Here's the article in full:
How to change the Windows XP Product Activation Key Code
Bernie Klinder, Contributor
27 Jul 2005
Rating: -3.75- (out of 5)
Checking the Product ID
During the installation of Windows XP Professional, you are prompted to
enter a 25 digit Windows XP Product Key, which Windows XP promptly converts
it into the system's product ID. Because of security concerns about piracy,
Microsoft does not provide a tool that allows you to view the Product Key
(or CD Key) that was used to install the operating system. However, Windows
XP Service Pack 1 ships with a list of the two product IDs that are created
by the pirated product volume license product keys. (The Product ID can be
found by right clicking My Computer and choosing Properties.)
To determine eligibility for the update, Service Pack 1 compares the Windows
XP product ID on the system to this list. The comparison and the list reside
locally on the users PC and no information is sent to Microsoft as part of
this process. Service Pack 1 for Windows XP will fail to install on
installations of Windows with one of the following product IDs:
XXXXX-640-0000356-23XXX and XXXXX-640-2001765-23XXX
The following message will be displayed if installation fails for this
reason:
Service Pack 1 Setup Error: The product key used to install Windows is
invalid. Please contact your system administrator or retailer immediately to
obtain a valid product key. You may also contact Microsoft Corporation's
Anti-Piracy Team by emailing piracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx if you think you have
purchased pirated Microsoft software. Please be assured that any personal
information you send to the Microsoft Anti-Piracy team will be kept in
strict confidence.
How to change your Product ID in Windows XP
If the product ID matches the invalid keys above, you may need to change the
key (re-enter a valid key) in order to install Windows XP service pack 1,
and to make sure your environment is legal. You could completely re-install
Windows XP Professional or you can try the method below. (Please backup your
system before attempting this.) This workaround is only for the corporate
editions of Windows XP Professional using a compromised or illegitimate key.
Windows XP Home Edition and retail versions of XP Professional are not
affected by Service Pack 1. Although this procedure may work with other
versions of XP, we have only tested it on the corporate edition (volume
license version) of Windows XP Professional.
Note: Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure
that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs.
Backup your Registry/System State
* Backup your system state by clicking Start --> Run > and typing
ntbackup -- >. Click the Advanced Mode button in the Backup Utility Wizard.
Click the Backup tab, then in Click to select the check box for any drive,
folder, or file that you want to back up, select the System State.
* As an alternative, you can backup just the Registry by clicking Start
--> Run --> and type in Regedit From within the Regedit screen, right click
My Computer, choose Export, name the file whatever you choose, and click
Save.
To change the product ID
* Log in as the local Administrator
* Click Start --> Run --> and type in Regedit
* Browse to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\wpaevents
* In the right pane, right-click OOBETimer, and then click Modify
* Change at least one digit of this value to deactivate Windows
* Click OK and close regedit
* Click Start --> Run and type in:
"%systemroot%\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe /a"
* Click "Yes, I want to telephone a customer service representative to
activate Windows, and then click Next
* Click Change Product Key (at the bottom)
* Enter your valid Corporate Product Key
* Press Update and close the window.
* If you are returned to the previous window, click Remind me later
* Restart your computer
Verify the change
* After the workstation restarts, click Start --> Run
* Type in: "%systemroot%\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe /a" without the
quotes.
* Make sure the dialog box says 'your copy of windows is already
activated'
If you performed the above steps incorrectly, or used an invalid key, your
system may not be able to boot. Use the F8 key to boot to the last known
good configuration and retry with a valid key.
Troubleshooting
If you tried the above steps and nothing happens:
* Make sure you are logged in with the local administrator account, not
just an account with Administrator privileges.
* Try replacing the %systemroot% variable with the actual drive letter
that your actual directory path, especially when dual booting, or if the
system path is on a drive other than C:\
* On a normal Windows XP installation, your systemroot should be
C:\windows\ so the command should be C:\Windows\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe /a
* On systems upgraded from Windows NT/2000, the systemroot directory may
be C:\Winnt\ so the command should be C:\winnt\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe /a
* Make sure you include a space between .exe and /a in the command:
* Correct - C:\winnt\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe /a * Incorrect -
C:\winnt\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe/a
* Product keys for XP Home Edition and retail versions of XP
Professional will not activate a corporate or OEM version of XP
Professional. The algorithms are different.
* If you do not have a valid installation key for Windows XP, DO NOT
e-mail us asking for a key, keygen or a crack.
Scripting the process
Microsoft has provided sample scripts for remotely updating the Product ID
on multiple machines in KB Article Q328874.
---Troth
-----Original Message-----
From: pctechtalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:pctechtalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Joyce
Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2005 10:34 AM
To: pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: -=PCTechTalk=- Re: Windows XP
Sir Troth--I have copied off the Word Document on How to change the Windows
XP Product Activation Key Code. There seems to be a sentence or two missing
between the first and second page. First page ends with "Click the Backup
tab, then in". The second page starts with "Click to select the check box
for any drive, folder, or file that you want to back up, select the System
State."
My question is: Is there critical information missing?
Joyce
----- Original Message -----
From: <CINDRA4@xxxxxxx>
To: <pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, August 23, 2005 7:36 PM
Subject: -=PCTechTalk=- Re: Windows XP
> It sounds like this is what I need to do with my parents XP Computer
> problem.
> I think I have my legal cd of Windows 98 and then I can buy a XP Pro
> upgrade?
> And then do I just need to put in the legal key code per Sirtroths dl
> instructions?
> Cindy
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