Windows Product Key Update Tool

[Jim Hargreaves]

How can I change my product key with XP media center?

"Carey Frisch [MVP]" wrote:

> Change your Product Key without a Reinstall to match your
> genuine Product Key or COA:
>
> First, please verify if your COA sticker or product key: http://www.microsoft.com/resources/h...ll/en/coa.mspx
> matches your Product Key being used on your system. You can
> view your product key with the Genuine Advantage diagnostics tool
> (at least the last 15 digits) located here:
> http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=52012
>
> The Genuine Advantage Product Key Update Tool is only valid for
> users attempting to change their current non-genuine Product Key
> to a genuine COA sticker or genuine Product Key - all without a reinstall! http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?Link...46&clcid=0x409
>
> --
> Carey Frisch
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows - Shell/User
> Microsoft Community Newsgroups
> news://msnews.microsoft.com/
>
>
>

[Shenan Stanley]

Carey wrote:
> The Genuine Advantage Product Key Update Tool is only valid for
> users attempting to change their current non-genuine Product Key
> to a genuine COA sticker or genuine Product Key - all without a
> reinstall!
> http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?Link...46&clcid=0x409

Jim Hargreaves wrote:
> How can I change my product key with XP media center?

Did you try the tool you quoted in your response/post?
Although - to be honest - I am unsure how one would manage to get an invalid
product key for Windows XP Media Center Edition...
It's pretty much OEM only.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

[Jim Hargreaves]

yes I tried it and it said my product wasn't valid for the tool. I think my
son may have downloaded a newer release of media center than the one that
came with my Sony Vaio. I can't get updates etc. I have tried sevral key
changer tools but so far none work for xp media center.

"Shenan Stanley" wrote:

> Carey wrote:
> > The Genuine Advantage Product Key Update Tool is only valid for
> > users attempting to change their current non-genuine Product Key
> > to a genuine COA sticker or genuine Product Key - all without a
> > reinstall!
> > http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?Link...46&clcid=0x409
>
> Jim Hargreaves wrote:
> > How can I change my product key with XP media center?
>
> Did you try the tool you quoted in your response/post?
> Although - to be honest - I am unsure how one would manage to get an invalid
> product key for Windows XP Media Center Edition...
> It's pretty much OEM only.
>
> --
> Shenan Stanley
> MS-MVP
> --
> How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
>
>
>

[Shenan Stanley]

Carey wrote:
> The Genuine Advantage Product Key Update Tool is only valid for
> users attempting to change their current non-genuine Product Key
> to a genuine COA sticker or genuine Product Key - all without a
> reinstall!
> http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?Link...46&clcid=0x409

Jim Hargreaves wrote:
> How can I change my product key with XP media center?

Shenan Stanley wrote:
> Did you try the tool you quoted in your response/post?
> Although - to be honest - I am unsure how one would manage to get
> an invalid product key for Windows XP Media Center Edition...
> It's pretty much OEM only.

Jim Hargreaves wrote:
> yes I tried it and it said my product wasn't valid for the tool. I
> think my son may have downloaded a newer release of media center
> than the one that came with my Sony Vaio. I can't get updates etc.
> I have tried sevral key changer tools but so far none work for xp
> media center.

You think your son may have 'downloaded' a newer version of Windows XP Media
Center Edition than the one that came with your Sony Vaio? What exactly
does that mean? Your system surely came with a way of restoring it to the
'shipped' state. Hopefully it came with the actual Windows XP Media Center
Edition installation CD? If so - use it to perform a Repair Installation.
This should leave everything intact, but allow you to change your product
key to that stuck on your computer.

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

[PA Bear]

Have your son fix the problem, then.
--
~PA Bear

Jim Hargreaves wrote:
> yes I tried it and it said my product wasn't valid for the tool. I think
> my
> son may have downloaded a newer release of media center than the one that
> came with my Sony Vaio. I can't get updates etc. I have tried sevral key
> changer tools but so far none work for xp media center.
>
> "Shenan Stanley" wrote:
>
>> Carey wrote:
>>> The Genuine Advantage Product Key Update Tool is only valid for
>>> users attempting to change their current non-genuine Product Key
>>> to a genuine COA sticker or genuine Product Key - all without a
>>> reinstall!
>>> http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?Link...46&clcid=0x409
>>
>> Jim Hargreaves wrote:
>>> How can I change my product key with XP media center?
>>
>> Did you try the tool you quoted in your response/post?
>> Although - to be honest - I am unsure how one would manage to get an
>> invalid product key for Windows XP Media Center Edition...
>> It's pretty much OEM only.
>>
>> --
>> Shenan Stanley
>> MS-MVP
>> --
>> How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
>> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

[Shenan Stanley]

Jim Hargreaves wrote:
> yes I tried it and it said my product wasn't valid for the tool. I
> think my son may have downloaded a newer release of media center
> than the one that came with my Sony Vaio. I can't get updates etc.
> I have tried sevral key changer tools but so far none work for xp
> media center.

