Technet & OEM Software?

[Technowizard]

A few questions...

If i purchase the technet subscription will I be able to download OEM versions of OSes that could be installed for clients that have lost their media but still retain the original CD-Key sticker attached to the computer? If yes, what about Windows XP (since its still the most common one i run into).

Is it worth signing up for a $200 fee (then $150 each year after)?

Is this the best way of going about it?

Also... is there a way to buy OEM software licenses to sell to clients (IE Retail them Legally, passing on each code bought to the customer)?

I have been doing tech work for a very long time, but have been telling clients tough luck if they don't have their media, which sucks (doesn't happen very often).

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. (If this has been covered somewhere I am sorry, I did search and unfortunately did not find anything much useful or current.)

 

[TLE]

All the versions from Technet are retail and not OEM. Vista and Win 7 will activate with either OEM or Retail discs, XP won't though.

 

[Jory]

You can modify the XP ISO to install OEM though.

 

[AtYourService]

WinXPs setupp.ini controls how the CD acts. IE is it an OEM version or retail? First, find your setupp.ini file in the i386 directory on your WinXP CD. Open it up, it'll look something like this:
ExtraData=707A667567736F696F697911AE7E05
Pid=55034000
The Pid value is what we're interested in. What's there now looks like a standard default. There are special numbers that determine if it's a retail, oem, or volume license edition. First, we break down that number into two parts.

The first five digits determines how the CD will behave, ie is it a retail cd that lets you clean install or upgrade, or an oem cd that only lets you perform a clean install? The last three digits determines what CD key it will accept. You are able to mix and match these values.

For example you could make a WinXP cd that acted like a retail cd, yet accepted OEM keys. Now, for the actual values. Remember the first and last values are interchangable, but usually you'd keep them as a pair:

Retail = 51882 335
Volume License = 51883 270
OEM = 82503 OEM

So if you wanted a retail CD that took retail keys, the last line of your setupp.ini file would read:

Pid=51882335

And if you wanted a retail CD that took OEM keys, you'd use:

Pid=51882OEM

src: http://www.fortypoundhead.com/showcontent.asp?artid=692

 

[FoolishTech]

A few questions...

If i purchase the technet subscription will I be able to download OEM versions of OSes that could be installed for clients that have lost their media but still retain the original CD-Key sticker attached to the computer? If yes, what about Windows XP (since its still the most common one i run into).

Is it worth signing up for a $200 fee (then $150 each year after)?

Is this the best way of going about it?

Also... is there a way to buy OEM software licenses to sell to clients (IE Retail them Legally, passing on each code bought to the customer)?

I have been doing tech work for a very long time, but have been telling clients tough luck if they don't have their media, which sucks (doesn't happen very often).

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. (If this has been covered somewhere I am sorry, I did search and unfortunately did not find anything much useful or current.)

IMO Technet Direct was useful, at least for a one year sub and that's it - you got what you need after a year, get/copy all your keys before the subscription expires and you're golden.

Unfortunately, they recently reduced the number of keys I think from 10 to 3 on most things. Bummer :\ Luckily I was grandfathered in on my sub so I still have all my keys...

OH yeah, and before buying look around for a coupon code. Seriously at any given time you should be able to find a $75 or $100 off code somewhere. Google of course, DSL Reports, and maybe even RetailMeNot might be good places to start.

 

[Xander]

Unfortunately, they recently reduced the number of keys I think from 10 to 3 on most things.

5 (It got a lot of rants here when it changed)

 

[Jory]

Even 10 seems pretty low. The last time I had Technet I got like 30 keys for everything.

 

[Technowizard]

I think I will try to subscribe for a year once I save up the cash, kinda doing things month to month at the moment. Going to try out the advice on the Windows XP CD thing for now, wonder if that works with windows vista/seven?

 

[baccart]

All the versions from Technet are retail and not OEM. Vista and Win 7 will activate with either OEM or Retail discs, XP won't though.

I am sorry to say, but they initially did, but would come back as activation fail. I bought technet for sole purpose of obtaining authentic Microsoft Oses, as I do a lot of re-installs.

