Guest PanHandler Posted October 16, 2008 Posted October 16, 2008 Yesterday I bought a new eMachine at Wal-Mart for $298, with XP Home preinstalled. After getting it configured and loading some programs I wanted to get some info on the machine, so I loaded the Aida SysInfo utility and while poking around in it noticed that the OS key looked familiar. I went to my list of machines/keys on my other computers and found the SAME key in use on one of my old (5 Year) eMachines that I sold about a year ago! I read both keys at least five times to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. What the hell? What are the odds of M$ doing that accidentally, and on top of that, the chances an individual would ever catch it? How the hell can this be? PS: XP was preloaded, so it didn't even do the validation thing.
Guest smlunatick Posted October 16, 2008 Posted October 16, 2008 Re: Two XP machines, same product key On Oct 16, 3:48 pm, "PanHandler" <B...@digital.net> wrote: > Yesterday I bought a new eMachine at Wal-Mart for $298, with XP Home > preinstalled. After getting it configured and loading some programs I wanted > to get some info on the machine, so I loaded the Aida SysInfo utility and > while poking around in it noticed that the OS key looked familiar. I went to > my list of machines/keys on my other computers and found the SAME key in use > on one of my old (5 Year) eMachines that I sold about a year ago! I read > both keys at least five times to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. > What the hell? What are the odds of M$ doing that accidentally, and on top > of that, the chances an individual would ever catch it? How the hell can > this be? > > PS: > XP was preloaded, so it didn't even do the validation thing. eMachine, as well as large computer makers (Dell, HP, Lenovo) each have a special bulk install license. Microsoft permits this since the PCs are produced in large quantities. However, with the XP recovery method provided, each PC have their own unique XP CD key sticker.
Guest PanHandler Posted October 16, 2008 Posted October 16, 2008 Re: Two XP machines, same product key "smlunatick" <yveslec@gmail.com> wrote in message news:b08d30df-38e2-428b-9cc7-f80b28daacc9@m36g2000hse.googlegroups.com... On Oct 16, 3:48 pm, "PanHandler" <B...@digital.net> wrote: > Yesterday I bought a new eMachine at Wal-Mart for $298, with XP Home > preinstalled. After getting it configured and loading some programs I > wanted > to get some info on the machine, so I loaded the Aida SysInfo utility and > while poking around in it noticed that the OS key looked familiar. I went > to > my list of machines/keys on my other computers and found the SAME key in > use > on one of my old (5 Year) eMachines that I sold about a year ago! I read > both keys at least five times to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. > What the hell? What are the odds of M$ doing that accidentally, and on top > of that, the chances an individual would ever catch it? How the hell can > this be? > > PS: > XP was preloaded, so it didn't even do the validation thing. eMachine, as well as large computer makers (Dell, HP, Lenovo) each have a special bulk install license. Microsoft permits this since the PCs are produced in large quantities. However, with the XP recovery method provided, each PC have their own unique XP CD key sticker. OK. I did see that the sticker is different than what Aida reports. Which key is recognized by M$?
Guest Bob I Posted October 16, 2008 Posted October 16, 2008 Re: Two XP machines, same product key PanHandler wrote: > "smlunatick" <yveslec@gmail.com> wrote in message > news:b08d30df-38e2-428b-9cc7-f80b28daacc9@m36g2000hse.googlegroups.com... > On Oct 16, 3:48 pm, "PanHandler" <B...@digital.net> wrote: > >>Yesterday I bought a new eMachine at Wal-Mart for $298, with XP Home >>preinstalled. After getting it configured and loading some programs I >>wanted >>to get some info on the machine, so I loaded the Aida SysInfo utility and >>while poking around in it noticed that the OS key looked familiar. I went >>to >>my list of machines/keys on my other computers and found the SAME key in >>use >>on one of my old (5 Year) eMachines that I sold about a year ago! I read >>both keys at least five times to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. >>What the hell? What are the odds of M$ doing that accidentally, and on top >>of that, the chances an individual would ever catch it? How the hell can >>this be? >> >>PS: >>XP was preloaded, so it didn't even do the validation thing. > > > eMachine, as well as large computer makers (Dell, HP, Lenovo) each > have a special bulk install license. Microsoft permits this since the > PCs are produced in large quantities. However, with the XP recovery > method provided, each PC have their own unique XP CD key sticker. > > OK. I did see that the sticker is different than what Aida reports. Which > key is recognized by M$? > If you reinstall you will have to provide the one on the PC sticker.
