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