TIPS & TRICKS: Changing Windows XP Product Key

windows.about.com: Changing Windows XP Product Key

At my day job, we're imaging a bunch of new machines that have consumer-level product keys for Windows XP. Since we don't want the end user to have problems with the new Microsoft Genuine Advantage checks on the Windows Update site, we want to make sure that the machine has the correct product key. Here's the gist of what needs to be done:

Start by changing one of the values of the Registry Key specified below to any number 0-9 or character A-F. Changing any character will do - it doesn't matter which one you change or what you change it to.

Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Key: Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\WPAEvents
Name: ODBETimer
Data Type: REG_BINARY
Value: just change one of the entries as mentioned above

What this will do is deactivate the copy of Windows. Now click Start, Run, and copy the following into the Run box:

%systemroot%\system32\oobe\msoobe /a

This launches the Product Activation Wizard. From there you can choose an option such as calling a Microsoft representative, and select the Change Product Key option. Enter your new product key, Update and close the Wizard and reboot (you may have to select Remind Me Later if the Wizard pops up again). When you reboot, follow the normal activation process which should work if you've entered a valid product key.

And, for the really efficient, here's a link to an executable that makes this process more manageable...

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download2745.html

TIPS & TRICKS: Extra line spaces in my signatures (Outlook)

office.microsoft.com: Stop putting extra line spaces in my signatures

If you've ever sent out email with a signature in Outlook and you end up seeing all the extra spaces between each line of your signature and you don't want it there. I've found you a solution. Here's the meat of the website above:

If your signature is double line spaced and you want it single line spaced, do the following:
* On the Tools menu, click Options.
* Click the Mail Format tab.
* Click Signatures.
* In the Signature box, select the signature that you want to modify, and then click Edit.
* Place the insertion point after the last character in the line.
* Press DELETE, and then press SHIFT ENTER.
* Repeat Steps 5 and 6 for each line of text.
* When you have finished with all lines, click OK three times.