"Hybrid" install of XP
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From: Sybr on 11 Dec 2009 16:44 I did a test install of XP Home with these parameters: PC: Gateway Thrasher (about 6 years old) XP Install CD: from a Dell Dimension 4550 XP Activation Key: from a Dell Inspiron Laptop The install worked, activation worked, and the Microsoft utility MGADiag.exe shows validation as a Genuine copy. So how is this possible? I thought OEM install CD's, and OEM stickers with Activation Keys - are machine and brand specific. What gives?
From: Ben Myers on 11 Dec 2009 17:32 Sybr wrote: > I did a test install of XP Home with these parameters: > > PC: Gateway Thrasher (about 6 years old) > XP Install CD: from a Dell Dimension 4550 > XP Activation Key: from a Dell Inspiron Laptop > > The install worked, activation worked, and the Microsoft utility > MGADiag.exe shows validation as a Genuine copy. > > So how is this possible? I thought OEM install CD's, and OEM stickers > with Activation Keys - are machine and brand specific. What gives? I thought that the product keys were brand specific. In fact, they are, because the vendor's name appears right there on the sticker. What you have done implies that Microsoft does not check product keys down to the last bit of detail, namely brand and model. Absent a manufacturer-specific XP install CD, I use the Dell SP2 one (Home or Pro to match the sticker), change the key with Keyfinder to match the sticker, and never have a problem with product activation. Saves a lot of time to do this, too. For example, Lenovo's laptops have a four (or is it five?) CD set to run though, grinding away for about an hour. With the Dell install CD plus a memory stick containing the hardware drivers, I can get the system up and running real fast and without any crapware... Ben Myers
From: Christopher Muto on 12 Dec 2009 00:45 Ben Myers wrote: > Sybr wrote: >> I did a test install of XP Home with these parameters: >> >> PC: Gateway Thrasher (about 6 years old) >> XP Install CD: from a Dell Dimension 4550 >> XP Activation Key: from a Dell Inspiron Laptop >> >> The install worked, activation worked, and the Microsoft utility >> MGADiag.exe shows validation as a Genuine copy. >> >> So how is this possible? I thought OEM install CD's, and OEM stickers >> with Activation Keys - are machine and brand specific. What gives? > > I thought that the product keys were brand specific. In fact, they are, > because the vendor's name appears right there on the sticker. What you > have done implies that Microsoft does not check product keys down to the > last bit of detail, namely brand and model. > > Absent a manufacturer-specific XP install CD, I use the Dell SP2 one > (Home or Pro to match the sticker), change the key with Keyfinder to > match the sticker, and never have a problem with product activation. > Saves a lot of time to do this, too. For example, Lenovo's laptops have > a four (or is it five?) CD set to run though, grinding away for about an > hour. With the Dell install CD plus a memory stick containing the > hardware drivers, I can get the system up and running real fast and > without any crapware... Ben Myers no, what he has done is shown that dell oem product key can be used to activate dell oem branded copy of windows installed on non dell hardware. i have seen other oem product keys successfully activate with various different brand oem copies of windows, but some oem branded windows installation cds plainly refuse to install on other vendors hardware. also oem product codes will not work with retail windows cds and vice versa. and there are other circumstances regarding product key incompatibility but it is all sort of academic because it implies non intended uses.
From: Ben Myers on 12 Dec 2009 01:33 Christopher Muto wrote: > Ben Myers wrote: >> Sybr wrote: >>> I did a test install of XP Home with these parameters: >>> >>> PC: Gateway Thrasher (about 6 years old) >>> XP Install CD: from a Dell Dimension 4550 >>> XP Activation Key: from a Dell Inspiron Laptop >>> >>> The install worked, activation worked, and the Microsoft utility >>> MGADiag.exe shows validation as a Genuine copy. >>> >>> So how is this possible? I thought OEM install CD's, and OEM stickers >>> with Activation Keys - are machine and brand specific. What gives? >> >> I thought that the product keys were brand specific. In fact, they >> are, because the vendor's name appears right there on the sticker. >> What you have done implies that Microsoft does not check product keys >> down to the last bit of detail, namely brand and model. >> >> Absent a manufacturer-specific XP install CD, I use the Dell SP2 one >> (Home or Pro to match the sticker), change the key with Keyfinder to >> match the sticker, and never have a problem with product activation. >> Saves a lot of time to do this, too. For example, Lenovo's laptops >> have a four (or is it five?) CD set to run though, grinding away for >> about an hour. With the Dell install CD plus a memory stick >> containing the hardware drivers, I can get the system up and running >> real fast and without any crapware... Ben Myers > > no, what he has done is shown that dell oem product key can be used to > activate dell oem branded copy of windows installed on non dell > hardware. i have seen other oem product keys successfully activate with > various different brand oem copies of windows, but some oem branded > windows installation cds plainly refuse to install on other vendors > hardware. also oem product codes will not work with retail windows cds > and vice versa. and there are other circumstances regarding product key > incompatibility but it is all sort of academic because it implies non > intended uses. "what he has done is shown that dell oem product key can be used to activate dell oem branded copy of windows installed on non dell hardware." Agreed... Ben
From: Sybr on 13 Dec 2009 09:33
On Dec 12, 12:33 am, Ben Myers <ben_my...(a)charter.net> wrote: > Christopher Muto wrote: > > Ben Myers wrote: > >> Sybr wrote: > >>> I did a test install of XP Home with these parameters: > > >>> PC: Gateway Thrasher (about 6 years old) > >>> XP Install CD: from a Dell Dimension 4550 > >>> XP Activation Key: from a Dell Inspiron Laptop > > >>> The install worked, activation worked, and the Microsoft utility > >>> MGADiag.exe shows validation as a Genuine copy. > > >>> So how is this possible? I thought OEM install CD's, and OEM stickers > >>> with Activation Keys - are machine and brand specific. What gives? > > >> I thought that the product keys were brand specific. In fact, they > >> are, because the vendor's name appears right there on the sticker. > >> What you have done implies that Microsoft does not check product keys > >> down to the last bit of detail, namely brand and model. > > >> Absent a manufacturer-specific XP install CD, I use the Dell SP2 one > >> (Home or Pro to match the sticker), change the key with Keyfinder to > >> match the sticker, and never have a problem with product activation. > >> Saves a lot of time to do this, too. For example, Lenovo's laptops > >> have a four (or is it five?) CD set to run though, grinding away for > >> about an hour. With the Dell install CD plus a memory stick > >> containing the hardware drivers, I can get the system up and running > >> real fast and without any crapware... Ben Myers > > > no, what he has done is shown that dell oem product key can be used to > > activate dell oem branded copy of windows installed on non dell > > hardware. i have seen other oem product keys successfully activate with > > various different brand oem copies of windows, but some oem branded > > windows installation cds plainly refuse to install on other vendors > > hardware. also oem product codes will not work with retail windows cds > > and vice versa. and there are other circumstances regarding product key > > incompatibility but it is all sort of academic because it implies non > > intended uses. > > "what he has done is shown that dell oem product key can be used to > activate dell oem branded copy of windows installed on non dell > hardware." Agreed... Ben- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - "what he has done is shown that dell oem product key can be used to activate dell oem branded copy of windows installed on non dell hardware." Right. And I didn't think this was possible. Maybe because XP is 8 years old - and two generations away from their current home PC OS - Micro$oft just isn't that vigilant in checking the fine details of an XP Activation? |