[gunsmokingman]

MAVERICKS CHOICE, on Jul 26 2006, 12:05 AM, said:

Interesting tool you produced there GSM, you never stop amazing us.

Cheers
MC.

Thank you MC
I was thinking of addding a few more things to the HTA
1:\ Build the UA work area with all the folders, for either a HD install or CD_DVD install
2:\ Copy XP to the UA work area
3:\ Intergrate SP2 and Updates
4:\ Burn the ISO

[maxXPsoft]

? anyone
Tried GSM tool and it add's this odd entry also

Quote

[params.MS_TCPIP]DNS=No

is not a valid entry as far as i can tell from ref.chm and deploy.chm

Quote

[params.MS_TCPIP]DNSDomain=fabrikam.com

is valid

only place DNS= located is under
[NetOptionalComponents]
and Comments Valid only for the Windows Server 2003 family.

My ? are is this some odd thing that work's or mistake not needed

This post has been edited by maxXPsoft: 29 July 2006 - 06:36 AM

[valerian_cafe]

new to this forums, I have an HP Pavlion Media m7470n, I had the recovery dvd's and 1 cd tools. I'm trying to make one dvd too install windows MCE 2005 , I used the code to make the dvd, I couldn't unlock the HP_RECOVERY hd so I used the dvd1 of the hp recovery disk's. I backed up my hd with Acronis True Image . Then I installed the new boot dvd I thought everything was fine, then it ask for another cd with a program, I think it's the mce part of windows to run the media center ? How do I merge that part ? is it a msi file ?

[lil nublet]

Instead of activating, can you just remove activation? I see in NLite that you can remove this, what does it do?

[Bezalel]

lil nublet, on Aug 8 2006, 02:11 PM, said:

Instead of activating, can you just remove activation? I see in NLite that you can remove this, what does it do?

If you remove activation with nLite you won't be able to activate your PC. If the PC requires activation you won't be able to use it once the grace period runs out.

[tkmadison]

Here's the problem with my system.
It's running an OEM XP Home. There never was any recovery media (available from the manufacturer at a price) but it has it's own recovery and reinstallation features. It's a lenovo (IBM) and absolutely royalty oem.
It's got a hidden partition with what i think is some form of a winpe pre-boot setup set of files, and some of the ram seems to be dedicated as a hidden drive as well to facilitate the recovery.
Now, there is a I386 folder in the root directory which seems to have everything I would need.
I've cultivated the OEM files and the windows serial from the registry through the methods shown in this thread.
I've created bootable cds from these files and burnt them to CD.
The only problem is that when i get to the "Press any key to Boot from CD" message, and press any button...it just hangs.

now, if everything (possibly a big if here) is in that I386 folder, and technically speaking, I don't need any other files (except for the identifying files in the root of a setup cd).
nLite tells me that I'm missing one of these files, but if I fabricate one (i.e. copy of of the other existing ones and rename it to what nLite is looking for) it goes well.

i can't think of any reason why it should hang. perhaps i should try and get another copy of home (oem, of course) and try using those files?

[Bezalel]

tkmadison, on Aug 13 2006, 06:18 PM, said:

perhaps i should try and get another copy of home (oem, of course) and try using those files?

Thats probably the best idea. Lenovo may not have included the nessasary files for the text mode setup to run. I personally have the Hologrammed CDs and designed these scripts for use with those CDs.

[Tbone2]

Bezalel

YOUR THE MAN....
It worked great for my sony lappy

and none of the oem bull has to be installed

Thanks again SIR from one happy oem owner.

[canadianfigor]

I followed this method for my Sony VAIO and upon installing windows it prompted for a cd key. I tried entering first the cdkey that was generated using the above method and then the COA key. Both were invalid. Any ideas? My system came with MCE 2005 and I'm installing with MCE 2005 as well. Any help will be much appreciated.


I also noticed that in the title bar of the product key window it says "Windows XP Professional Upgrade". Is this normal for a MCE 2005 installation?

This post has been edited by canadianfigor: 21 August 2006 - 11:59 AM

[Randy Rhoads]

Quote

I also noticed that in the title bar of the product key window it says "Windows XP Professional Upgrade". Is this normal for a MCE 2005 installation?