As an alternative to my other response...
MVP Carey Frisch has this set of instructions:

1. Download and install the WGA Diagnostic Tool -
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=56062

2. After running the WGA Diagnostic Tool, click on the "Windows" tab and
then click on "Copy to Clipboard".

3. Next, visit the following website and create a post in the "WGA
Validation Problems" forum and paste the results of the WGA Diagnostic Data
in a detailed post -
http://forums.microsoft.com/Genuine/...aspx?SiteID=25

4. A WGA troubleshooting specialist will analyze the data and recommend an
appropriate solution.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

[Jim Hargreaves]

thanks for nothing PA.

"PA Bear" wrote:

> Have your son fix the problem, then.
> --
> ~PA Bear
>
> Jim Hargreaves wrote:
> > yes I tried it and it said my product wasn't valid for the tool. I think
> > my
> > son may have downloaded a newer release of media center than the one that
> > came with my Sony Vaio. I can't get updates etc. I have tried sevral key
> > changer tools but so far none work for xp media center.
> >
> > "Shenan Stanley" wrote:
> >
> >> Carey wrote:
> >>> The Genuine Advantage Product Key Update Tool is only valid for
> >>> users attempting to change their current non-genuine Product Key
> >>> to a genuine COA sticker or genuine Product Key - all without a
> >>> reinstall!
> >>> http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?Link...46&clcid=0x409
> >>
> >> Jim Hargreaves wrote:
> >>> How can I change my product key with XP media center?
> >>
> >> Did you try the tool you quoted in your response/post?
> >> Although - to be honest - I am unsure how one would manage to get an
> >> invalid product key for Windows XP Media Center Edition...
> >> It's pretty much OEM only.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Shenan Stanley
> >> MS-MVP
> >> --
> >> How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
> >> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
>
>

[Jim Hargreaves]

I belive he upgraded to xp MC 2005 from 2004 and used a bogus key to
activate. the only way I know to restore is from a partition on the hard
drive. I don't know if there is a repair option. How would I go back to the
previous version without a total restore?
Thanks

"Shenan Stanley" wrote:

> Carey wrote:
> > The Genuine Advantage Product Key Update Tool is only valid for
> > users attempting to change their current non-genuine Product Key
> > to a genuine COA sticker or genuine Product Key - all without a
> > reinstall!
> > http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?Link...46&clcid=0x409
>
> Jim Hargreaves wrote:
> > How can I change my product key with XP media center?
>
> Shenan Stanley wrote:
> > Did you try the tool you quoted in your response/post?
> > Although - to be honest - I am unsure how one would manage to get
> > an invalid product key for Windows XP Media Center Edition...
> > It's pretty much OEM only.
>
> Jim Hargreaves wrote:
> > yes I tried it and it said my product wasn't valid for the tool. I
> > think my son may have downloaded a newer release of media center
> > than the one that came with my Sony Vaio. I can't get updates etc.
> > I have tried sevral key changer tools but so far none work for xp
> > media center.
>
> You think your son may have 'downloaded' a newer version of Windows XP Media
> Center Edition than the one that came with your Sony Vaio? What exactly
> does that mean? Your system surely came with a way of restoring it to the
> 'shipped' state. Hopefully it came with the actual Windows XP Media Center
> Edition installation CD? If so - use it to perform a Repair Installation.
> This should leave everything intact, but allow you to change your product
> key to that stuck on your computer.
>
> How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
> http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
>
> How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341
>
> --
> Shenan Stanley
> MS-MVP
> --
> How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
>
>
>

[Shenan Stanley]

Jim Hargreaves wrote:
> I belive he upgraded to xp MC 2005 from 2004 and used a bogus key
> to activate. the only way I know to restore is from a partition on
> the hard drive. I don't know if there is a repair option. How would
> I go back to the previous version without a total restore?

