XP PID and UPDATE, Please Help

Hello and thanks for reading,

Dell Vostro 1000 Laptop / XP SP2 Home

After JUST rebuilding my entire laptop system from scratch (thanks to
a rootkit, I had to wipe/reformat/reinstall the OS), I did something
stupid and disabled Userinit.exe from running, which meant the shell
wouldn't load at boot.

After trying many things (using my desktop to research, making
PEBuilder, etc...) I decided a repair using the XP CD was my only
hope. Only the Dell OEM CD that came with the laptop kept turning the
boot process over to the system as soon as it detected Windows was
installed. ARGH! It would not boot from the CD no matter what I tried.
(I was looking for that EGA DOS-style screen that asks if I want to
boot to Recovery Console or install a new Windows OS... and if you
choose the latter you get to a screen where it will allow you to
install over the last one to repair it.)

So again I get online with the desktop and find out that OEM CDs are
not like genuine MS CDs, and the OEM CD won't do anything for me but
boot me into my bad OS wth no shell, no mouse, no toolbars, no
keyboard, no way to fix the problem.

So I booted from my genuine XP CD which I bought off the shelf a few
years back when I built my desktop. (Luckily I had all the Dell
drivers backed up on a separate drive.) Okay, fine. So I install
Windows XP SP2 Home, and it comes time to enter the Product ID#. So I
dig out my Dell OEM XP CD and enter THAT number, cause that's the CD
that belongs on the Dell, and the genuine XP CD is installed on my
laptop. Only the laptop won't accept the Dell PID. It will only accept
the genuine MS XP CD PID. So NOW both my laptop and desktop have the
same PID, and I'm afraid if I use Windows Update service to install
much-needed updates, it will associate the PID with the laptop... then
when I try to update the desktop later, the MS database will already
have that PID associated with the hardware on my laptop, and it will
look like I pirated it.

So my uestion is, is there any way I can manually change the PID on
the laptop to the Dell PID?

Thanks much.


was screwed. I used my desktop to investigate what I could do to get
userinit.exe loaded again.... used PEBuilder to access the NTFS
partitions, etc. but in the end what I needed to do was a repair with
the XP CD.

I'm answering my own post to correct this:

Okay, fine. So I install
Windows XP SP2 Home, and it comes time to enter the Product ID#. So I
dig out my Dell OEM XP CD and enter THAT number, cause that's the CD
that belongs on the Dell, and the genuine XP CD is installed on my
laptop.

That's supposed to read DESKTOP. The genuine XP CD is installed on my
desktop, and the OEM CD belongs on the laptop.

There is an option on the "Phone a Microsoft rep" page of Activation to
change the installation key.

Or:
http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/sel...tructions.aspx

"What Now" wrote:

Hello and thanks for reading,

Dell Vostro 1000 Laptop / XP SP2 Home

After JUST rebuilding my entire laptop system from scratch (thanks to
a rootkit, I had to wipe/reformat/reinstall the OS), I did something
stupid and disabled Userinit.exe from running, which meant the shell
wouldn't load at boot.

After trying many things (using my desktop to research, making
PEBuilder, etc...) I decided a repair using the XP CD was my only
hope. Only the Dell OEM CD that came with the laptop kept turning the
boot process over to the system as soon as it detected Windows was
installed. ARGH! It would not boot from the CD no matter what I tried.
(I was looking for that EGA DOS-style screen that asks if I want to
boot to Recovery Console or install a new Windows OS... and if you
choose the latter you get to a screen where it will allow you to
install over the last one to repair it.)

So again I get online with the desktop and find out that OEM CDs are
not like genuine MS CDs, and the OEM CD won't do anything for me but
boot me into my bad OS wth no shell, no mouse, no toolbars, no
keyboard, no way to fix the problem.

So I booted from my genuine XP CD which I bought off the shelf a few
years back when I built my desktop. (Luckily I had all the Dell
drivers backed up on a separate drive.) Okay, fine. So I install
Windows XP SP2 Home, and it comes time to enter the Product ID#. So I
dig out my Dell OEM XP CD and enter THAT number, cause that's the CD
that belongs on the Dell, and the genuine XP CD is installed on my
laptop. Only the laptop won't accept the Dell PID. It will only accept
the genuine MS XP CD PID. So NOW both my laptop and desktop have the
same PID, and I'm afraid if I use Windows Update service to install
much-needed updates, it will associate the PID with the laptop... then
when I try to update the desktop later, the MS database will already
have that PID associated with the hardware on my laptop, and it will
look like I pirated it.