Maybe the SETUPP.INI file ?

Does it read like:

Pid=76487OEM

[twig123]

canadianfigor, on Aug 21 2006, 12:33 PM, said:

I also noticed that in the title bar of the product key window it says "Windows XP Professional Upgrade". Is this normal for a MCE 2005 installation?

This IS normal for XP MCE, because it is basically Pro with some extra features.

As for the other issues, make sure that the key that that was generated is NOT the same as the one on the system's COA sticker...

[canadianfigor]

Randy Rhoads, on Aug 21 2006, 11:27 PM, said:

Maybe the SETUPP.INI file ?

Does it read like:

Pid=76487OEM

Well first off tyvm for your help. At the time there was no reply here yet, so I did some digging around. Found some cool info I never knew in the process, but yes it was the setupp.ini file that I needed. I used the one i got from start > run > %systemroot%\i386\setupp.ini

[Pid]
ExtraData=786F687170637175716954806365EF
Pid=76487OEM

you were dead on =)

discountpc, on Aug 22 2006, 01:05 AM, said:

This IS normal for XP MCE, because it is basically Pro with some extra features.

As for the other issues, make sure that the key that that was generated is NOT the same as the one on the system's COA sticker...

Well when I started playing with the PID, the title bar started changing, now it says "Windows XP Professional Setup". The number I got was not the one from the COA sticker, but if I read correctly from my snooping around, Microsoft has keys on their website to use instead of the COA sticker keys.

Thx again for all your help! =D

Only problem now is finding out if it will actually be pre-activated, since I don't want to format at this point in time. I hope that when I need to, it won't bail on me.

This post has been edited by canadianfigor: 22 August 2006 - 07:28 AM

[nadav]

Bezalel, on May 24 2006, 04:19 PM, said:

If you use the key from the Registry (or the key in your Dell CD) you will not have to activate it at all. If you use the key from the sticker you will have to activate by phone. The CD Key is not tied to any manufacturer, the OEMBIOS files are.

What would happen if I try using the OEMBIOS files on a computer from another manufacturer? How do the files "know" if the computer is from this manufacturer or that?

Quote

Non-Dell: (System Builder - Not yet activated)
WPA creates a hardware inventory and saves it as WPA.DBL
Using the OEMBIOS files WPA checks that the PC is manufactured by Dell and is using a factory key.
Verification fails - proceed to next step
WPA.DBL is compared to WPA.BAK to determine how much hadware has changed
Verification fails (WPA.BAK doesn't exist) - proceed to next step
User is prompted to activate
User attempts to activate online
Activation fails (factory keys can't activate) - User is informed that the key must be changed
User enters key on sticker
User attempts to activate online
Activation is sucsessful - WPA.DBL is signed and copied as WPA.BAK - Have a nice day

At what stage of the setup (or post-setup) proccess does the wpa check occur? Can I swap the OEMBIOS files after the system has booted for the first time?

[Bezalel]

nadav, on Sep 2 2006, 08:07 AM, said:

What would happen if I try using the OEMBIOS files on a computer from another manufacturer? How do the files "know" if the computer is from this manufacturer or that?

The OEMBIOS files containg a encrypted list of strings and memory ranges. In the case of Dell, WPA searches a particular portion of the BIOS for "Dell Computer", "Dell Inc", or "Dell System". If you were to uses these files on a non-Dell the check would fail. The MGADIAG tool from MS will show you the first 4 strings in the list but will not show the memory locations.

[severach]

nadav, on Sep 2 2006, 08:07 AM, said:

At what stage of the setup (or post-setup) proccess does the wpa check occur? Can I swap the OEMBIOS files after the system has booted for the first time?

Google "NtLockRegistryKey Inside the WPA-CALL"

You'll need to read it out of the Google cache unless you can find the current AntiWPA site.

[jowaju]

You are the man, just want you to know that. Been wringing my hair out for a week trying to reload this stupid HP Compaq Evo D530, don't have the restore disks. Tried an XP Pro disk from a newer and an older Compaq we had, neither would work. After a bit of research I copied the i386 folder from another HP (newer), but it too would ask to activate after Windows finished installing. Finally found this post, ran your files to get my XP key from the new one, used it when installing on the other one, and presto, no activation needed. Very thankful for your help, hope I can someday return the favor.

