XP Product Key???

[Rex Winn]

A friend of mine just bought a laptop off Ebay. It's got
an illegal copy of Windows XP on it. He doesn't want to
start over and reload it with his legal copy that he owns.
He'd like to just put in his product key so he can do
Windows Updates. Does anyone know if this is possible?
Where is the XP product key at and will changing it make
it so they can run the updates from the Microsoft site?

This is a very legal situation (except the Ebay seller).
My friend went and purchased a legal copy of XP for this
laptop. We're not trying to beat the system or do anything
weird.

Thanks,

Rex

 

[Fritz]

Very bad idea. Your friend should definitely re-format the drive(s) and
reinstall a fresh copy of XP since he doesn't know where that PC's been
before he got it.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

You'll need a "Full Version" of Windows XP Professional
and use it for a "repair install".

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Michael Stevens]

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

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

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


|A friend of mine just bought a laptop off Ebay. It's got
| an illegal copy of Windows XP on it. He doesn't want to
| start over and reload it with his legal copy that he owns.
| He'd like to just put in his product key so he can do
| Windows Updates. Does anyone know if this is possible?
| Where is the XP product key at and will changing it make
| it so they can run the updates from the Microsoft site?
|
| This is a very legal situation (except the Ebay seller).
| My friend went and purchased a legal copy of XP for this
| laptop. We're not trying to beat the system or do anything
| weird.
|
| Thanks,
|
| Rex

 

[Rex Winn]

I could not agree more. However, this is one of those rare
people in life that you meet and even though what you are
saying makes perfect sense. They still don't listen.

http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml

 

[pauly [MSFT]]

Hi Rex,

Your friend could install Windows XP over the top - otherwise known as an
in-place upgrade. This should preserve the settings (shortcuts, installed
programs, etc) on the system but will update the product key. He will be
prompted near the start of setup for the product key - which he can use
from his retail copy of WinXP.

He will be prompted to activate Windows XP once he gets to the the desktop.

Here are some more details inclusing specific steps:

315341 How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=315341

329198 When to Reinstall Windows XP Service Pack 1
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=329198

Repairing Windows XP:
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm

=========

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Windows XP Security Homepage:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/security/default.asp

Windows 2000 Security Homepage:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/security/default.asp

Top 10 Windows Newsgroups Security Questions:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/newsgroups/default.asp?url=/technet/newsgro
ups/nodepages/sectop10.asp

=========
Paul Hayes, MCSE
Product Support Services
Microsoft Corporation
(e-mail address removed)


--------------------
| From: "Rex Winn" <[email protected]>
| Subject: XP Product Key???
| Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2004 13:27:31 -0700
|
| A friend of mine just bought a laptop off Ebay. It's got
| an illegal copy of Windows XP on it. He doesn't want to
| start over and reload it with his legal copy that he owns.
| He'd like to just put in his product key so he can do
| Windows Updates. Does anyone know if this is possible?
| Where is the XP product key at and will changing it make
| it so they can run the updates from the Microsoft site?
|
| This is a very legal situation (except the Ebay seller).
| My friend went and purchased a legal copy of XP for this
| laptop. We're not trying to beat the system or do anything
| weird.
|
| Thanks,
|
| Rex
|

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

He'll need to use his _legitimate_ full retail copy of WinXP Pro
to perform a repair (a.k.a. in-place upgrade) installation, using the
new CD and Product Key.

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/directory/article.asp?ID=KB;EN-US;Q315341


Bruce Chambers

--
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