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Can 64 bit windows be activated with a 32 bit activation code?


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I have roughly 50 32 bit XP activation codes and just added 2 more gigs of ram to my system and was hoping to use the 64 bit version of XP until Win7 is released. Is it possible to use one of my 32 bit codes to activate a 64 bit version?

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I have roughly 50 32 bit XP activation codes and just added 2 more gigs of ram to my system and was hoping to use the 64 bit version of XP until Win7 is released. Is it possible to use one of my 32 bit codes to activate a 64 bit version?

50 32-bit XP activation codes or product keys? Either way, how did you even get a hold of that many? :blink:

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Product keys. And I got so many because a comapny I was working for was disposing of their older PCs. Each PC had a product key sticker on it but it was never used because they had a corporate lisence and they imaged hard drives then installed them. So as I was chucking PCs into the dumpster I took a razor knife to the product key stickers and held onto them. Never know when you're going to need to activate 100 copies of XP!

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Nope.

Windows XP Pro x86 and x64 use different keys, not interchangeable.

Same story for Windows Server 2003 - Vista was the first version to have a "SKU-based" product key that works for any platform.

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Product keys. And I got so many because a comapny I was working for was disposing of their older PCs. Each PC had a product key sticker on it but it was never used because they had a corporate lisence and they imaged hard drives then installed them. So as I was chucking PCs into the dumpster I took a razor knife to the product key stickers and held onto them. Never know when you're going to need to activate 100 copies of XP!
Note that those are very likely OEM product keys, and using an OEM copy of XP on a machine that it didn't ship with is technically a violation of the EULA. Not sure Microsoft would do anything for 50 licenses, but it is technically an OEM license, and only (only) supposed to ever be used and activated on the machine it shipped with.
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Windows XP Pro x86 and x64 use different keys, not interchangeable.

That is what I figured, but was hoping otherwise. Thanks for the info Snrub.

Note that those are very likely OEM product keys, and using an OEM copy of XP on a machine that it didn't ship with is technically a violation of the EULA. Not sure Microsoft would do anything for 50 licenses, but it is technically an OEM license, and only (only) supposed to ever be used and activated on the machine it shipped with.

They appear idential to the ones I got from the copies I've purchased and different from the ones that I know came as OEM. Also all the OEM ones I have dealt with are good for only one activation, these are all good for 2. I know I could be wrong and I highly doubt I'll ever use all of them. I have 10 I keep in my survival DVD binder (all the programs I keep with me to fix computers when I go to a friend/family's house) and haven't even put a dent in them.

Almost all of the OEM keys I've used have not worked when not used on the mother board they were intended. I also have never sold one.

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  • 1 year later...

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