Windows OEM Cd-Key

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pedromsouza · #1 Post by **pedromsouza** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 9:12 am

Can I reinstall windows using OEM ticket cd-key without IBM recovery media?

#2 Post by **jdhurst** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 12:31 pm

Use the F11 function to rebuild. You don't need the key for this. You cannot use a different Windows CD as the licence on the sticker is only for that computer. ... JD Hurst

kulivontot · #3 Post by **kulivontot** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 12:32 pm

I would say no. OEM cd keys are tied to specific OEM windows installs and thus will only work with the IBM specific install CD's.

pianowizard · #4 Post by **pianowizard** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 12:59 pm

You can use the product key on the bottom of your Thinkpad. I just did that for my X60s two days ago.

Stargate199 · #5 Post by **Stargate199** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 6:57 pm

I have heard mixed comments on this before. Quote me if I am wrong, but there are 3 or 4 versions of a Windows install CD, and COA, upgrade, retail, OEM, and corporate(2000/xp only). I do not think OEM installs are specific to the manufacturer's because you can buy OEM versions of XP from Newegg. Just make sure that if you are using an OEM COA, you MUST use a OEM version of the install CD. The key will not work with any other install CD (you will get an invalid key error).

#6 Post by **carbon_unit** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 9:25 pm

That is correct.
If you have the correct cd you can use the key number on the COA sticker and you are legal.

pedromsouza · #7 Post by **pedromsouza** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 8:20 am

Thanks for helping!

Any OEM version of windows xp pro will work (sp2,etc)? or it must be exactly same version?

#8 Post by **bill bolton** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 4:34 pm

kulivontot wrote:I would say no. OEM cd keys are tied to specific OEM windows installs and thus will only work with the IBM specific install CD's.

An XP OEM key will only be accepted by an XP OEM install version of XP, but it will be accepted by any OEM version, that is, its not brand specific.

Installing a ThinkPad off a standard XP installation does work, but screen resolution, network connectivity etc may be far from optimal until the correct device drivers are installed.

Cheers,

Bill

Stargate199 · #9 Post by **Stargate199** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 11:29 am

pedromsouza wrote: Any OEM version of windows xp pro will work (sp2,etc)? or it must be exactly same version?

That I am not sure of. The COA will say what version of XP that was originally installed (EX. Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Professional SP1a, Windows XP Professional SP2). I would assume it will work, but I have never tried. Microsoft is very picky when it comes to Licensing.

#10 Post by **carbon_unit** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 11:39 am

And they have become even more strick as of late.
Now when you try to activate over the phone you get the automated system only. If it fails it tells you to fix the problem and try again. It does not transfer you to a human.
The strange thing is, one day it may not let you activate over the internet and the naxt day it may.

This has just started during the last week or two.

#11 Post by **GomJabbar** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 12:07 pm

I just replaced the motherboard and graphics card in my desktop PC about 3 or 4 weeks ago. I needed to activate over the phone. When the activation screen came up, there were no numbers to input. I called the number on the screen, and eventually I was able to get a human to speak to. He told me I just needed to reboot, then the numbers would be displayed. Turns out he was right, and I had no problem with automated phone activation then. So if access to a human has changed, it must have been very recently as carbon_unit pointed out.

#12 Post by **carbon_unit** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 2:29 pm

Two weeks ago I got a human, this past week I got the "please come back after you fix the problem.....CLICK....dial tone" response.
I think they are trying to push those who need to re-activate towards Vista.

These re-actiations come from a recent surge in ~2 year old Emachines computers with failing power supplies. The ones that don't get the mobo toasted are scrambled enough to need a windows repair installation, which needs to be activated. I have tried with both the number on the sticker and the VLK number used originally by Emachines (Gateway).

Beware of the "Bestec" power supplies, they are mobo eaters.

#13 Post by **bill bolton** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 6:51 pm

carbon_unit wrote:Now when you try to activate over the phone you get the automated system only. If it fails it tells you to fix the problem and try again. It does not transfer you to a human.

I had to activate a new OEM key load over the phone yesterday and I certainly spoke to a human!

Cheers,

Bill

#14 Post by **carbon_unit** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 9:57 pm

Well, with Microsoft who knows.
Like i referred to earlier, one day a certain key number would not activate either over the internet or with a phone call and the next day it went fine over the internet.

I end up doing at least one of these a week and I get all different kinds of experiences.

pianowizard · #15 Post by **pianowizard** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 10:05 pm

carbon_unit wrote:Like i referred to earlier, one day a certain key number would not activate either over the internet

I have never been able to activate XP over the internet and have no idea why.

bigtiger · #16 Post by **bigtiger** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 10:23 pm

pianowizard wrote:I have never been able to activate XP over the internet and have no idea why.

Give microsoft a call, they will give you the activation code.

pianowizard · #17 Post by **pianowizard** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 10:25 pm

bigtiger wrote:Give microsoft a call, they will give you the activation code.

