mike
Tue Jul 15 04:12:45 PDT 2008
VanguardLH wrote:
> mike wrote:
>
>> VanguardLH wrote:
>>> mike wrote:
>>>
>>>> It's a VERY long story...
>>>> I have a dell Dimension 2300 with xp home that's gone corrupt.
>>>> I don't have the Administrator
>>>> password, so I've limited access to clean things up.
>>>> I decided to just reload it.
>>>>
>>>> It won't install from the i386 partition on the hard drive.
>>>> Complains that it needs drivers.cab and mstask.ini.
>>>> When I borrow those from another similar Dell machine, it gets a lot further
>>>> but has problems: sxs.dll finds syntax errors in default.man...
>>>>
>>>> Ok, I give up.
>>>> I cloned the drive from a Dimension 4550 and after a lot of
>>>> messing around with drivers, it appears to work and msoobe
>>>> claims it's activated.
>>>>
>>>> Now, I have two machines with the same license key.
>>>>
>>>> I have two keys for the 2300. One from the sticker on the case
>>>> and a different one extracted from the registry. I "understand"
>>>> that's normal for an OEM preinstall??? I also saved the wpa.dbl
>>>> file from the original disk.
>>>>
>>>> So, to make it all legal, which key do I use and how do I get it
>>>> into the right place...without screwing up the activation?
>>>>
>>>> What's the risk of doing nothing? Am I likely to encounter downloading
>>>> or activation-related problems later?
>>> Use the recovery CDs (that you were supposed to create after getting the
>>> computer) to reinstall the original image that came on the computer when
>>> you bought it. Or hit the F key mentioned during bootup to run their
>>> recovery manager from the hidden partition on the hard disk if you've
>>> been lazy or forgetful in following the manual's description on how to
>>> burn the recovery CDs from that hidden partition.
>>>
>>> You cloned an OS for one hardware config onto another host of a
>>> different hardware config. You had to install all the drivers to
>>> support the real hardware on the Dimension 2300 because it is different
>>> than the hardware in the Dimension 4550. That it works means you got
>>> lucky ... for now. Personally I'd be leery of this recovery method,
>>> especially considering the Dell garbage "utilities" that get included in
>>> their bastardized version of Windows.
>>>
>>> One key is the product ID. It identifies the product, not the license.
>>> I suspect that is what you got out of the registry. The other key is
>>> the license or product key used during installation. You never
>>> mentioned WHAT you used to "extract" the "key(s)" from the registry.
>>> Belarc Advisor will show you both as "prodID (prodKey)". The 2nd one is
>>> what you need to use as the license key. Obviously you use the license
>>> key on the sticker on the host where you want to install that license
>>> key. The prodKey shown by Belarc (or whatever you used to "extract"
>>> whatever key) when ran on the 2300 will be the prodKey for the 4550. I
>>> don't know why you are trying to extract the product key from the
>>> registry (which is for the OS instance that you cloned from the 4550).
>>> You need to use the product key on the sticker on the 2300.
>>>
>>> Reactivate your cloned Dimension 2300 so you can enter its product key
>>> (from its sticker). See
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/810892.
>>>
>>> Why not just reboot and use the F key to run their recovery manager to
>>> restore the sales-time image onto the hard disk? Or call Dell to have
>>> them send you the recovery CDs (because you didn't bother to make them
>>> beforehand) for that model at about a cost of $20? Would be a safer
>>> setup than hoping a clone job will work on different hardware.
>> Why is it so HARD to get a direct answer to a simple question?
>> Am I the first person in the universe to acquire a USED computer that
>> didn't come with reinstall CD's?
>
> Getting used hardware does not entitle you to any software on the hard
> disks. Unless the operating system was included, what you got was a
> polluted hard disk. The seller would have to provide the install or
> restore CDs or the restore partition must still be intact to let you
> install a legit license.
>
> It looks like you got screwed. You bought used hardware but no
> software. Then you made an illegal clone of the licensed copy of
> Windows from another host. If the operating system was supposed to be
> included in the sale/transfer of the used 2300 computer then contact the
> seller to get it. Just what came with the 2300 to qualify that a
> license of Windows was included with it? The sticker probably shows it
> was supposed to include an OEM version (since the OEM license can't be
> used on another host) but that doesn't mean the seller actually included
> the OS. If you don't have a means to install a legit copy of Windows
> that was included in the sale then something was wrong with that sale,
> or what you are trying to do with the license from the 4550.
>
>> Am I the only person in the universe to stumble over the INCREDIBLE
>> number of roadblocks MS intentionally installed to waste my time?
>
> If the seller actually provided the operating system on install CDs,
> restore CDs, or the hidden partition was still usable (which the seller
> should've used before selling the computer if the OS was included in the
> sale) then there would be no difficulties to install. What you are
> trying to accomplish is using 2 licenses when it appears you only have 1
> legit license.
>
>> Do you think we ask complex questions because we're too stupid to try
>> the simple stuff? Or we can't type "google"?
>> I may be forgetful, but lazy I'm NOT!
>
> I was talking about the instructions in the manual (if you even got one
> with the used computer, but another should be available online) that
> tell you how to create the restore CDs (if and only if they aren't
> normally included with the computer and which should have been
> surrendered by the seller). A *lot* of users never read the
> instructions on creating the restore CDs. They buy the prebuild
> computer with the pre-installed OS and never build the bridge backward
> to restore.
