboard in preparation. I guess a clean installation deserves a clean machine.

GM

esquire · Answer

@GreyMack wrote:

If I perform a clean install on a new hard drive with no connection to the internet and no other software installed, how can the change to the activation process be implemented unless the date and change have been previously encoded in either the Dell OEM XP CD or the SP2 CD?

The change doesn't happen at the user end. Windows Product Activation takes place over the Internet or by obtaining a activation key via a phone call to hotline. Microsoft simply closes the Internet route for OEM Windows - their servers would block OEM Product Keys from being activated. If your new installation has no Internet connection and requires activation, you would have to call their hotline anyway :smileywink:

GreyMack · Answer

Thanks. I appreciate the explanation. GM

Annie70 · Answer

Rick, I have been following this thread and not quite sure I understand what you were saying. If I slipstreamed my OEM XP  disk with SP2 and used this to format my computer, are you saying that i cannot activate it through Microsoft.

esquire · Answer

@aps@sun wrote:
Rick, I have been following this thread and not quite sure I understand what you were saying. If I slipstreamed my OEM XP disk with SP2 and used this to format my computer, are you saying that i cannot activate it through Microsoft.

Yes you still can, but only by phone to their hotline.

rickmktg · Answer

@esquire wrote:

@aps@sun wrote:
Rick, I have been following this thread and not quite sure I understand what you were saying. If I slipstreamed my OEM XP disk with SP2 and used this to format my computer, are you saying that i cannot activate it through Microsoft.

Yes you still can, but only by phone to their hotline.

IF you have the OEM key. The computer I did it on has a RETAIL XP key as it came with ME. The OEM slipstreamed disk in the activation process puts you into an OEM key screen and I had no OEM key to put in. They would not take a retail key.

Prior installs to their new policy did NOT check for the key.

Annie70 · Answer

I have a OEM Key. Gee Microsoft sure makes this hard for us honest people.

rickmktg · Answer

@simpswr wrote: I have used a OEM key several times in the last two weeks with no issues activating via internet . . and a couple were Dells wrs There was no OEM key in this situation.  OEM software.

simpswr · Answer

I have used a OEM key several times in the last two weeks with no issues activating via internet . . and a couple were Dells wrs

msil217 · Answer

This is more confusing than figuring out if little kittens are male or female..

OK, this is what I have:

1. Dell OEM Windows XP CD, no service packs, for my Dell Dimension 4400.

2. Dell OEM Windows XP CD, SP1a, for a Dell Inspiron 1100.

So, if I did a clean install, would I have to activate either by calling M$??

Recently, I restored my 4400, but using a Ghost image with Windows SP2 already installed.

So I did not have to call M$. Maybe I would not have had to anyway?

Anti-Piracy policies hurt the honest end users, not the pirates.

Windows General

New Microsoft activation process for OEM Windows - it does check OEM keys

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