So my uestion is, is there any way I can manually change the PID on
the laptop to the Dell PID?

Thanks much.


was screwed. I used my desktop to investigate what I could do to get
userinit.exe loaded again.... used PEBuilder to access the NTFS
partitions, etc. but in the end what I needed to do was a repair with
the XP CD.

I've been reading online and it's the Product Key I'm trying to change
(not PID). I tried this method:

1. Run regedit and go to:
HKey_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\Cu rrent
Version\WPAEvents, on the right double click on "oobetimer" and change
at least one digit of this value to deactivate windows.

2. Choose run from start menu and type in this command:
%systemroot%\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe /a to get the activation screen
and go to the second option which is activate by phone.

3. In the new screen choose the option to change product key, and type
in the new product key...

....but it doesn't work b/c the fields that come up to enter the new
poduct key won't take the OEM key.

"What Now" wrote:

I've been reading online and it's the Product Key I'm trying to change
(not PID). I tried this method:

1. Run regedit and go to:
HKey_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\Cu rrent
Version\WPAEvents, on the right double click on "oobetimer" and change
at least one digit of this value to deactivate windows.

2. Choose run from start menu and type in this command:
%systemroot%\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe /a to get the activation screen
and go to the second option which is activate by phone.

3. In the new screen choose the option to change product key, and type
in the new product key...

....but it doesn't work b/c the fields that come up to enter the new
poduct key won't take the OEM key.

Go into the BIOS and change the boot order to boot first from CD, then use
your Dell reinstallation CD to boot and reinstall Windows.

On Mon, 15 Dec 2008 11:14:09 -0800, Mark Adams
wrote:

Go into the BIOS and change the boot order to boot first from CD, then use
your Dell reinstallation CD to boot and reinstall Windows.

Thanks, but that's the first thing I tried. As soon as the OEM detects
a version of Windows is installed, it turns the process over to
Windows. Then it says it cannot "upgrade" the current Windows
installation [because OEM CDs apparently don't let you do that]. And
it's not even an upgrade; they're both XP SP2 Home.... just that the
OEM is a newer CD than the MS CD, so maybe it has more hotfixes
incorporated or whatever, I don't know. I know it has Dell drivers
incorporated, but I installed those myself manually after installing
with the retail MS CD.

When MS charges people to buy machines that come with an OS, they
should provide a CD that will work in ALL situations, meaning it
should have the same features as a retail MS CD. :-/

FTR, I also tried RockXP4, XPPID.exe, and Magic Jelly Bean Keyfinder.
None will work in this situation. Looks like XP has a built-in
mechanism to keep someone from changing a genuine XPCD install to an
OEM XP install... even though both product keys are completely
legitimate.

On Dec 15, 7:40*pm, What Now wrote:
On Mon, 15 Dec 2008 11:14:09 -0800, Mark Adams

wrote:
Go into the BIOS and change the boot order to boot first from CD, then use
your Dell reinstallation CD to boot and reinstall Windows.

Thanks, but that's the first thing I tried. As soon as the OEM detects
a version of Windows is installed, it turns the process over to
Windows. Then it says it cannot "upgrade" the current Windows
installation [because OEM CDs apparently don't let you do that]. And
it's not even an upgrade; they're both XP SP2 Home.... just that the
OEM is a newer CD than the MS CD, so maybe it has more hotfixes
incorporated or whatever, I don't know. I know it has Dell drivers
incorporated, but I installed those myself manually after installing
with the retail MS CD.

When MS charges people to buy machines that come with an OS, they
should provide a CD that will work in ALL situations, meaning it
should have the same features as a retail MS CD. *:-/

Your system needs to boot off the CD in order to install the OEM
version. There would usually be "Press any key to boot from CD...."
If Windows starts up, you will get the message you are getting.


You re-installed from a retail CD, you OEM key will never be
accepted. OEM key will only be accepted by an OEM CD, or recovery
system.

OEM versions are sold with the support provided by the company whom
made the PC. OEM versions are generally exactly the same as the
retail versions but the company who made the PC (Dell) has the right
to make custom changes to the install process.

As for Del recovery system, these would erase the installed version of
XP and place back the exact version that was installed on the hard
drive at the time the PC left the factory.