And I always end up giving Microsoft a call.

pedromsouza · #18 Post by **pedromsouza** » Tue Dec 26, 2006 4:33 pm

Following instructions I downloaded an "IBM WINDOWS XP OEM" image from emule and tryied to install. During installation, the key worked fine but after, I couldn't activate it online. So, I called Microsoft and they asked me to send pics of the cd (I don´t have any original CD!!!) and of cd key sticker. They didn't give me any new cd key immediately.

Stargate199 · #19 Post by **Stargate199** » Tue Dec 26, 2006 4:47 pm

That's because Microsoft booby traps their CD's so if they are copied illegally, they will not activate no matter what. Apparently there is a file needed to activate that the CD is specifically set to make it appear as corrupt if it is copied. That file will work fine in the installer on the original disk. I do believe if you make an direct ISO image, this should not happen. I had to do it to save a scratched Windows CD, and it all worked fine.

pedromsouza · #20 Post by **pedromsouza** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 4:48 pm

Ibm will send me a product recovery cd for free... so... I upgraded ram... am I still able to use the oem ticket with product recovery cd? thanks

#21 Post by **jdhurst** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 5:28 pm

If you have the proper recovery CD's from IBM, you do not need the key. In a proper recovery, you will never be asked for it.
... JD Hurst

wilsonhs · #22 Post by **wilsonhs** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 11:01 am

I suppose any OEM CD-KEY for the same division of windows
like - Win XP Home cd key will work for all versions of OEM WinXP Home
and same as Pro.
Beware that only OEM of the same familiy will work. So do a HP OEM XP's key will work on a DELL recovery CD( I tried).

*BTW, If i got a License Label from a HP machine which have been never registered, if i transfer to my TP to register with, will it still be legal? I wonder about this as the label is marked HP Corparation...and would be legally agreed to use on a IBM machine even it has been never activated on the HP stuff

Thanks~

#23 Post by **bill bolton** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 5:00 pm

wilsonhs wrote:*BTW, If i got a License Label from a HP machine which have been never registered, if i transfer to my TP to register with, will it still be legal?

No. A Windows XP OEM licence is only legal for use with the primary hardware with which it was sold.

Cheers,

Bill

joester · #24 Post by **joester** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 6:16 pm

Not to throw a wrench into this mix, but we tried an experiment at work while upgrading computers ffrom W98 to XP Pro.
We had:
2 identical computers.
2 identical copies of XP Pro (both new and unopened with 2 different Product Keys)

We partitioned and NTFS formatted both computers, using CD "A" on computer "A", and CD "B" on computer "B".
At key entry, we attempted "B" key on computer "A"...failed.
We tried "A" key on "B" computer...failed.
Then we used "A" key on "A" computer...worked.
"B" key on "B" computer...worked.

I'm convinced that the "missing" file on CD copies is a seperate file written onto the cd that contains the key, or there is a file that instructs the computer on how to decode the key off the CD. Somehow, the file is not transferred to the copied CD or is corrupted so the key cannot be decoded.

Joe

#25 Post by **carbon_unit** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 8:19 pm

There are no "missing files" on copied cd's. There is no copy protection on the disc. Windows uses product activation as copy protection.
There are a few different types (OEM, retail, volume licensing) and versions (Home, Professional, Server, SP1, SP2, etc) of windows and you have to supply the correct type of number for each type of disc but the numbers are not locked to any particular disc.
In our shop we have copies of each version that we use to restore/repair computers. The originals are kept to make more copies when the ones we use get damaged. We also have Dell, Gateway, IBM and Emachines restore sets.
I also end up doing a lot of activations. Yipee...

joester · #26 Post by **joester** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 9:42 pm

Then how did 2 identical XP Pro installation kits not interact?
Same P/N, same versions, ect... We were even careful to use two identical computers with same hardware.

I guess I'm clueless as to why it didn't work if what you say is true.

#27 Post by **GomJabbar** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 10:07 pm

joester wrote:Then how did 2 identical XP Pro installation kits not interact?

I am curious. Which versions of Win XP Pro did you have? OEM, boxed retail, retail upgrade, other?

I know that OEM CD's accept a number of OEM product keys. I am not so sure about the boxed retail or retail upgrade versions of XP Pro. I have not tried to use a retail XP Pro CD with any key other than the one that came with the CD. I have used an OEM XP Pro CD with a different product key than came with the original equipment the OEM CD was tied to. So at least two different product keys worked with the OEM CD in my case.

#28 Post by **carbon_unit** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 10:55 pm

I do not know what went wrong in your experiment.
I do this on a daily basis and I know what works for me and what does not. Just relating my experiences.

joester · #29 Post by **joester** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 1:16 pm

Gomjabbar, these were boxed retail. Both identical.

Carbon_unit, no arguement that you are wrong, I likewise am only relating past experience. If the retail copies will accept many keys, it's possible that we just got two that didn't accept the others' key.

What are the chances of that?

Joe

Stargate199 · #30 Post by **Stargate199** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 7:30 pm

Hey Admins, This topic seems to come up a lot. How about making a sticky for Windows Licensing, COAs, and the such? This topic seems to be confusing to a lot of people, so I think we should have a sticky for this type of information so these threads don't show up as much. I know I have answered this question a few times on this message board.

Windows OEM Cd-Key

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