Find My OEM licence

[Helenp1983]

Hi,

I have mostly HP desktop's, all XP PRo OEM.
I'm doing an asset register ( manually -no invertory software)

When i use Magice Jelly bean key finder or Belarc advisor i get a key that is differnet from the sticker on the box.

This is on new HP desktops, that i know hasn't been re-installed, they are being shipped like this.

Which code is key is correct? and legal?

When i do re-install i am not prompted for a key so i assume that the key in the software is correct?

My CD's are messed -up the key isn't on the resotre disc's is it?

 

[erikhertzel]

The one on your box is probably the legal one. When XP was installed on the HP machine, it was proabably installed via HP XP CD's which would have generated the one on the machine. These keys are being put on and are legal since they are preinstalled by HP, Dell, Gateway, etc...

Regards.

Erik

 

[PRPhx]

Hmm. It would be interesting to track both the key on the box and the one you find with Belarc, esp. if you have a large number of pc's. Wonder if the stickers may have gotten messed up somehow. Or the keys enter wrong.

 

[Helenp1983]

If that is so it is HP that have swapped the key's, most of these machines are new.

I cannot garentee that with the olders machines i have only just joinned the company.

My reseller tells me this is normal, i can't see why it would be, i have never heard of this and can see nothing on the internet about it

 

[erikhertzel]

Check this article on the Internet about this exact subject:

http://www.fadgi.com/XP-Activation-Again-1148990.html

Hopefully, this will shed some light on the situation.

Best regards.

Erik

 

[linney]

XP OEM product key weirdness

http://www.devhardware.com/forums/archive/t-19628/XP-OEM-product-key-weirdness

 

[Helenp1983]

To get the computurs out the door Dell probably clones whole drives. The orginal drive probably had XP installed from a special OEM version that required no activation from Microsoft. This is fine from their end but you still need your own license. This is where the supplied CD comes in. If you ever have to reinstall you will need to use the KEY on the CD. After all that is the only key given to you by DELL. The other key is for DELL's own internal use and is no good without the special OEM CD."

Ok.... so what is the sticker on the box for? seems like i'll never enter it.

I have lot of machines the same i don't keep every OEM CD.

So if the code is on OEM CD ( in the software not entered)
Am i then not legal???

I already have duplicate codes that have been shipped that way.

 

[Helenp1983]

All of my HP machines have the same licence (magic jelly bean key finder) So all of my resotre CD's must have the same key on them. so i don't have to match correct restore CD's to correct machines. This one key is HP's key not mine. My key is the sticker keys

 

[erikhertzel]

That is correct.

 

[piracydontsux]

most hp keys are on a bios chip on the mother board! if the mb goes down you cant use the recover cd that came with the notebook/pc as the oem code will be different. the computers might have 1 serial no but a multiple licence so all will have the same no