Sysprep - XPsp3 - Product Key

Question

Got to deploy 25 PC, all HP, same model and make. They came with windows 7(Sticker on box) and XP SP3 downgrade. So I downgraded to XP SP3, sysprep, imaged and loaded image with imageX. All seems to work but I'm concerned about licences.

We dont have a Volume license and when i tried sysprep with mini setup, it rejected product key(windows 7 on box.)

I'm about to downgarde 2 boxes and compare their product keys, if it's the same this should be used in the mini setup and will work okay?

Answer 1

Which version of Windows XP did you use? e.g Retail, OEM...
Major OEM's usually have their own Product Key for their Installation Media that is automatically entered when the Media is installed. As far as I understand it checks data stored in the BIOS to validate it is the correct manufacturer. If you have done an install with another type of XP Media e.g regular CD that you own yourself it will not pick up the correct key. However if it is an OEM disk that you are using the product key on the box should work fine.
Answer to your last question - Yes

Answer 2

XP is now out of support and unless you have some sort of volume licence, all XP activations will fail (Just been to a trade show and this is what I was told... not sure it applies to all SKUs).

Simply install XP anyway you can and activate. When it fails, ring Microsoft on the free phone number and if you give them your Windows 7 product key, they will give you a Windows XP key that will activate.

I would personally write a list of all the keys and you may be able to do it in a single (long) phone call.