There is no going back without a total format, unfortunately.
This type of upgrade doesn't have a roll-back.

The restore from the partition may/may not be destructive - I do not know
the particulars in your case.
It is always a raw deal when the only way to restore is a partition on the
same hard drive as the working system... Think about the problems you might
have if the hard disk drive actually dies...

:-(

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

[Jim Hargreaves]

Is a solution to restore my CPU to original software and then buy vista
upgrade and install?

"Shenan Stanley" wrote:

> Jim Hargreaves wrote:
> > yes I tried it and it said my product wasn't valid for the tool. I
> > think my son may have downloaded a newer release of media center
> > than the one that came with my Sony Vaio. I can't get updates etc.
> > I have tried sevral key changer tools but so far none work for xp
> > media center.
>
> As an alternative to my other response...
> MVP Carey Frisch has this set of instructions:
>
> 1. Download and install the WGA Diagnostic Tool -
> http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=56062
>
> 2. After running the WGA Diagnostic Tool, click on the "Windows" tab and
> then click on "Copy to Clipboard".
>
> 3. Next, visit the following website and create a post in the "WGA
> Validation Problems" forum and paste the results of the WGA Diagnostic Data
> in a detailed post -
> http://forums.microsoft.com/Genuine/...aspx?SiteID=25
>
> 4. A WGA troubleshooting specialist will analyze the data and recommend an
> appropriate solution.
>
> --
> Shenan Stanley
> MS-MVP
> --
> How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
>
>
>

[Ecoman]

Well...you see it is much easier to punish the law abiding citizen then a
total crook. They won't even say a word to them. ;)

"Jim Hargreaves" wrote:

> thanks for nothing PA.
>
> "PA Bear" wrote:
>
> > Have your son fix the problem, then.
> > --
> > ~PA Bear
> >
> > Jim Hargreaves wrote:
> > > yes I tried it and it said my product wasn't valid for the tool. I think
> > > my
> > > son may have downloaded a newer release of media center than the one that
> > > came with my Sony Vaio. I can't get updates etc. I have tried sevral key
> > > changer tools but so far none work for xp media center.
> > >
> > > "Shenan Stanley" wrote:
> > >
> > >> Carey wrote:
> > >>> The Genuine Advantage Product Key Update Tool is only valid for
> > >>> users attempting to change their current non-genuine Product Key
> > >>> to a genuine COA sticker or genuine Product Key - all without a
> > >>> reinstall!
> > >>> http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?Link...46&clcid=0x409
> > >>
> > >> Jim Hargreaves wrote:
> > >>> How can I change my product key with XP media center?
> > >>
> > >> Did you try the tool you quoted in your response/post?
> > >> Although - to be honest - I am unsure how one would manage to get an
> > >> invalid product key for Windows XP Media Center Edition...
> > >> It's pretty much OEM only.
> > >>
> > >> --
> > >> Shenan Stanley
> > >> MS-MVP
> > >> --
> > >> How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
> > >> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
> >
> >

[Shenan Stanley]

<snipped>
(A link to the *entire* conversation is included below. It should encompass
the 2 year 5+ month span of the conversation.)


Ecoman wrote:
> Well...you see it is much easier to punish the law abiding citizen
> then a total crook. They won't even say a word to them. ;)

First off - congrats on responding to a posting 21 months later. That takes
skill in-of-itself.

Secondly - I am unsure you understand what happened.

Let's step through it - and for those interested - here is the archived
indefinitely version:

http://groups.google.com/group/micro...528cb612c0a3a2


In May of 2006 - "Carey Frisch" (volunteer helper) posted a conversation
about a newly released tool from Microsoft.

At the end of December 2006 (just over seven months later) "Jim Hargreaves"
responded to that post asking how he could change his product key on Windows
Media Center.

I responded the same day with a query of, "Did you try the tool you quoted
in your response/post?".

"Jim Hargreaves" responded in kind the same day that he believed his son had
'downloaded' an newer version of WIndows XP Media Center than the one his
Sony originally came with. (In other words - his son likely pirated the
Windows Media Center 2005 version to replace the Windows Media Center 2002
that came with it. Notice the word 'pirated'. I do not use that lightly.)

I responded the next day - asking Jim to clarify his meaning - not being
able to utilize the word 'pirated' as freely as I am now - considering the
answer.

Jim responded that he believed his son had, "upgraded to xp MC 2005 from
2004 and used a bogus key to activate." (Thus the free usage of the word
pirated.)

