changing windows xp product key

[Guest]

hi, i work for the public library system, and i'm setting up computers for
public use

i took one computer with windows xp and set it up to be the model for all
public computers, and i am planning on using norton ghost to clone the hard
drive so all the public computers will have the same settings. after this
computer was set up, we purchased a volume license for windows xp with
service pack 2.

i would like to put the product key from the volume license onto the
installation of windows that is on the master hard drive that i set up. i
followed the instructions on knowledge base article 328874
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;328874#4
this did not work. i have tried several tools to change the product key, but
none of them work. it says that my product key is invalid, but i know it
works because it works when i do upgrade from windows 2000 to xp, and it
works for a fresh install.

is there an issue of using a product key from windows xp with service pack 2
on a computer that was installed with a pre service pack 2 CD?

i would really like to avoid having to create a fresh installation of the
master and redo everything

thanks

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

In order to use a Volume License Product Key, the installation
must be performed with a Volume License Windows XP CD.
It appears you did not use VL media.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/windowsxp/choose.mspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"taclas"wrote:

| hi, i work for the public library system, and i'm setting up computers for
| public use
|
| i took one computer with windows xp and set it up to be the model for all
| public computers, and i am planning on using norton ghost to clone the hard
| drive so all the public computers will have the same settings. after this
| computer was set up, we purchased a volume license for windows xp with
| service pack 2.
|
| i would like to put the product key from the volume license onto the
| installation of windows that is on the master hard drive that i set up. i
| followed the instructions on knowledge base article 328874
| http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;328874#4
| this did not work. i have tried several tools to change the product key, but
| none of them work. it says that my product key is invalid, but i know it
| works because it works when i do upgrade from windows 2000 to xp, and it
| works for a fresh install.
|
| is there an issue of using a product key from windows xp with service pack 2
| on a computer that was installed with a pre service pack 2 CD?
|
| i would really like to avoid having to create a fresh installation of the
| master and redo everything
|
| thanks

 

[Guest]

so theres no way to avoid having to create a new hard drive with the VL cd?

if i were to create a fresh install of windows using the vl cd and vl cd
key, would i be able to use the file and settings transfer wizard to migrate
everything from the original to the new hard drive? will the file and setting
transfer wizard be able to carry over everything (created user accounts,
installed programs, settings), or is there going to be things that i need to
reinstall completly?

thanks

 

[Lee Chapelle]

I'm wondering if you couldn't do an in-place upgrade/repair install on your
template system with your VL media...

 

[Guest]

brilliant!

i can't believe i didn't try that yet
i popped in the cd, said upgrade and it asked for the cd key
hopefully it'll work

thanks everyone

 

[Lee Chapelle]

brilliant!

i can't believe i didn't try that yet
i popped in the cd, said upgrade and it asked for the cd key
hopefully it'll work

I think so, let us know.