Guest Xandros Posted October 16, 2008 Posted October 16, 2008 Re: Two XP machines, same product key "PanHandler" <Boon@digital.net> wrote in message news:N2JJk.49080$bx1.32576@bignews1.bellsouth.net... > > "smlunatick" <yveslec@gmail.com> wrote in message > news:b08d30df-38e2-428b-9cc7-f80b28daacc9@m36g2000hse.googlegroups.com... > On Oct 16, 3:48 pm, "PanHandler" <B...@digital.net> wrote: >> Yesterday I bought a new eMachine at Wal-Mart for $298, with XP Home >> preinstalled. After getting it configured and loading some programs I >> wanted >> to get some info on the machine, so I loaded the Aida SysInfo utility and >> while poking around in it noticed that the OS key looked familiar. I went >> to >> my list of machines/keys on my other computers and found the SAME key in >> use >> on one of my old (5 Year) eMachines that I sold about a year ago! I read >> both keys at least five times to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. >> What the hell? What are the odds of M$ doing that accidentally, and on >> top >> of that, the chances an individual would ever catch it? How the hell can >> this be? >> >> PS: >> XP was preloaded, so it didn't even do the validation thing. > > eMachine, as well as large computer makers (Dell, HP, Lenovo) each > have a special bulk install license. Microsoft permits this since the > PCs are produced in large quantities. However, with the XP recovery > method provided, each PC have their own unique XP CD key sticker. > > OK. I did see that the sticker is different than what Aida reports. Which > key is recognized by M$? Both keys are acceptable. However when, or if, you use the Recovery Disc set that came with the new computer the old key that AIDA found will not work during setup. You will need to supply the Product Key on the sticker which will work with the Restore Discs. Many companies have license agreements with Microsoft that enable them to use the same Product Key for mass install purposes. That way unattended installs can be done at the factory. These keys will allow activation to be done. However the software that is supplied with the new computer will have a different Product Key. Therefore you have the key on the sticker that differs from the one that was used during the initial factory installation. Don't worry about trying to change the key until such time that you decide to reinstall using your Recovery Discs. Make certain you write the Product Key down from the sticker and keep it with your Restore CDs in a safe place. -- Xandros
Guest PanHandler Posted October 16, 2008 Posted October 16, 2008 Re: Two XP machines, same product key Thanks for the help people!
Guest Bruce Chambers Posted October 17, 2008 Posted October 17, 2008 Re: Two XP machines, same product key PanHandler wrote: > Yesterday I bought a new eMachine at Wal-Mart for $298, with XP Home > preinstalled. After getting it configured and loading some programs I wanted > to get some info on the machine, so I loaded the Aida SysInfo utility and > while poking around in it noticed that the OS key looked familiar. I went to > my list of machines/keys on my other computers and found the SAME key in use > on one of my old (5 Year) eMachines that I sold about a year ago! I read > both keys at least five times to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. > What the hell? What are the odds of M$ doing that accidentally, and on top > of that, the chances an individual would ever catch it? How the hell can > this be? > > PS: > XP was preloaded, so it didn't even do the validation thing. > > If you have a factory-installed OEM license, and haven't since reinstalled the OS, the revealed Product Key is probably of the drive image used at the factory and not your specific Product Key; therefore, it probably cannot be -- and definitely should not be -- used for a re-installation. -- Bruce Chambers Help us help you: http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375 They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has killed a great many philosophers. ~ Denis Diderot
Guest PanHandler Posted October 17, 2008 Posted October 17, 2008 Re: Two XP machines, same product key "Bruce Chambers" <bchambers@cable0ne.n3t> wrote in message news:%23DVcwK$LJHA.6000@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... > PanHandler wrote: >> Yesterday I bought a new eMachine at Wal-Mart for $298, with XP Home >> preinstalled. After getting it configured and loading some programs I >> wanted to get some info on the machine, so I loaded the Aida SysInfo >> utility and while poking around in it noticed that the OS key looked >> familiar. I went to my list of machines/keys on my other computers and >> found the SAME key in use on one of my old (5 Year) eMachines that I sold >> about a year ago! I read both keys at least five times to make sure I >> wasn't hallucinating. >> What the hell? What are the odds of M$ doing that accidentally, and on >> top of that, the chances an individual would ever catch it? How the hell >> can this be? >> >> PS: >> XP was preloaded, so it didn't even do the validation thing. >> >> > > > If you have a factory-installed OEM license, and haven't since reinstalled > the OS, the revealed Product Key is probably of the drive image used at > the factory and not your specific Product Key; therefore, it probably > cannot be -- and definitely should not be -- used for a re-installation. A year or so ago, before selling the aforementioned eMachine, I reinstalled the OS and used that key - it was on the case. Over the 5 or so years I had it I reinstalled at least one other time. Each time I used the supplied restore disc, and if I recall correctly it was done with a ('Ghost ?) utility of some sort.
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