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OEMScan - Automated Multi Manufacture Pre-Activation Utility


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Hmm that's a weird one alright. I wanted oemscan to put in a key specific to the manufacturer when it installed. That's why each vendor directory has a setkey.cmd file. If you're planning to use the one key for every manufacturer you can eliminate that step by placing the key in the winnt.sif (as the manufacturer does).

WINNT.SIF

[UserData]
ProductKey="XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX"

[Data]
MSDosInitiated=0
UnattendedInstall=Yes

[GuiUnattended]
DetachedProgram=".\system32\cmd.exe"
Arguments="/Q /C FOR /F %I IN (%SystemRoot%\SYSTEM32\$WINNT$.INF) DO (FOR %J IN (%IOEM) DO (IF EXIST %J (start /min /D%J NirCmd.exe exec hide oemscan.cmd)))"

Then just remove the setkey.cmd line from the oemscan.ini so it reads like:

[Dell Inc.]
PATH=".\Dell\"
CMD=""

That should solve the problem but I'm still curious to know why the key fails...

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Hmm that's a weird one alright. I wanted oemscan to put in a key specific to the manufacturer when it installed. That's why each vendor directory has a setkey.cmd file. If you're planning to use the one key for every manufacturer you can eliminate that step by placing the key in the winnt.sif (as the manufacturer does).

That's my plan, to collect all the brand specific OEM keys and eventually put them on the CD. I just don't have them all yet. So in the meantime, I'm just using the Dell key for all of them. I never would have guessed the Dells would be the problematic installs, if anything I expected the opposite.

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@Kilyin

u can use oobeinfo.ini for that as well

A example, you can use oobeinfo.ini to load the proper key

oobeinfo.ini

[Version]
ProductKey="XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX"

[Branding]
OEMName="Dell Computer System"
OEMLogo="OEMLOGO.JPG"

oemcopy.cmd

copy oemlogo.bmp %SystemRoot%\System32\
copy oeminfo.ini %SystemRoot%\System32\
copy oobeinfo.ini %SystemRoot%\system32\oobe
copy OEMLOGO.JPG %SystemRoot%\system32\oobe\images

OEMSCAN.INI

[Dell System]
PATH=".\Dell\"
CMD=".\Dell\OEMCOPY.CMD"

When XP loads for the very first time, Key value from oobeinfo.ini is used replacing the COA/SLP key used during installation

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Yeah, I know there's more than one way to accomplish this, but I want to make this work as is. I'm kind of obsessive like that.

Anyway, I just tried the CD on a Sony VAIO, and it worked flawlessly. Same setkey.cmd, same product key. And again, for reemphasis the Dells take the exact product key from the setkey.cmd if I type it into the product key box.

This is annoying enough to cause me great frustration.

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Yeah, I know there's more than one way to accomplish this, but I want to make this work as is. I'm kind of obsessive like that.

Anyway, I just tried the CD on a Sony VAIO, and it worked flawlessly. Same setkey.cmd, same product key. And again, for reemphasis the Dells take the exact product key from the setkey.cmd if I type it into the product key box.

This is annoying enough to cause me great frustration.

What key is in your winnt.sif?

maybe you just can't substitute a key with itself...eg: if you use the DELL key in winnt.sif it can't be changed with setkey.cmd as it is the holds the same key

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What key is in your winnt.sif?

maybe you just can't substitute a key with itself...eg: if you use the DELL key in winnt.sif it can't be changed with setkey.cmd as it is the holds the same key

There is no key in winnt.sif. The only place I have a product key is in the setkey.cmd.

Here's my winnt.sif for reference.

winnt.sif

[Data]
MSDosInitiated=0
UnattendedInstall=Yes

[GuiUnattended]
TimeZone = 035
DetachedProgram=".\system32\cmd.exe"
;CD Based install
Arguments="/Q /C FOR /F %I IN (%SystemRoot%\SYSTEM32\$WINNT$.INF) DO (FOR %J IN (%IOEM) DO (IF EXIST %J (start /min /D%J NirCmd.exe exec hide oemscan.cmd)))"

[Identification]
JoinWorkgroup=WORKGROUP

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@Floppy

OEMSCAN uses the CreateProcess API to execute whatever is in the string.

PromptKey.vbs isn't an executable file, it’s a script. You need to run the interpreter wscript which will parse/run the script.

[SM]
CMD="wscript PromptKey.vbs"

No Go :wacko:

I'm not sure when you're running PromptKey.vbs, but if it's during Windows setup you'll need to use cscript as wscript is not available yet.

[SM]
CMD="Cscript promptkey.vbs XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX"

I think this might work. you can also try with wscript if cscript does not work.

