Shotgun Posted December 12, 2004 Share Posted December 12, 2004 I have a series of computers that may need to be reinstalled (WinXP Pro), because some funny guy put a Linux CD and trashed the partition tables (btw: the buster was identified and suspended from the school)The XP Repair process did not help a bit, neither some commercial tools we have. Since they are public computers, there is no backup for those PCs. The thing is that I have the Licence Keys for XP Pro, but some of the computers used MSVLK, others had OEM keys and yet others had Retail Keys. Don't ask me why so many different key types, when I got this job, the computers were already installed that way. I have a UXPCD, but it's made to accept only VLK keys. The thing is... I have NO IDEA how to identify the keys between VLK, OEM and Retail keys.. The previous admin had them listed in an Excel file, but did not distinguish which between them. The file has only the license numbers (about 30) but does not say anywhere if the key is for VLK, OEM or Retail. How do I identify which type is each key? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mchart Posted December 12, 2004 Share Posted December 12, 2004 Well I can tell you from the get-go that OEM keys look like xxxxx-OEM-xxxxxxx-xxxxx that. As for the others, I have no clue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ge0ph Posted December 12, 2004 Share Posted December 12, 2004 Well I can tell you from the get-go that OEM keys look like xxxxx-OEM-xxxxxxx-xxxxx that.Not with XP they don't. As far as the OP, I don't know how to tell from just the key. If you have a key for each machine and proof that you have a unique key for the amount of machines you have just load the VLK keys on all the machines. Or you could just call Microsoft and see if they can help sort it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mchart Posted December 12, 2004 Share Posted December 12, 2004 Well I can tell you from the get-go that OEM keys look like xxxxx-OEM-xxxxxxx-xxxxx that.Not with XP they don't. As far as the OP, I don't know how to tell from just the key. If you have a key for each machine and proof that you have a unique key for the amount of machines you have just load the VLK keys on all the machines. Or you could just call Microsoft and see if they can help sort it out. ..How is that when I am sitting right here right now with a OEM version of WinXP Pro, and my key looks like that. I guess Ill state the obvious the X's = the numbers of what make up the rest of the key.. It still doesnt matter though, because the OEM part is a dead give away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prathapml Posted December 12, 2004 Share Posted December 12, 2004 @MchartYou are referring to the PID that is seen in System Properties. Shotgun is referring to the actual key instead.@ShotgunIt can be worked out. Check your PM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotjong Posted December 12, 2004 Share Posted December 12, 2004 ..How is that when I am sitting right here right now with a OEM version of WinXP Pro, and my key looks like that. I guess Ill state the obvious the X's = the numbers of what make up the rest of the key.. It still doesnt matter though, because the OEM part is a dead give away.You are talking about two different things. The XP key that you input upon install doesn't have the xxxxx-OEM-xxxxxxx-xxxxx format. The key uses the XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX format.What you are referring to is when you look under System properties after Windows XP is installed. Which since the systems are currently thrashed doesn't help solve the issue of differentiating between types of licenses.rotjong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leedogg Posted December 12, 2004 Share Posted December 12, 2004 WinKeyFinder:http://www.softpedia.com/get/Security/Decr...KeyFinder.shtml Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shotgun Posted December 13, 2004 Author Share Posted December 13, 2004 @Mchart: VLK does not work that way. I can install the VLK only if I PAY additional licenses for the PCs where it is going to be installed. We paid for 50 licenses (1 license per PC), and we already have that quantity installed. To install on further PCs would violate the agreement. Since some of the PCs were adquired from other institutions, and some were transferred from other offices (not covered under the current VLK agreement) we just can't substitute the OEM and Retail versions with the VLK version, without first buying the VLK client licences for those PCs. @leedogg: Nice proggie but as rotjong said, the systems are trashed (they do not boot up). @prathapml: I'll try what you PM me. Thanks!I have what key corresponds to which system, so it's just a matter of identifying the type (VLK, OEM, Retail) so that I can change the SETUPP.INI file in the UCD so that I can reinstall each system to the type of key that each PC is supposed to have. We may have an audit in a few months, so the PCs MUST have the exact type (and key) that was installed and reported on the last audit.It would be very time-consuming to try to install the VLK UCD and find out after the text-install part that the key for that particular system is NOT a VLK but an OEM one. I just want to identify what type beforehand so that I can prepare 3 CDs for each type, then re-install XP pro on each PC without having to wait 10-20 minutes for each PC to find out I used the wrong key type for that PC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mchart Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 And this is all because some kid stuck a linux disc in every system? Christ he should be whipped, then possibly sold as a sex slave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astalavista Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 WHY did he do that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mchart Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 Because since hacking is "cool" and the only form of hacking kids know how to do is just destroying things by inserting something which someone else programmed, they do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cartoonite Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 Because since hacking is "cool" and the only form of hacking kids know how to do is just destroying things by inserting something which someone else programmed, they do it.That doesn't even qualify as hacking. By that definition I could claim to have "hacked" my home system just because I clicked a link that i knew would install a virus. I was having discussion about this the other day with my friend's wife. I was over at his place helping him reformat and reinstall Windows because he'd managed to get his system completely hijacked. His wife, who isn't much for computers, was asking me to explain why someone would want to create a virus.I really had no answer for her. The best I could come up with was, "For the same reason that the big kid likes to beat up the little kid in the school yard; 'Because I can!'"The wanton ignorance of some people really ticks me off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zxian Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 "For the same reason that the big kid likes to beat up the little kid in the school yard; 'Because I can!'"The wanton ignorance of some people really ticks me off. I'll have to wholeheartedly agree with this. I truly can't understand why people write viruses and trojans to spread out onto the world. The person/people who have made the blaster worm have caused so much havoc that I'd consider thier actions just as bad of a crime as walking in and trashing every single deparment store in every mall in the world.If I were to ever find someone who was writing viruses... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oftentired Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 Kids don't need a why other than that they were curious. Of course he could have been really angry too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lvlolvlo Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 @ShotgunQuick question there buddy, after you fig out which key is for what sys, how do/will you install them, b/c the retail key's AFAIK work with retail cd's. i'm assuming you have the retail cd's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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