Hi all. I am totally new to all of this, and have spent the last couple of hours reading up on BIOS modification. After reading lots, what I still don't understand is why when a computer ships from the likes of HP or Dell, it comes with a sticker and OEM key. I am guessing that this key is not the OEM SLP key, rather and individual license key for that one machine? If its not the SLP key, then what is the point of it, as you will never need to enter it assuming you are using the correct OEM XP disk, on an OEM BIOS? Or have I managed to miss the plot completely
The sticker is your license to say that you have a genuine version of the operating system installed when the computer left the makers. The key code is a non-active code (unless you use it to activate the OS at some point usually via phone method). It is NOT a SLP key but a key that can be used if something went strange on your system and the recovery cd system fails. Its just to prove you have a genuine version. Most Big name brands HP,ACER etc use the SLP internal code that is a mass licence key for use on all their current line of systems. If your sticker is for say XP Home and you upgrade to the Professional version and not have a genuine licence sticker for the pro version you are technically using an illegal version, even if the upgrade uses a SLP key because the original sticker is for the Home Edition and not Pro (unless you have a new sticker that come with the upgrade). Also the sticker is to say to M$oft that X amount of computers have been sold with XYZ version of the OS. I hope this clarifies your question. It can get complicated with all the jargon. Also if you use that COA (Certificate Of Authenticity) code on the sticker at any point it will be locked to that PC you used and activated it on and cannot normally be transferred! I got caught out on that a few years ago lol. (There are ways around it when you phone M$ lol). You not lost the plot lol, all this EULA, SLP, COA, OEM and so on can get very confusing.
Thanks for that info, that really is a nice helpful summary of where I had almost managed to take my mind after reading a lot of the stickies in the Vista section At least I am making progress, of some sort
If you are confident that the SLP activation will never fail (you probably are if you are reading this forum) then you can use the key on the sticker to activate another computer that does not have a OEM restore disk with it. It's off cause not legal. But It's a cheap way to activate a DIY system without messing with BIOS'es. /ildoc
SLP will never fail. He can even use the jellybean thingy to backup his key if he wants. I would not worry though. There are enough here. We have tools to backup activation, this is never a concern...