Edited by rpsbp
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Wow Xequter! You have made a lot of progress over the holidays! :D

I just found out about 1.4.1. I didn't know you had any new releases since 1.3.1... So I'm way behind. I'll be running some tests very soon for 2k3 and vista. I will also update the integrator addons as well once I complete my tests. :)

Thanks a lot xequter and crew. :D

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Vista OEM Activation

OEM activation uses the resources of the Microsoft OEM partner or system builder to activate each operating system as it is installed. OEMs can install images based on both OEM and volume-licensed media during the installation process. Most systems that OEMs sell include a standard build of Windows Vista pre-activated by the manufacturer. Additional scenarios present themselves for large companies that negotiate system imaging with the OEM. This guide presents these scenarios for completeness, but they have no bearing on BDD 2007 deployments, which are designed to use volume-licensed media and applications.

Drawbacks of OEM activations include reliance on the OEM for system imaging support and activation. Organizations that buy unloaded systems or that re-image systems on site will not benefit from OEM activation.

Installing Volume-Licensed Images on OEM Systems

For KMS activation to work, clients obtained through the OEM channels that have an ACPI_SLIC table in the system BIOS are required to have a valid Windows marker in the same ACPI_SLIC table. The appearance of the Windows marker is important for volume license customers who are planning to use Windows Vista volume-licensed media to re-image or upgrade OEM through the re-imaging rights provided in their volume license agreement. Not having the appropriate BIOS marker results in the following error or errors on these systems and prevents them from activating using a KMS:

OEM Imaging of Volume Editions

Organizations can choose to build a reference system using volume-licensed media. These images can be applied to target systems by the OEM; however, these systems require activation using either KMS or MAK methods.

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I think this is more relevent:

Original Equipment Manufacturer

Microsoft original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partners use a hardware security module (HSM), software, and an ID parameter that the OEM chooses to generate a public key, which Microsoft uses to create a unique OEM signing certificate. The certificate, along with special BIOS tables and product keys specific to the OEM and its particular product, is used to activate an installed version of the Windows Vista operating system and tie it to an OEM’s specific hardware.

Advantages of OEM activation include permanent activation, activation without connecting to any activation provider, and the ability for OEMs to use custom media images. (The recovery media is also activated.) Drawbacks for the customer are the need to maintain recovery media specific to each OEM system configuration versus having a generic image to use across all hardware.

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My issue is still unresolved. Today I used my CD on an Emachine. Worked great. I think that's just about every OEM there is, all using the exact same cmd files. I can't figure out why the Dells and only Dells refuse to automatically accept the product key. I'm going to try the new version of OEMScan and extract the BIOS files from the Home and Pro Dell CDs I have and see if that helps.

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My issue is still unresolved. Today I used my CD on an Emachine. Worked great. I think that's just about every OEM there is, all using the exact same cmd files. I can't figure out why the Dells and only Dells refuse to automatically accept the product key. I'm going to try the new version of OEMScan and extract the BIOS files from the Home and Pro Dell CDs I have and see if that helps.

Just so I’m clear

Are you:

1. using the same SLP CD Key for each OEM?

2. using a different SLP CD Key for each OEM?

3. #1 and #2 (IE: Use the same key for unknown OEM’s)

At what point do you know Windows XP rejected the key?

Does Windows XP prompt for activation?

Where are you specifying CD Keys? (winnt.sif, setkey.cmd)

At what point in the install are you running oemscan?

OEMBIOS files have nothing todo with Windows XP accepting a CD Key. So standard rules apply. Either it’s a problem with the CD Key, the method you’re using to change the key, or the application changing the keys.

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EDIT: I swear I've triple checked this code and missed the problem repeatedly, but I just spotted it thanks to replying to xehqter. I had an extra equal sign in the .INI, in the CMD for Dell. Oops.

THANKS for all your help and this great program.

Here's the error I had:

CMD==".\Dell\setkey.cmd"

I'm a frickin' retard, sorry.

Edited by Kilyin
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Here is a scanner for those that install from single disks because they can't figure out how to produce a multi disk or are troubleshooting why their multi disks won't preactivate. It scans the BIOS and reports which OEMBIOS.CAT CRC's are expected to preactivate. It is a DOS program so you can identify what to install before installing.

Version 1.0/148/56 1/15/2007 (86 downloads)

Version 1.0/156/59 3/15/2007 (9 downloads)

Version 1.0/158/60 4/1/2007 (105 downloads)

Version 1.0/168/66 8/23/2007 (501 downloads)

Version 1.1/249/99 10/4/2009 (105 downloads)

Version 1.1/273/106 1/23/2010 (3 downloads, this version is perfectly acceptable but includes 4 unnecessary Evesham table entries)

Version 1.1/269/106 1/23/2010

OEMBIOSv11_269_106.ZIP

Edited by severach
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