[submix8c]

"Recovery Media on USB"? NOW you say you HAVE no CD/DVD for it (you insisted you did before).

This is NOT an "installable media". So... you DO potentially need to construct one AND need the key.

Question - what happens when that USB fails? Hmmmm???? Start looking for some paddles...

This post has been edited by submix8c: 18 January 2013 - 04:48 PM

[xmf]

submix8c, on 18 January 2013 - 04:46 PM, said:

"Recovery Media on USB"? NOW you say you HAVE no CD/DVD for it (you insisted you did before).

This is NOT an "installable media". So... you DO potentially need to construct one AND need the key.

Question - what happens when that USB fails? Hmmmm???? Start looking for some paddles...

As I stated in my last post, the best option for me is to use a clone. I keep such important files in multiple locations, so I'm all set.

From post #9, which was my third post on this thread:
It came pre-installed on my (then new) ASUS netbook, and with no install media.

If you are referring to this statement, from post 1, I did not mean that to imply that I had a CD/DVD:
I need to be sure I won't be prompted to reactivate my OEM copy of WinXP

In post 38 I'm stating hypothetically as I can purchase restore media from ASUS if needed:
Whether I'm using a clone or an oem restore copy of xp

[bphlpt]

I guess another way to look at your situation is this:

You started out asking about information so that you would be prepared, just in case. In a similar vein, tt would seem that it would be a good idea to collect all the various keys that you have internal to your system or external to it, if you can come up with any way to read the worn sticker, for the same reason, just in case. Even if you never need it, since you are going to clone the drive, or even if you are correct and that key wouldn't work for you anyway, why are you resisting so strenuously the five minutes and zero cost of getting and using a key finder to collect information about your system? If you find out later, during the middle of an unplanned for reinstall for whatever reason, that you need that info it will be much harder to get it then, if it is possible at all. Using the key finder will do no damage or make any changes at all to your system. And who knows? Sometime in the future the info might come in handy. You also might learn something, and besides, it will shut us up. Good luck in your efforts.

Cheers and Regards

[xmf]

bphlpt, on 18 January 2013 - 06:20 PM, said:

why are you resisting so strenuously the five minutes and zero cost of getting and using a key finder to collect information about your system?

Because I won't ever need it, and the key wouldn't work for me anyway I've got three solid levels of redundancy that don't need a code (clone, onboard oem restore, & usb oem restore), so I'm good to go in that regard. Thanks

This post has been edited by xmf: 18 January 2013 - 06:35 PM

[Kelsenellenelvian]

Sooooo.. What your saying, in essence here, is that your just wasting everyone's time here since you have 3 levels of redundancy and apparently don't care about serials and activation?

If your not worried about the serial then you are wasting yours and everyone's time in this thread....

[xmf]

Kelsenellenelvian, on 18 January 2013 - 10:15 PM, said:

Sooooo.. What your saying, in essence here, is that your just wasting everyone's time here since you have 3 levels of redundancy and apparently don't care about serials and activation?

If your not worried about the serial then you are wasting yours and everyone's time in this thread....

No, check my first post and the title of this thread. It's not as if I opened a thread looking for advice on how to find a key and then refused that advice. In fact, my original question, having to do with what would cause NIC votes to be lost has been lost in the shuffle of people suggesting that I use a keycode finder and my explaining why that is not necessary.

[jaclaz]

xmf, on 18 January 2013 - 12:47 PM, said:

I appreciate the explanation. So, semantics aside, I still don't understand of what use either key code you mentioned would be to me, and why members have continued to recommend using a keyfinder. Whether I'm using a clone or an oem restore copy of xp, I will never need a code to activate (unless, as I stated, I try to install on a different motherboard, which I will not be doing). Thanks

Let's try with another analogy from another field.

Why a large number of policemen/federal agents (which are issued a Beretta or a Glock 9 mm or a .357 or a .45 by their Administration) would live their lives carrying also a small .38" 2" revolver (or any other kind of smallish gun) on their right or left ankle?

Let me think....

You normally have several ways:

• clone the system
  
• IF that goes bad re-install from the original install CD (if available) using EITHER the COA sticker (which surely you DON'T have) or with the key found by the keyfinder (and if with the latter most likely need NOT to reactivate online or by phone)
  
• IF that goes bad or the CD/iso is not available then re-deploy through the recovery CD (which is a "particular" kind of "clone") and need NOT to reactivate
  
• IF that goes bad re-install from *any* install CD (if available) using EITHER the COA sticker (which surely you DON'T have) or with the key found by the keyfinder (and most likely need to reactivate online or by phone)

You are limiting yourself to one or two of them while you have (still) the possibility of having (IF needed) at least an additional "way out".

jaclaz

[Kelsenellenelvian]

Eventually you are going to have to phone MS and re-activate no matter what you do...

