MSDN - MSDN versions of XP and product keys

Author

MSDN versions of XP and product keys

Rob Nicholson

2004-11-20, 8:55 am

Are the versions of Windows XP on MSDN the same as the retail versions? It's
just that I'm having trouble entering retail product keys.

I'm trying to help a friend out (honestly!) who has managed to collect a
lovely stack of virus on her Windows XP Pro PC. It's running, sort of, but
weird things keep failing. I've manage to clean out most of the virus (one
of them shut down task manager & Norton AV) but there's still something
amiss. So I'm considering rebuilding it.

The PC is of unknown lineage - more importantly it doesn't have the product
key sticker on the side and neither do they any of the original CDs. I think
it's a hand-me-down from a family member which often happens.

I've found a free tool called Keyfinder which displays the product key so
I've made a careful note of that.

I'm now building a test Windows XP install using the MSDN copy of Windows XP
Professional under VMware. But it's not accepting the product key displayed
on her PC. More importantly, it doesn't accept a handful of retail keys I've
tried from PCs at work.

So is the MSDN copy of Windows XP Professional somehow locked to only allow
MSDN product keys (which work perfectly).

Thanks, Rob.

Dieter Krosch

2004-11-20, 3:55 pm

Rob Nicholson wrote:
> Are the versions of Windows XP on MSDN the same as the retail
> versions? It's just that I'm having trouble entering retail product
> keys.
>
I don't think, that both are the same.
Because with MSDN you can activate XP on 10 different computers,
which is not possible with a default retail key.

Dieter
--
Please only respond to the newsgroup

Rob Nicholson

2004-11-20, 3:55 pm

> So is the MSDN copy of Windows XP Professional somehow locked to only
allow
> MSDN product keys (which work perfectly).

More strange - just tried a Windows XP Professional from a Dell PC and that
doesn't prompt for a product code at all. So I guess that's encoded into the
CD installation as a Dell PC. So is this is a shared product code that can
be activated multiple times?

Very

:-) But then again, I always am with licensing!

Cheers, Rob.

Jupiter Jones [MVP]

2004-11-21, 3:57 am

Rob;
The Dell CD is licensed for the original computer only.
It can be installed an unlimited number of times on that computer.
Similar to retail except retail can be installed and activated an
unlimited number of times on any computer as long as it is only
installed on one computer at a time.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/

"Rob Nicholson" <informed@community.nospam> wrote in message > More
strange - just tried a Windows XP Professional from a Dell PC and that
> doesn't prompt for a product code at all. So I guess that's encoded
> into the
> CD installation as a Dell PC. So is this is a shared product code
> that can
> be activated multiple times?
>
> Very

:-) But then again, I always am with licensing!
>
> Cheers, Rob.
>
>

Mike Brannigan [MSFT]

2004-11-21, 3:57 am

"Rob Nicholson" <informed@community.nospam> wrote in message
news:ONlubXvzEHA.2600@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> Are the versions of Windows XP on MSDN the same as the retail versions?
> It's
> just that I'm having trouble entering retail product keys.
>
> I'm trying to help a friend out (honestly!) who has managed to collect a
> lovely stack of virus on her Windows XP Pro PC. It's running, sort of, but
> weird things keep failing. I've manage to clean out most of the virus (one
> of them shut down task manager & Norton AV) but there's still something
> amiss. So I'm considering rebuilding it.
>
> The PC is of unknown lineage - more importantly it doesn't have the
> product
> key sticker on the side and neither do they any of the original CDs. I
> think
> it's a hand-me-down from a family member which often happens.
>
> I've found a free tool called Keyfinder which displays the product key so
> I've made a careful note of that.
>
> I'm now building a test Windows XP install using the MSDN copy of Windows
> XP
> Professional under VMware. But it's not accepting the product key
> displayed
> on her PC. More importantly, it doesn't accept a handful of retail keys
> I've
> tried from PCs at work.
>
> So is the MSDN copy of Windows XP Professional somehow locked to only
> allow
> MSDN product keys (which work perfectly).
>

Your friends retail product key will not work with an MSDN version of the
software.
Remember that the MSDN copies are for development and testing so you should
not be using them on a production machines.
Why are you trying to set up a VM using your friends key ?

You should reinstall their PC using the media they were supplied with and
the key that came with this media.
Also if the PC has OEM CDs in and you do not have the product key on the
certificate of authenticity that comes with these OEM CDs then it is
possible that your key finder program has found the factory key use by that
OEM (if this was a preinstalled with XP system) and this too will not
install with your MSDN media.