It was a pain in the ass, because at the time of re-install, it would accept the key and activated, only to fail authentication a month later. It would not accept any keys retail/oem etc, other then technet.

 

[Martyn]

I am sorry to say, but they initially did, but would come back as activation fail. I bought technet for sole purpose of obtaining authentic Microsoft Oses, as I do a lot of re-installs.

It was a pain in the ass, because at the time of re-install, it would accept the key and activated, only to fail authentication a month later. It would not accept any keys retail/oem etc, other then technet.

Are you talking about Vista & 7?

 

[TLE]

I am sorry to say, but they initially did, but would come back as activation fail. I bought technet for sole purpose of obtaining authentic Microsoft Oses, as I do a lot of re-installs.

It was a pain in the ass, because at the time of re-install, it would accept the key and activated, only to fail authentication a month later. It would not accept any keys retail/oem etc, other then technet.

Strange, I have never had any come back. Have you Martyn?

 

[SmithFamilyDesigns]

I can say I've never had any activation issues come back except for x64 vista using coa on oem media.

 

[Martyn]

Not had a problem with them

 

[Kitten Kong]

I haven't had any issues with vista or 7 activation using technet OS's either.

 

[Jory]

As far as I know they don't even know what type of media you used to install with. The only way it can be locked is via the version (i.e. Pro, Ultimate, etc), and the ISO's you get from technet are not like that.

 

[baccart]

I am not sure what I was doing wrong, but So many came back for VISTA, that I stopped using technet cds. The pcs I reinstalled OSes on, were emachine, Dell, etc. I used Product Key software to find the Key, then reinstalled using the technet cd with the key. It would activate/work, but would fail 1 month later. I started using OEM cds.

 

[jdpetrov]

I am not sure what I was doing wrong, but So many came back for VISTA, that I stopped using technet cds. The pcs I reinstalled OSes on, were emachine, Dell, etc. I used Product Key software to find the Key, then reinstalled using the technet cd with the key. It would activate/work, but would fail 1 month later. I started using OEM cds.

Any reason that using technet OS media with customer product key would fail? I would think that the media does not matter, as the product key is what's different. I am thinking about getting technet specifically to do JUST THAT, but if that fails then it'd be useless to me.

 

[Martyn]

As far as I know they don't even know what type of media you used to install with. The only way it can be locked is via the version (i.e. Pro, Ultimate, etc), and the ISO's you get from technet are not like that.

I've not had a problem but then I always use the key on the sticker. The key retrieved via the registry I think is a mass install key not the one on the label so maybe that is the issue

 

[PC Ops]

I am sorry to say, but they initially did, but would come back as activation fail. I bought technet for sole purpose of obtaining authentic Microsoft Oses, as I do a lot of re-installs.

It was a pain in the ass, because at the time of re-install, it would accept the key and activated, only to fail authentication a month later. It would not accept any keys retail/oem etc, other then technet.

Martyn is right. If the key found by the product key retrieval software is an oem-slp (System Locked Pre-installation) key then there also has to be a matching oem cert. A Technet install does not provide in this.

I found some useful info for you HERE. I'm sure this will help you.

So, it's not a problem with the Technet iso's you're using, it's the key. Use the key on the coa and you should be fine

 

[baccart]

Martyn is right. If the key found by the product key retrieval software is an oem-slp (System Locked Pre-installation) key then there also has to be a matching oem cert. A Technet install does not provide in this.

I found some useful info for you HERE. I'm sure this will help you.

So, it's not a problem with the Technet iso's you're using, it's the key. Use the key on the coa and you should be fine

Thank you, I will read the article. In case of my activation fail, I tried to change the key to COA sticker after failure, and recieved "Key is Invalid for activation". It is possible, that it was an upgrade key? I called Microsoft and there only offer was to contact "HP/emachine" to find a solution. F#$O#$#$ PIECES OF S##*Ts

I tried retails keys that I purchased, but it would not take them either. I ended up using my technet key to re-install, which is the only key it would accept.