Preserving OEM activation after Sysprep.

[iain187]

I was asked to make a couple of images today. Once I'd ran sysprep to re-generate the SIDs, the setup was asking for a product code again but as we have a load of Dells at work... The COA sticker codes are deactivated and we never see the CD keys we are using!

So after a quick google or 2 i found this link:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb457078.aspx

this CD key seems to work, I was just wondering if anyone had come across this CD key before and if it only works on OEM CD's as it's a bit weird to see a CD key on MS's website lol!

 

[DMS]

It kinda works differently IIRC.
How I understand what happens is this:

The PC is set up and booted for the first time, then it asks to activate Windows. Msoobe.exe runs which takes the serial number you've entered and a hash generated by performing a hardware scan of the computer and submits the data to Microsoft. If they match up, activation works. This is the reason why you can't normally re-register a COA online once you've used it - Microsoft know that serial is for a single machine and has already been activated.
When you use that serial number from the Technet article you posted, Msoobe.exe knows that it has been designated for use by MS when the PC has been pre-registered by the manufacturer. It simply computes a hash by performing a hardware scan and submits that to Microsoft. It's then checked against Microsoft's licensing database (which the manufacturer registers all the details with when they pre-register the machines) and if the machine has been pre-registered it allows the copy of Windows to be activated.

Get meh ?

 

[iain187]

i tihnk so... it kind of works backwards sort of saying 'you already have my hash, please find it and activate me that way'

clever

 

[DMS]

Exactly.