--

Regards,

Mike
--
Mike Brannigan [Microsoft]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights

Please note I cannot respond to e-mailed questions, please use these
newsgroups

"Rob Nicholson" <informed@community.nospam> wrote in message
news:ONlubXvzEHA.2600@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> Are the versions of Windows XP on MSDN the same as the retail versions?
> It's
> just that I'm having trouble entering retail product keys.
>
> I'm trying to help a friend out (honestly!) who has managed to collect a
> lovely stack of virus on her Windows XP Pro PC. It's running, sort of, but
> weird things keep failing. I've manage to clean out most of the virus (one
> of them shut down task manager & Norton AV) but there's still something
> amiss. So I'm considering rebuilding it.
>
> The PC is of unknown lineage - more importantly it doesn't have the
> product
> key sticker on the side and neither do they any of the original CDs. I
> think
> it's a hand-me-down from a family member which often happens.
>
> I've found a free tool called Keyfinder which displays the product key so
> I've made a careful note of that.
>
> I'm now building a test Windows XP install using the MSDN copy of Windows
> XP
> Professional under VMware. But it's not accepting the product key
> displayed
> on her PC. More importantly, it doesn't accept a handful of retail keys
> I've
> tried from PCs at work.
>
> So is the MSDN copy of Windows XP Professional somehow locked to only
> allow
> MSDN product keys (which work perfectly).
>
> Thanks, Rob.
>
>

Rob Nicholson

2004-11-22, 8:56 pm

> Why are you trying to set up a VM using your friends key ?

Because I don't want to rebuild her PC yet - I've still to transfer the data
off the hard disk before rebuild. I was still attempting to get rid of the
viruses on there but slowly giving up as they've infected some key system
files.

Using a VM machine is the quickest way to verify I've got a copy of Windows
XP that can be used the with product key on the existing PC. I can try a
quick install from an ISO image instead of having to keep trying from
CD-ROM.

> You should reinstall their PC using the media they were supplied with and
> the key that came with this media.

That's the rub - this is a hand-me-down PC and those have been lost long
ago.

I now suspect that this PC was originally built with what I know have learnt
is a Windows XP Pro Corporate Edition product code which means she'll have
to buy another copy of Windows XP retail.

Cheers, Rob.

Mike Brannigan [MSFT]

2004-11-23, 8:55 am

Thanks for the clarification Rob.
And it does sound like she does not have a valid license for Windows XP and
you are indeed correct that she will have to purchase a full retail copy for
this machine.

--

Regards,

Mike
--
Mike Brannigan [Microsoft]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights

Please note I cannot respond to e-mailed questions, please use these
newsgroups

"Rob Nicholson" <informed@community.nospam> wrote in message
news:%23pJ17LO0EHA.3072@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
>
> Because I don't want to rebuild her PC yet - I've still to transfer the
> data
> off the hard disk before rebuild. I was still attempting to get rid of the
> viruses on there but slowly giving up as they've infected some key system
> files.
>
> Using a VM machine is the quickest way to verify I've got a copy of
> Windows
> XP that can be used the with product key on the existing PC. I can try a
> quick install from an ISO image instead of having to keep trying from
> CD-ROM.
>
>
> That's the rub - this is a hand-me-down PC and those have been lost long
> ago.
>
> I now suspect that this PC was originally built with what I know have
> learnt
> is a Windows XP Pro Corporate Edition product code which means she'll have
> to buy another copy of Windows XP retail.
>
> Cheers, Rob.
>
>

Ray Perkinson

2004-12-07, 4:00 am

It looks to me like her key is for a volume license. Volume license keys do
not work with retail media from MSDN or retail outlets - or so the MSDN site
says....

"Mike Brannigan [MSFT]" <mikebran@online.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:ucEArLU0EHA.3120@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Thanks for the clarification Rob.
> And it does sound like she does not have a valid license for Windows XP
> and you are indeed correct that she will have to purchase a full retail
> copy for this machine.
>
> --
>
> Regards,
>
> Mike
> --
> Mike Brannigan [Microsoft]
>
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights
>
> Please note I cannot respond to e-mailed questions, please use these
> newsgroups
>
> "Rob Nicholson" <informed@community.nospam> wrote in message
> news:%23pJ17LO0EHA.3072@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
>
>

Rob Nicholson

2004-12-10, 3:56 pm

> It looks to me like her key is for a volume license. Volume license keys
do
> not work with retail media from MSDN or retail outlets - or so the MSDN
site
> says....

Yes it was - I, cough, found a tool that tests keys and when I passed her
key through the "Is this a legal Windows XP Corporate key" check, it passed.

Cheers, Rob.

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