Does it work to give other people your product keys?
Moderator: Thanas
Does it work to give other people your product keys?
My friend is in trouble because his key no longer works after he custom built his computer, and he's asking to use mine. According to Wikipedia and my experience in the area, this will not work. However, he assures me it will. Pardon my lack of knowledge, but is giving a Windows XP code over to someone a valid idea? Everything seems to be pointing to no, but since he's a fairly dire pinch with this I figured it was better just to get a flat answer.
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It may or may not work. Each different type of Win XP requires a different type of key, a XP Pro OEM key will not work with a XP Pro retail CD. XP Home keys will not work with any version of XP Pro. Neither Pro nor Home will work with MCE.
Beyond that, if you do have a key compatible with his CD, there's the odd chance it might get the key picked up a pirated (though unlikely, MS probably only gives a shit once you have more than a few of a given key installed).
If he can manage to get his old computer to boot up, there's multiple programs available which will pull the CD-Key out of the registry, so that you can use it again when you reinstall.
Beyond that, if you do have a key compatible with his CD, there's the odd chance it might get the key picked up a pirated (though unlikely, MS probably only gives a shit once you have more than a few of a given key installed).
If he can manage to get his old computer to boot up, there's multiple programs available which will pull the CD-Key out of the registry, so that you can use it again when you reinstall.
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lPeregrine
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Just a warning here: do this too many times and they WILL block your key from being registered (requiring a reinstall/reformat every 30 days). At least that's what happened to me with XP home, I had it on my main computer for a while, upgraded to pro, and later used the old copy when my laptop had drive failures and to temporarily fix a friend's computer. But after a while of that, it decided I'd installed it on too many computers and locked out the key. No real loss since I had another copy, but I'd be very careful about who you give it to if this is your only windows copy.
I've heard it doesn't happen with XP pro though, so it might not make a difference, if that's the version you have.
I've heard it doesn't happen with XP pro though, so it might not make a difference, if that's the version you have.
Bad, bad idea, especially now with MS cracking down with shit like WGA.
Frankly, it's a good way to get your key blacklisted.
Something else to consider is that if your machine is from one of the big boys such as Dell, Gateway, HP, etc, the cd key is recorded at MS as being issued to that maker.
In other words, using the key from your Dell to install XP on a homebuilt machine will sort of work in that if his CD is an OEM version, the CD will accept your key and install XP.
However when you try and activate it, you will get a message stating that the manufacturer of your machine does not match the one that the CD key was issued to and fail activation.
If your friend tried to use an OEM XP disc and key that came with a prebuilt machine like a Dell or HP, the above is probably exactly what happened to him.
Frankly, it's a good way to get your key blacklisted.
Something else to consider is that if your machine is from one of the big boys such as Dell, Gateway, HP, etc, the cd key is recorded at MS as being issued to that maker.
In other words, using the key from your Dell to install XP on a homebuilt machine will sort of work in that if his CD is an OEM version, the CD will accept your key and install XP.
However when you try and activate it, you will get a message stating that the manufacturer of your machine does not match the one that the CD key was issued to and fail activation.
If your friend tried to use an OEM XP disc and key that came with a prebuilt machine like a Dell or HP, the above is probably exactly what happened to him.
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