>
>> Things would go more smoothly if helpers would assume that we
>> had half a brain and answered the question asked before rambling
>> off on why we should do something different. Extra help is good
>> as long as it's EXTRA and not INSTEAD OF.
>
> Why is it so hard to read the Microsoft article? Are we to assume that
> you already read it? Are we to assume everything that you already did?
> In that case, we would also assume that you already knew the answer. If
> you don't tell what you did, no one else is going to know.
>
>> I extracted the license key from the 2300 using SIW.
>> Yes it's the LICENSE KEY because it is in the correct format and the
>> label said LICENSE KEY, NOT PRODUCT KEY which was a different number.
>> (Yes, it's different from the license key on the 4550)
>> AND different from the license key on the COA stuck to the side of the 2300.
>
> Is the extracted license key (never heard of "SIW") the one that you
> used when reactivating the cloned copy of the OS on the 2300? If so,
> did the reactivation complete okay? If not, did you try reactivating
> using the license key on the sticker?
>
>> Also, the license key extracted from the 4550 is different from the
>> license key on the COA on the 4550
>> I have experience with Gateway systems where the license key on the COA
>> wouldn't work with ANY of the XP CD's I was using for the reinstall, but
>> the extracted key WOULD work and the system activated. I made the rash
>> assumption that this is normal so the system builders don't have to
>> enter a key for every system they configure. But I digress...
>>
>> Yes, there is a hidden partition on the 2300, but it's a diagnostics
>> partition, not a restore partition.
>
> Bummer. How come the used computer didn't come with the install CDs if
> it actually included a copy of a license in the transfer?
>
>> There is an i386 directory on the 2300. I assumed it was put there by
>> the factory for restore purposes, because it is 900MB of bloat and dell
>> stuff. It has ALL the files that exist in the i386 directory on a normal
>> XP install CD, but has only the LANG subdirectory of the i386 directory.
>
> The i386 subdirectory on my install CD (Windows XP Pro) is only 546MB in
> size. All the files together are 658MB (to fit on 1 CD). Because
> you're asking about a Dell, there is a lot of other Dell-specific
> utilities that are included. I don't remember how many install CDs
> there are for a Dell (I don't own any but just have worked on some).
>
> The mstask.ini is a 2-line text file. The driver.cab is under the i386
> folder but is it singular, not the plural "drivers", in the filename.
> Because Dell customizes the setup for each model, it is probable that a
> driver.cab for one model doesn't contain all the drivers needed for all
> their other models, and they may have customized it beyond the default
> set of drivers supplied by Microsoft.
>
>> I can't help that the previous owner didn't pass original cd's on to me.
>> Doesn't make ANY sense to pay $20 for something you already have license
>> to use and put it on a $2 computer.
>
> The license transfer requires the seller provide any and all
> installation media for the OS. If it was an OEM license, the seller
> isn't allowed to use it on another host, anyway (well, not legally).
> That they didn't give you a means to install the OS means they did not
> include a legitimate copy of the OS. You got hardware. That's all.
>
>> I need to fix this with what I have or can get for free.
>
> What you have is ONE legitimate license on your 4550. The sticker on
> the 2300 means that another legitimate license was supposed to accompany
> the transfer of that computer - but it didn't. Your recourse is to get
> the seller to find the installation media or renegotiate the sale. If
> the computer cost only $2, you bought junked hardware and that rarely
> includes any licenses to any software.
>
>> In the past, I've been able to create a new install CD by extracting
>> everything
>> from another XP install CD, overlaying the i386 directory from the target
>> machine and reburning the CD.
>> That ain't gonna work here because the i386 directory won't fit on a CD.
>> And if it won't install in place, it probably won't from the CD.
>> If there were a tutorial on which OEM parts need to be extracted
>> to rebuild an install CD, that
>> would be great to know.
>
> I'm now very suspicious that you are attempting to steal a license for
> Windows and am not going to help you further your goal of acquiring an
> illegal license of Windows. You didn't get one with the used 2300 and
> am trying to use the clone from the 4550 along with the sticker on the
> 2300 (or the key from the registry that was generated on the 4550) to
> get a 2nd license that you never got.
>
> Read the Microsoft KB article. You can also run through the activation
> wizard and then just call the FREE telephone number for a FREE incident
> call to Microsoft to see if they are willing to give you a new number to
> activate your iffy clone of Windows. But then you came here because you
> already know their answer.
Interesting that attempting to make an install comply with the license terms
leads you to accuse me of stealing. I gave you the facts. Create
whatever fantasy you wish, just don't blame it on me.
Also interesting the leaps of (il)logic that you make.
Thank you again for the time you spent lecturing me.
Let's take a look at what you said...
Say I have a brand new computer. I bought it directly from Microsoft
with a valid license and restore partition on the HD. I have a folder
full of licenses and agreements. I had my lawyer sit down with MS lawyers
and verified that everything is legal.
I get a computer virus. The ONLY thing it does is corrupt a file
on the restore partition that causes the restore to fail.
I no longer have restore media.
According to your interpretation, ALL my licenses are invalidated
and I can no longer legally use my computer. God forbid I should sell
it to someone.
I should go directly to the jail and ask to be let in.
Anyway, we're done here. I think I'm about as amused as I'm
gonna get.
Please take a look at the other responder to this thread.
That's how you answer a simple question with a simple answer.
Learn from it. Embrace the technique. Return your judge's robe
to the rental place.
We'll all be better for it.
mike has left the building...