[xmf]

I'm not so sure. There is no "original install cd" as this is a mass oem install, and from what I've read, the recovery cd does not prompt for a key, and the key a keyfinder would pull does not work with any non-oem version of windows (without perhaps making mods that I believe one poster on this thread commented on the frowned-upon nature of).

Despite these arguments, I'm obviously no expert and you may very well be right. However, I still believe the three degrees of redundancy I mentioned in post 44 are plenty, honestly. A proven-to-work clone, by itself, (as long as it's kept in a few locations) is enough as far as I'm concerned. In addition to that, I have 2 methods of doing an oem restore that don't require a key (1 onboard and one off). If you and others think it's idiotic that I'm not interested in pursuing more, so be it. Arguing that point will get nowhere, it's just a difference of opinion, and arguing that is not why I started this thread (NIC ).

jaclaz, on 19 January 2013 - 03:41 AM, said:

xmf, on 18 January 2013 - 12:47 PM, said:

I appreciate the explanation. So, semantics aside, I still don't understand of what use either key code you mentioned would be to me, and why members have continued to recommend using a keyfinder. Whether I'm using a clone or an oem restore copy of xp, I will never need a code to activate (unless, as I stated, I try to install on a different motherboard, which I will not be doing). Thanks

Let's try with another analogy from another field.

Why a large number of policemen/federal agents (which are issued a Beretta or a Glock 9 mm or a .357 or a .45 by their Administration) would live their lives carrying also a small .38" 2" revolver (or any other kind of smallish gun) on their right or left ankle?

Let me think....

You normally have several ways:

• clone the system
  
• IF that goes bad re-install from the original install CD (if available) using EITHER the COA sticker (which surely you DON'T have) or with the key found by the keyfinder (and if with the latter most likely need NOT to reactivate online or by phone)
  
• IF that goes bad or the CD/iso is not available then re-deploy through the recovery CD (which is a "particular" kind of "clone") and need NOT to reactivate
  
• IF that goes bad re-install from *any* install CD (if available) using EITHER the COA sticker (which surely you DON'T have) or with the key found by the keyfinder (and most likely need to reactivate online or by phone)

You are limiting yourself to one or two of them while you have (still) the possibility of having (IF needed) at least an additional "way out".

jaclaz

[bphlpt]

(1) You have spent WAY longer explaining why you don't want to use a key finder than it would have taken to have gotten and run it.

(2) You could just lie to us and say you did it. (We won't ask what the key is so your secret will be safe.) If your clone goes wrong for any reason and your current system disc gets damaged, then we'll try and give you advice how to reinstall using the previously "found" key.

(3) Yes, you're right that we've been more focused on the activation angle (needing some kind of key), but "activation" and/or "key" featured prominently in the first two sentences of your original post.

xmf, on 15 January 2013 - 03:34 AM, said:

I'm getting ready to clone my netbook's hdd over to a new Intel SSD (using Intel's included software), and I need to be sure I won't be prompted to reactivate my OEM copy of WinXP. The reason I can't re-verify is because the product key has worn off of Microsoft's sticker

(4) So to answer what apparently are the only questions you really wanted an answer to (which have already been answered elsewhere in the thread):

xmf, on 15 January 2013 - 03:34 AM, said:

[...] if I disable LAN and Wifi in the BIOS, would that affect the vote count?

Yes, AFAIK, and I believe the same is true if you just disable them in Windows.

xmf, on 15 January 2013 - 03:34 AM, said:

[...] will simply swapping the hard drive bring my vote count down low enough for XP to prompt for re-activation?

If you swap the disk by doing a true clone, then Windows will not be able to tell that any change has occurred, so No.

Cheers and Regards

[Ponch]

Ponch, on 17 January 2013 - 04:29 AM, said:

xmf, on 16 January 2013 - 04:12 AM, said:

I'm not scared, I'm being cautious because I don't want to wind up wasting a bunch of time, energy and money

I think it's exactly what you are doing since 2 days.

Make it "4 days".

[jaclaz]

bphlpt, on 19 January 2013 - 07:58 AM, said:

(2) You could just lie to us and say you did it.

Or he could well have already have run it, but pretend he hasn't just for the fun of making the little bastards on the board upset about this

jaclaz

[cdob]

xmf, on 15 January 2013 - 03:34 AM, said:

I'm getting ready to clone my netbook's hdd over to a new Intel SSD (using Intel's included software), and I need to be sure I won't be prompted to reactivate my OEM copy of WinXP.

I'm still not 100% clear on this issue

Which OEM copy do you use? Whch XP version do you use?
Which hardware do you use?
Do you use XP installed from the netbook manufacturer? XP will stay activated as for 99.999% Nobody can guarentee 100%

BTW OS manufacturer offers: Preserving OEM Pre-Activation when Re-installing Windows XP
http://technet.micro...y/bb457078.aspx