Hi, I've been scouring the MDL forums for a solution to this problem. I've created a great system image that works on any Dell computer. All I have to do is add additional drivers for any new model Dell and the image works. Our default hardware is Dell but we recently aquired another company and their default hardware is Lenovo. We also have a handful of other Non-Dell hardware in the company. Our goal is to add support for automatic activation on Non-Dell systems. I have the *.xrm-ms files for each of the OEM's that we support. I examined the "Multi-OEM install DVD files" and found a folder with all of the certificates for all of the OEM's we support (and then some.) I also found the following post that I think is almost my answer. I need to know how do I make this work? If I put all the certs in the OEM folder then they'd have to have different names, obviously. Will windows ignore the different names and just try each file until one of them works? Also, even though I'm pretty sharp, I'm not quite sure what Flipp3r meant by "win7 OA keys." Did he mean the OEM Activation keys? If so where would I put them? All of our computers have the correct slp bios for their respective OEM so I don't need any bios tricks It should just pull the key from the bios right? I know I can bypass all this with a Volume License Product key but alas my boss said no to that. Looking forward to solving this problem.
Sorry f33nix I'm not talking about creating a Windows Install DVD. I'm talking about a system image. You know you install Windows, then run sysprep, boot the machine with winPE, and take an image using gimagex (kinda like ghost but from MS.) I can then deploy that image to other machines. As long as it is a Dell and has the right bios it will activate windows automatically. If I install this image on a non dell machine I'll get the "windows is not valid" message. What I want to do is make "One Image to Rule Them All!" So that I can slipstream the drivers of any new machine into my image, and add the SLP files it needs and then it works without any errors. Comprende?
Sorry Mr Thurge if somehow I got wrong end of stick. I am not sure I would mix the 2 different brands like you talk about trying to do, I would keep them seperate. There are several ways to approach this problem. You could create the disks like I say and use setupcomplete.cmd to add-in drivers/programs and such that you need; as we say there are more than one way to skin a cat (not meant to offend cat lovers!) But if you want then Mr Humphrey seems to have a nice neat solution that should be powerful enough for your needs. Otherwise investigate Mr ar_seven_am's other advice.
Hmm, Maybe, I'm not explaining this well enough. Okay... I have an image that works on all the different Dell models we have in our organization. It works because the drivers for each model we support have been "injected" into the image. Sysprep is required so that Windows will plug and play the correct HAL and other drivers. This image will be used to deploy new systems. What I want to do is "inject" drivers for non-Dell OEM computers (thus making it a Multi-OEM image.) I have already injected the drivers for our Lenovo systems for instance. What I'm trying to figure out is what do I need to add to the image so that automatic activation works on it? For OEM automatic activation to work you need 3 things: 1.) a bios that has the OEM SLP data in it, 2.) The OEM certificate (this is the *.wrm-ms file found in c:\windows\system32\oem) 3. The OEM Key. Wow! While I was composing this response I installed the image on a Lenovo. Before I did this I replaced the oem.xrm-ms file with 3 different files: a Dell version called dell.xrm-ms, a Lenovo version called lenovo.xrm-ms, and an Asus version called asus.xrm-ms. The image just finished configuring itself and it's activated!!!! ONE IMAGE TO RULE THEM ALL!!! I guess the initial post I quoted was right... Thanks for the input guys but it looks like I had already found the solution!!!!
@ Thurge. yes you can add all oem.xrm-ms certificates into $OEM$ folder and as OEM:SLP serial number are not totally brand specific say ultimate then OEM:SLP key will activate but not good practice been like that since vista.
Is there a potential downside to doing it this way? Also, I was wondering if there was some automated way to change the OEM product key to the correct one? I was thinking of writing a batch file or vbs file that could be called by Setupcomplete.cmd. It would then prompt with a list of your OEMs for you to select and then install the correct key using slmgr.vbs. This way the product key would match the machine. Not sure if that matters but I'd like it to be consistent.
What I do remember the activation check from OOBE, while u want to deploy the image with sysprep which will restore to default (non activated)... that's is why most answer pointed to that thread for multi oem install image... please correct me if I'm wrong...
yes humprey, u're correct, the sysprep method work different, is not for system activation... also humprey, sysprep is generalize in audit phase, and it's before OOBE, right?
Well, if you mean OOBE as the screen where you enter your/computer name and setup the computer right before you enter the desktop for the first time, then yes. Just press Control + Shift + F3 at that screen and the computer will restart, putting you into the administrators desktop so that you can customize the system.
Humphrey, By adding the .xrm-ms files for each vendor to the oem folder it activates perfectly. No need for any scripts. I just wanted a way to make the installed OEM Product Key (which is currently the Dell Key) match the actual OEM of the machine. I know the Dell OEM master product key will activate other OEM's as long as the OEM cert and Bios data match but for auditing purposes I thought it would be a good idea to change it to the correct Product Key that each OEM builds into their system. I was thinking of making a set of batch files that would be run manually after the image has finished with oobe. Each batch file would be named by the oem: Dell.bat, Lenovo.bat, etc. Then our tech could run the batch file based on the vendor and it would run the following two commands: 1. [slmgr.vbs -ipk <OEM product key goes here>] 2. [slmgr.vbs -ato]
@ Thurge, yes I already said that will work but it is not good practice windows will go through every manufacturer certificate until it finds the correct one. And your pkeyconfig.xrm-ms file will probably include every file searched for rather than using a script that will check you system for oem info and install only correct certificate my dell pkeyconfig.xrm-ms is only 995 KB (1,018,920 bytes) check the size of yours after you have used multiple .xrm-ms certificates to see result. I may be wrong here but I'm certain either FreeStyler or Sebus and I had this conversation years back in the early vista OEM:SLP activation days. anyway you have been pointed to Multi-OEM activator by searchengine it is a script at least have a look at it.
Word of advice on the new hardware. Run! Run far far away from Lenovo equipment, I inherited a bunch of I3 and I5 Lenovo desktops when I was hired on as the Director of IT at my firm. Every single Lenovo has issues, either random freezing or sluggish behavior even if I wipe them and install a fresh Win 7 ISO (keep in mind the only software that is getting installed on these computers is Office). If you have any say on the purchasing in your company I would strongly suggest finding a different vendor.