On Mon, 15 Dec 2008 11:57:37 -0800 (PST), smlunatick
wrote:

Your system needs to boot off the CD in order to install the OEM
version. There would usually be "Press any key to boot from CD...."
If Windows starts up, you will get the message you are getting.

When I do that, the OEM CD turns the process over to the hard drive
and boots from the installed OS, even if "Boot from CD ROM" is
selected in BIOS.

Then when Windows loads, the OEM CD Screen tells me it cannot
"upgrade" the installed version of Windows.

You re-installed from a retail CD, you OEM key will never be
accepted. OEM key will only be accepted by an OEM CD, or recovery
system.

So I have learned.... but I had no choice. The OEM CD would not repair
Windows. Only a genuine MS CD offers that choice. This is documented
online and I'd get example links for you, but have to run my Dad to
the doctor. I'll post some when I get back...


OEM versions are sold with the support provided by the company whom
made the PC. OEM versions are generally exactly the same as the
retail versions but the company who made the PC (Dell) has the right
to make custom changes to the install process.

To add drivers and whatnot, yes. But the problem here is that the OEM
CD that Dell gave me does NOT have the repair option available that is
initiated when you boot from a CD, like the genuine MS CD does. If the
OEM *did* have that option, I would have repaired the OEM installation
with the OEM disk and would not be posting here. But the only way to
fix my OEM installation at the time, was to boot from a genuine MS CD,
which offered me the choice to reinstall Windows over the old install
in order to repair it. WHen it did that, it put back my userinit.exe
and I could boot into the OS again with all of my programs,
preferences and tweaks intact. I had just rebuilt my system, as
explained in the OP, and was not about to do it again just b/c the OEM
CD wouldn't work. I had no idea it would turn into a problem.

As for Del recovery system, these would erase the installed version of
XP and place back the exact version that was installed on the hard
drive at the time the PC left the factory.

..... but *IF* this OEM CD will even do that (and as I said, I don't
believe it will/can), would it retain my settings and installations
and all??

Thanks -

"What Now" wrote:

On Mon, 15 Dec 2008 11:14:09 -0800, Mark Adams
wrote:

Go into the BIOS and change the boot order to boot first from CD, then use
your Dell reinstallation CD to boot and reinstall Windows.

Thanks, but that's the first thing I tried. As soon as the OEM detects
a version of Windows is installed, it turns the process over to
Windows. Then it says it cannot "upgrade" the current Windows
installation [because OEM CDs apparently don't let you do that]. And
it's not even an upgrade; they're both XP SP2 Home.... just that the
OEM is a newer CD than the MS CD, so maybe it has more hotfixes
incorporated or whatever, I don't know. I know it has Dell drivers
incorporated, but I installed those myself manually after installing
with the retail MS CD.

When MS charges people to buy machines that come with an OS, they
should provide a CD that will work in ALL situations, meaning it
should have the same features as a retail MS CD. :-/

I sounds like you are trying to reinstall Windows from within Windows; you
can't do that. You must set the boot order in the BIOS to boot first from CD.
You said in your original post that you "had to wipe/reformat/reinstall the
OS". How did you do this, and how come you can't do exactly the same again?

On Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:15:01 -0800, Mark Adams
wrote:


I sounds like you are trying to reinstall Windows from within Windows;

No, as explained, I tried repeatedly to boot from the OEM CD, but it
kept turning the proces over to the intalled OS.

you
can't do that. You must set the boot order in the BIOS to boot first from CD.
You said in your original post that you "had to wipe/reformat/reinstall the
OS". How did you do this, and how come you can't do exactly the same again?

Because THAT is what I want to AVOID. It took me a month to rebuild my
system after I got that rootkit. I'm not going to waste another month
of my life for something that should never have been a problem in the
first place. The OEM CD should have the repair option built in, and it
should have booted from my CD and asked to repair my installation when
userinit.exe got disabled. Instead, no matter what BIO settings I
used, it kept booting into the broken OS with no shell... no mouse, no
kybd, no way to fix the problem... hence the genuine MS CD which got
me back up and running without another wipe/reformat on a system I had
JUST rebuilt.

Again, this is why I hate MS.... this is just such a waste of valuable
time, all b/c Gates wasn't happy being a multi-billionaire, but wanted
MORE. (Sorry,but this really ****es me off!) Thank you for trying to
help, though. It isn't your fault.