PA Bear responded that he should have his son fix it then - which since his
son obviously did something wrong at this point - wasn't entirely a bad
suggestion. Although the original poster did not take it as a valid
solution and responded as such.

I suggested that he use whatever mechanism Sony had provided to restore the
system to the 'as purchased' state - so he would have the legitimate version
of Windows XP Media Center Edition and thus - a legitimate key/license that
all matched up.

So - as you can see - your response makes little to no sense - given that,
by proxy, the father had allowed a stolen version of the operating system to
end up on their computer. It happened that the one that installed the
illegitimate version of the OS was his son. The son had broken the
agreement - and depending on how you look at agreements - they can be
enfoced by laws in many many places. Enforced or not - the agreement
existed. The one being punished for the issue at hand was the father - who
should have, in my opinion (and may have) - punished the son and
straightened out the mess by restoring the computer to it's "as shipped"
state - as suggested.

Please explain your comment further if you desire to do so.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

[Captlucky]

Sorry to bust everyones bubble but the Key Update Program does not work om WIN XP MCE operating systems. Someone giving out expert tech advice should know this before giving out wrong info. Now the father blames the son for upgrading MCE 2004 to MCE 2005 with an illegal copy and all because of some bad info.

[Shenan Stanley]

Captlucky wrote:
> Sorry to bust everyones bubble but the Key Update Program does not
> work om WIN XP MCE operating systems. Someone giving out expert
> tech advice should know this before giving out wrong info. Now the
> father blames the son for upgrading MCE 2004 to MCE 2005 with an
> illegal copy and all because of some bad info.

The father should blame the son for installing an illegitimate copy of
Windows XP Media Center Edition onto their computer - as they stated they
did.

<snipped>
(A link to the *entire* conversation is included below. It should encompass
the 2 year 5+ month span of the conversation.)

Let's step through it - and for those interested - here is the archived
indefinitely version:

http://groups.google.com/group/micro...528cb612c0a3a2


In May of 2006 - "Carey Frisch" (volunteer helper) posted a conversation
about a newly released tool from Microsoft.

At the end of December 2006 (just over seven months later) "Jim Hargreaves"
responded to that post asking how he could change his product key on Windows
Media Center.

I responded the same day with a query of, "Did you try the tool you quoted
in your response/post?".

"Jim Hargreaves" responded in kind the same day that he believed his son had
'downloaded' an newer version of WIndows XP Media Center than the one his
Sony originally came with. (In other words - his son likely pirated the
Windows Media Center 2005 version to replace the Windows Media Center 2002
that came with it. Notice the word 'pirated'. I do not use that lightly.)

I responded the next day - asking Jim to clarify his meaning - not being
able to utilize the word 'pirated' as freely as I am now - considering the
answer.

Jim responded that he believed his son had, "upgraded to xp MC 2005 from
2004 and used a bogus key to activate." (Thus the free usage of the word
pirated.)

PA Bear responded that he should have his son fix it then - which since his
son obviously did something wrong at this point - wasn't entirely a bad
suggestion. Although the original poster did not take it as a valid
solution and responded as such.

I suggested that he use whatever mechanism Sony had provided to restore the
system to the 'as purchased' state - so he would have the legitimate version
of Windows XP Media Center Edition and thus - a legitimate key/license that
all matched up.

So - as you can see - your response makes little to no sense - given that,
by proxy, the father had allowed a stolen version of the operating system to
end up on their computer. It happened that the one that installed the
illegitimate version of the OS was his son. The son had broken the
agreement - and depending on how you look at agreements - they can be
enfoced by laws in many many places. Enforced or not - the agreement
existed. The one being punished for the issue at hand was the father - who
should have, in my opinion (and may have) - punished the son and
straightened out the mess by restoring the computer to it's "as shipped"
state - as suggested.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Shenan Stanley wrote:
> Captlucky wrote:
>> Sorry to bust everyones bubble but the Key Update Program does not
>> work om WIN XP MCE operating systems. Someone giving out expert
>> tech advice should know this before giving out wrong info. Now the
>> father blames the son for upgrading MCE 2004 to MCE 2005 with an
>> illegal copy and all because of some bad info.
>
> The father should blame the son for installing an illegitimate copy of
> Windows XP Media Center Edition onto their computer - as they stated they
> did.
<snip>

<applause> Why these techarena.in guys dredging up such old threads is
anybody's guess.