How to Change the COA Licence on a Cloned Machine

[stevems@stevems.com]

Our company has spent 30 or 40 hours configuring a very large server
running XP Pro. We now realize that we need an identical server (both
hardware and software) for another facility. We would very much like to
capitalize on the hours of customization already performed on the 1st
server, and avoid having to setup the machine from scratch.

We'll like to use "Norton: Ghost" or "PowerQuest: Drive Image" to clone
the system drive and copy it onto the 2nd server - but we don't know how
to change the COA License on the 2nd machine to a newly purchased
version of XP Pro (obtained specifically for the 2nd server) - that will
certify the 2nd machine as a valid and updatable version of Windows.

Can someone please shed light on this process for us. Thank you very much.

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

See if this helps:

How to Change the Product ID in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=321636

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Win98 Help - www.rickrogers.org

" > wrote in message
...
> Our company has spent 30 or 40 hours configuring a very large server
> running XP Pro. We now realize that we need an identical server (both
> hardware and software) for another facility. We would very much like to
> capitalize on the hours of customization already performed on the 1st
> server, and avoid having to setup the machine from scratch.
>
> We'll like to use "Norton: Ghost" or "PowerQuest: Drive Image" to clone
> the system drive and copy it onto the 2nd server - but we don't know how
> to change the COA License on the 2nd machine to a newly purchased
> version of XP Pro (obtained specifically for the 2nd server) - that will
> certify the 2nd machine as a valid and updatable version of Windows.
>
> Can someone please shed light on this process for us. Thank you very much.
>
>

[Dell]

Run Sysprep, clone the drive, and you'll be asked for a new COA and it will
also create a new SID for the new system (Very important if you're running
or will later run active directory on your network.)

" > wrote in message
...
> Our company has spent 30 or 40 hours configuring a very large server
> running XP Pro. We now realize that we need an identical server (both
> hardware and software) for another facility. We would very much like to
> capitalize on the hours of customization already performed on the 1st
> server, and avoid having to setup the machine from scratch.
>
> We'll like to use "Norton: Ghost" or "PowerQuest: Drive Image" to clone
> the system drive and copy it onto the 2nd server - but we don't know how
> to change the COA License on the 2nd machine to a newly purchased
> version of XP Pro (obtained specifically for the 2nd server) - that will
> certify the 2nd machine as a valid and updatable version of Windows.
>
> Can someone please shed light on this process for us. Thank you very much.
>
>

[Alex Nichol]

wrote:

>
>We'll like to use "Norton: Ghost" or "PowerQuest: Drive Image" to clone
>the system drive and copy it onto the 2nd server - but we don't know how
>to change the COA License on the 2nd machine to a newly purchased
>version of XP Pro (obtained specifically for the 2nd server) - that will
>certify the 2nd machine as a valid and updatable version of Windows.

Do this all before activating if you can, so as still to be in normal
boot. Then on the second machine go to
Start - All Programs - Accessories - System Tools - Activate Windows
and take the option to activate by phone. Before dialling there is an
option to change the Product Key. Do so, enter the new key, accept and
then exit without actually phoning. If you are still in the 30 days you
will then be able to run that again and activate it on the net,
otherwise you will have to do all that in Safe mode and the final
activation by phoning in for real.

--
Alex Nichol MS MVP (Windows Technologies)
Bournemouth, U.K. (remove the D8 bit)