I need to reinstall XP on my dad's computer; how can I tell what type of license he is currently running? I suspect that it's OEM (single installation, not SLP), but would like to confirm before trying to reinstall. I'm having him pull the activation key with magic jelly bean; can I tell from that?
Has it got a sticker on computer case? For xp, just search on how to make a cd with xp for oem with your computer model. The guides are all on this site.
Ok if MGADiag tool tells yuo it is OEM SLP 1.0 hopfully you have original cd if not and it is OEM SLP install you will need to grab the oembios files or download them from here do search on forum for OEMBIOS.exe run that it will tel yuo waht OEMbios files you need or unpack archive i have posted and run those files it will grab your dads OEMBIOS files and also key.
How to Tell What Type of Windows XP CD or License Key You Have For the not-so-techie readers, not all Windows XP CDs and Licenses are the same. There are many different types of Windows XP CDs available: * OEM – Which are usually sold with the computer * Retail – Brought stand alone in stores like BestBuy, CompUSA etc.. * Upgrade – To upgrade from a previous operating system * Branded – Specifically branded copies from large computer manufacturers like Dell * Action pack – Was part of the Microsoft Action Pack * Volume License – Typically used in large businesses, government and educational institutions The problem with different versions is the license key from one version typically wont work on another version. If you have a retail license key, it wont work on an OEM disk. To make things worse, lots of people lose their Windows XP CD. However, they usually have their license key attached to the side of their computers. So how does a computer technician know which XP CD they should use for their clients license key? JohnR from Technibbles forums has posted an excellent tip about how to visually determine the difference between Windows XP CDs. How to determine what type of Windows XP CD you have: The way to tell if any given disk is OEM or not is to look carefully at the words in the hologram. If it says “Only for distribution with a new PC” on the front of the disk, it’s an OEM copy. If it doesn’t say that, it’s Retail. If it says “Upgrade”, It’s Retail. To use an upgrade disk you’ll need a valid disk from a lower version like 2000 or ME to put in when the installer prompts you for one. If it is a branded CD (such as Dell or HP), its OEM.