Speaking of, I noticed in another thread you are looking for certain OEMBIOS files from certain manufacturers. We see a ton of computers come through here monthly, so if you have a need feel free to ask and I'll see what I can scrounge up.

[r0sWell]

I have a Dell laptop with WinXP MCE 2005.
I have the CD too (a full MCE DVD customized by Dell too integrate Bonus content).

my question is :
should the pre-activation thing discussed here work when tested on VMware ?
(because virtual environment is not 'manufactured by Dell' on VMware i think)

I have planified a full reinstallation on my laptop, but i test my unattended DVD on VMware before, and getting/replacing OEMBIOS files doesn't work.

Plus, i remarqued that the VB script which gets the Windows cdkey in the registry is the same key that is written on my laptop sticker...

can you help me on that points please ?
thx

This post has been edited by r0sWell: 27 September 2006 - 03:22 AM

[FreeStyler]

r0sWell, on Sep 27 2006, 10:19 AM, said:

I have a Dell laptop with WinXP MCE 2005.
I have the CD too (a full MCE DVD customized by Dell too integrate Bonus content).

my question is :
should the pre-activation thing discussed here work when tested on VMware ?
(because virtual environment is not 'manufactured by Dell' on VMware i think)

I have planified a full reinstallation on my laptop, but i test my unattended DVD on VMware before, and getting/replacing OEMBIOS files doesn't work.

Plus, i remarqued that the VB script which gets the Windows cdkey in the registry is the same key that is written on my laptop sticker...

can you help me on that points please ?
thx

NO, you are right this won't work on VMWare as the BIOS in VMware doesn't hold the reqyuired SLP BIOS strings...
The issue about the key, check winnt.sif and/or OOBEinfo.ini on the DVD

[dEEPSPY]

Hey ive read almost every post in this topic, but didnt see an answer to my problem, or im just blind, lol.
- I built my own computer
- I presume I have a "Hacked" CD of Win XP Pro since the Windows Genuine Validation reports to me as having an illegal or pirated CD key when i update windows to a cetain point.
- At that point i cannot get any more updates as i have an "Illegal" copy

Would i be able to get the OEMBIOS files from another computer and use them with my "hacked" cd to get :
- Preactivated install
- Clean install without the Windows Genuine Validation reporting me having an illegal or pirated CD key

If so, what computer should i use to get the OEMBIOS files from?
A computer made by Dell, HP, Acer etc...
Or, a computer with an OEM CD, also custom built...
Or, a combination of both?

And lastly would this cd that i create be able to be used on ANY computer i install it on, and would it work correctly on all different computers? My main concern is for it to work on custom built PC's, not so much PC's from Dell, Acer, HP etc.

Sry for the long post, but thanks so much for any help i get that leads to the solving of my issue

[Bezalel]

dEEPSPY, on Oct 18 2006, 11:24 AM, said:

Hey ive read almost every post in this topic, but didnt see an answer to my problem, or im just blind, lol.
- I built my own computer
- I presume I have a "Hacked" CD of Win XP Pro since the Windows Genuine Validation reports to me as having an illegal or pirated CD key when i update windows to a cetain point.
- At that point i cannot get any more updates as i have an "Illegal" copy

Would i be able to get the OEMBIOS files from another computer and use them with my "hacked" cd to get :
- Preactivated install
- Clean install without the Windows Genuine Validation reporting me having an illegal or pirated CD key

If so, what computer should i use to get the OEMBIOS files from?
A computer made by Dell, HP, Acer etc...
Or, a computer with an OEM CD, also custom built...
Or, a combination of both?

And lastly would this cd that i create be able to be used on ANY computer i install it on, and would it work correctly on all different computers? My main concern is for it to work on custom built PC's, not so much PC's from Dell, Acer, HP etc.

Sry for the long post, but thanks so much for any help i get that leads to the solving of my issue

This is a strictly no warez site so you won't get any help on your first issue.

This method only works on computers manufactured by a Royalty OEMs(at least 1000 PCs or 100 Servers anually), it won't work on homebulit or Mom&Pop brands. The target PC must be the same brand as the source PC for this to work.