silicon pop culture!

So I formatted my TR, but since I didn’t have the recovery CD, so I used my friends Windows XP Corporate Edition and as soon as the windows was installed, I changed the Product Key.  First time it worked (I can windows update my TR), but then somehow the boot time took 30 minutes and I couldn’t figure out why.  So I reformatted again using the same procedure. 

But this 2nd time, the boot time is perfect, but I couldn’t change the Product Key since the Product Key on the back of the PC has already been activated the first time described above.

So now I am stuck with my friend Product Key and can’t Windows Update.  So I want to change his Product Key to my Product Key.

Can someone help me do that?

I want to make sure I understand this. You used your TR serial key with your friend’s XP Corporate CD?

I am surprised it worked because OEM OSs and RETAIL OSs don’t allow use of the opposite key that is given, meaning you typically can’t use the serial off your laptop if someone gives you a retail bought XP OS.

There are little utilities that can change keys and LOTS of tutorials online. Here is one I found simply typing “change XP key” - first result:

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/productkeysactivation/ht/changexpkey.htm

Finally, this is exactly why I started a thread about my recovery CD idea:

http://www.siliconpopculture.com/forum/viewthread/7274/

I already tried that method and it didn’t work.

To answer your question, yes, i can change my product key from a friend product key (corp ed) to the oem product key (as long as the oem product key HAS NOT been activated).  I did it via the KeyUpdateTool.exe.

If it has been activated (like my 2nd trial), then you are out of luck.

There is a program to do it, it’s called KeyUpdateTool.exe from Microsoft

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=50346&clcid=0x409

gameson - 26 July 2007 10:09 PM

from a friend product key (corp ed) to the oem product key

OK that makes sense. I thought you had used the key on the bottom of your laptop with a store bought OS.

Can you call Microsoft themselves to have it activated?