Installing Windows Options

[PeleLTU]

I am trying to understand the different situations that I can run into when clients want Windows reinstalled:

1. OEM Partition: In this scenario, it is easy, I can install windows from the partition and all is good. If it needs reactivating, the MS sticker is usually on the case or can be obtained using one of the utilities at technibble.com.

2. Customer has Windows disc: Again, easy, just boot from CD and I am on my way.

3. No partition and no disc: How do you handle this scenario? I have a Windows disc of my own, can I use my disc to install and then use the clients product key to activate? Or do I need to buy a new copy of Windows and charge accordingly?

Thanks for the help.

 

[l337]

in the 3rd scenario youve just gotta remember there are diff versions and customers might not always have OEM they could have retail, student corperate etc (most of these are xp terms but i think vista has the same kinda)

so if ur oem install wont accept a customers key then it might be a retail or a corp key instead and to fix it just get a retail or corp cd and do a repair then the key will work

 

[PeleLTU]

Thanks for the reply.

Are you basically saying that if I arm myself with each version, corporate, OEM and retail, then I will be able to repeatedly use these CD's to re-install Windows on Clients machines, assuming the client has a valid product key?

 

[Tiddle]

Is there list of all OEM xp/vista somewhere?

So i can find and burn the Repair discs.

Or if someone has them ill be more than glad to buy them

 

[geekhelp4u]

Vista 32 / 64 bit disk is an all in one disk. Depending on what key you use depends on what gets installed with the exception of

Vista 32 bit Enterprise
Vista 64 bit Enterprise

Windows Version Identification
To determine the version of Windows XP that you are running, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type winver.exe, and then click OK. The version number is displayed in the About Windows box.

Windows may have been preinstalled on your computer. These installations are referred to as OEM installations.

To determine whether you have an OEM installation of Windows, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. Click Performance and Maintenance, and then click System.
3. Click the General tab.
4. Locate the number that is displayed under Registered to.

This number typically contains 20 digits. If digits 6, 7, and 8 contain the letters "OEM", you have an OEM installation of Windows.

For example, the following sample Product ID number indicates an OEM installation:
12345-OEM-6789098-76543

To determine the language version of Windows that you are using, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Search.
2. Click All files and folders.
3. In the All or part of the file name box, type winver.exe, and then click Search.
4. When the file is located, right-click it, and then click Properties.
5. Click the Version tab.
6. Under Item name, click Language.

The language version information is displayed under Value.

For XP you have...

XP Starters Edition

Home N - European edition w/ out media player
Home OEM
Home Retail
Home Upgrade
All of the above available with single user Student License

Pro N - European edition w/ out media player
Pro OEM
Pro Retail
Pro Upgrade
Pro VLK
Pro X86 OEM
Pro X86 Upgrade
Pro X86 Retail
Pro X86 VLK
All of the above available with single user Student License with the exception of VLK versions

Tablet PC 2005

Media Center 2002 OEM
Media Center 2002 Retail
Media Center 2005 OEM
Media Center 2005 Retail

I think I got them all... feel free to add the ones I missed!

 

[TimeCode]

Great list! Thanks Chris!!!

I would just like to add that when you do a Service Pack update the version changes so you don't necessarily know what Service Pack the disc they originally used was. Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

[PeleLTU]

Ok, so if I am understanding everybody correctly, one disc of each will support mutliple installs on mutilipe machines as long as you have valid unique product keys each time?

I sometimes read things that lead me to believe that the product key is keyed to the CD somehow.

Last question. So, is that what most technicans are doing out there, arming themselves with one copy of all these operating systems? Sounds expensive.

 

[TimeCode]

Ok, so if I am understanding everybody correctly, one disc of each will support mutliple installs on mutilipe machines as long as you have valid unique product keys each time?

The CDs are not keyed but the CD does expect the product key entered to be of a certain value or range. You can use the CD 100 times... As long as the product keys are within the range of that CD.

Example:
XP Original - Key = 11111-22222-33333-4xxxx
XP SP 1 - Key = 11111-22222-3xxxx-44444
XP SP 2 - Key = 11111-2xxxx-33333-44444
XP SP 3 - Key = 1xxxx-22222-33333-44444

So key 11111-2384-33333-44444 would work for an XP SP2 disc.

Do you understand?

 

[PeleLTU]

Thank you, I understand.

But hold on, that means I need a SP1, SP2 and a SP3 disc depending on the product key available from the client. So I need the following discs then:

Home
1. Windows XP OEM SP1
2. Windows XP OEM SP2
3. Windows XP OEM SP3
4. Windows XP Retail SP1
5. Windows XP Retail SP2
6. Windows XP Retail SP3
7. Windows XP Student SP1
8. Windows XP Student SP2
9. Windows XP Student SP3

Professional
10. Windows XP OEM SP1
11. Windows XP OEM SP2
12. Windows XP OEM SP3
13. Windows XP Retail SP1
14. Windows XP Retail SP2
15. Windows XP Retail SP3
16. Windows XP Student SP1
17. Windows XP Student SP2
18. Windows XP Student SP3

Plus, media editions and Vista additions! We are talking over 25 discs at $100 equals a lot of money. So this is not an economical way of going. So, again, what is every one doing? I can't believe everyone has gone out and purchased all these copies.
Is my scenario of the client without a partition and disc rare? Most people paying for repair probably bought a OEM machine and will have a partition?

 

[l337]

ive got a set of oem disks i slipstreamed from sp2 and they use sp1-sp3 keys fine so far in prolly alteast 50+ installs so i dont think u need diff service pack disks just the latest so it saves u time

 

[abe]

rarely a sp difference will kill the serial key but it might kill the auto activation and you'll have to talk to a microsoft rep. which is a pain.

since most computer OS's are oem, one xp pro and one xp home will probably be enough.

and if your stuck with an edition you don't have, you can use the I386 folder to create a disc for that computer which should auto activate.

Abe