FTR, here is a link to Dell's instructions and there is no option to
repair an installation, only reinstall a new copy where you have to
start from scratch. Three fourths of the way down the page is a link
that you cna mouse over for a picture of the disc that came with the
laptop.

http://support.dell.com/support/topi...s=bsd#osri_man

I'm thinking I just won't bother updating this OS, period, and leave
it like it is, unless a slipstream is possible and I can get an OEM
back on by a repair option. Otherwise I'll live without the updates.

"What Now" wrote:

FTR, here is a link to Dell's instructions and there is no option to
repair an installation, only reinstall a new copy where you have to
start from scratch. Three fourths of the way down the page is a link
that you cna mouse over for a picture of the disc that came with the
laptop.

http://support.dell.com/support/topi...s=bsd#osri_man

I'm thinking I just won't bother updating this OS, period, and leave
it like it is, unless a slipstream is possible and I can get an OEM
back on by a repair option. Otherwise I'll live without the updates.

I found this in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/892893. Maybe you can boot to
Recovery Console and replace Userinit.exe as explained in the article. On the
other hand, if you've already done a repair install with your retail CD and
used the product key that is also on your desktop, the deed is already done
and you will have a problem with activation if you have WGA on the desktop.
If you don't have WGA on the desktop and it has been more than 120 days since
you last activated or validated, then the laptop should activate with the
same product key. Set Automatic Updates on both computers to "Notify me of
updates but do not download" and do not let WGA install on either computer.
All critical updates, patches, and service packs will still be available for
download.

On Tue, 16 Dec 2008 09:03:02 -0800, Mark Adams
wrote:

I found this in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/892893. Maybe you can boot to
Recovery Console and replace Userinit.exe as explained in the article. On the
other hand, if you've already done a repair install with your retail CD and
used the product key that is also on your desktop, the deed is already done
and you will have a problem with activation if you have WGA on the desktop.
If you don't have WGA on the desktop and it has been more than 120 days since
you last activated or validated, then the laptop should activate with the
same product key. Set Automatic Updates on both computers to "Notify me of
updates but do not download" and do not let WGA install on either computer.
All critical updates, patches, and service packs will still be available for
download.

Mark, you have been very helpful. Yes, the deed has already been done,
as I needed the laptop ASAP and only spent a weekend trying to find an
answer... the best I arrived at was repairing with the retail CD.

I will do as you instructed. Thank you for your time and pateince.

I am still interested in knowing if I could slipstream the repair
option in the retail CD to a copy of my OEM disc, however, as I prefer
to have the right product keys on the right machines so that this
doesn't come back to bite me in the ass later. Do you happen to know
if it would work?

Thanks again....

"What Now" wrote:

On Tue, 16 Dec 2008 09:03:02 -0800, Mark Adams
wrote:

I found this in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/892893. Maybe you can boot to
Recovery Console and replace Userinit.exe as explained in the article. On the
other hand, if you've already done a repair install with your retail CD and
used the product key that is also on your desktop, the deed is already done
and you will have a problem with activation if you have WGA on the desktop.
If you don't have WGA on the desktop and it has been more than 120 days since
you last activated or validated, then the laptop should activate with the
same product key. Set Automatic Updates on both computers to "Notify me of
updates but do not download" and do not let WGA install on either computer.
All critical updates, patches, and service packs will still be available for
download.

Mark, you have been very helpful. Yes, the deed has already been done,
as I needed the laptop ASAP and only spent a weekend trying to find an
answer... the best I arrived at was repairing with the retail CD.

I will do as you instructed. Thank you for your time and pateince.

I am still interested in knowing if I could slipstream the repair
option in the retail CD to a copy of my OEM disc, however, as I prefer
to have the right product keys on the right machines so that this
doesn't come back to bite me in the ass later. Do you happen to know
if it would work?

Thanks again....


I think this may solve your activation issue. It looks like you can make
more than one install from the same disk and product key, and then change the
key during activation to a key that you already have. Since you do have a
legitimate product key for your laptop, I don't see why this wouldn't work.
Check out the KB article. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/810892

As far as the slipstream question goes, I don't know if that can be done. My
experience with slipstreaming was limited to burning lots of coasters, though
I did manage to finally integrate SP2 into my SP1 CD!

Let me know how the activation goes.