Solve : Determining XP Pro OS age by the product key??

1.	Solve : Determining XP Pro OS age by the product key??
Answer» Is it possible to determine the age of a Windows XP Pro operating system by the product key number? I have what I know is an older XP Pro because I updated it to SP2 when I came into possession of the computer. So its EITHER a SP1 or the "Original Release", and it was updated to SP1 before my having it. I do not have the original disk that was loaded into it. I would like to have something as a back up though. I have found Microsoft disks with SP1, but I have seen a couple that did not say it contained a SP. Just said XP Pro. I saw on Microsoft's site when I built some boot disks for XP Pro SP2 that there was a XP Home and XP Pro that had no SP and were just called "Original Release". I have read the product keys need to match the age of the operating systems they originated from, so they will re-validate properly from a fresh install. Well, long story short now. Is there a WAY to tell if my computer started out as XP Pro, Original Release or SP1? I would hate to waste a good product key if I needed to re-install. Thanks, Quote I would hate to waste a good product key if I needed to re-install. :-? I don't get it. If you needed to format your hard drive and reinstall Windows, you'll need a valid product key. If you try to use a product key that's won't work with a particular Windows CD, you simply won't be able to complete the installation. So, what exactly do you mean by "waste a good product key"?Are you talking about when you have it installed and right click on my computer go to properties then under system it shows you version? I probably owe you some punctuation on the above sentence,but I ain't doing it. :-? SNAP!Fordtruckmaniac..... I THINK I understand what your asking ......... As I understand it ....... UNIQUE product serial code was (is) associated with the VARIOUS O/S releases and versions. So , you aquired the machine and for some reason were not given the original win XP pro cd ........ When you aquired it , it had xp pro on it c/w sp1 ....... If the machine was originally loaded with xp pro ( without sp1 ) then if you go the windows update page , you should be able to look back at what updates were installed ....... If you see sp1 as a update you should be looking for the earlier version. If it doesnt appear in the update list , Then it's the xp pro with sp1 your looking for . I have that situation with one of my machines ........... I purchased it in 2002 and it shipped with XP home ......... "OEM" version 2002 , which I keep in the vault. SP1 came along later that year as a update and SP2 was released several years after that ....... Does your pc have the original sticker afixed to it with the product code and version ? The other thing you could do would be to call Microsoft and they should be able to tell you which version you have installed by the product code ..... If you suspect that the original install may not have been legal , I wouldn't suggest doing this. With regard to wasting a good product code , you won't waste it ....... ( assuming it's not a pirated code ) ...... If for example you do a format using a xp pro disk with SP1 and your code is for a XP Pro with out SP1 it will tell you that your code doesnt match the version your attempting to install. The other thing is ...... Is your XP pro a corporate version ? Hope this helps you . dl65 dl65 You got exactly what I was trying to say. Sorry for the confusion. Sorry, to soybean and street1, I thought long and hard about what I was trying to say and thought I had it as being understandable. dl65, I have a good number, it alway passes the Microsoft validation update that comes around every so often. And before I put SP2 in it, I tested it on Microsoft's site, and it showed as being a good number then too. It always downloads the Microsoft Updates fine. Whether its a corporate edition, I do not know. I do know, it does not have OEM with the the registration (I guess thats what its called) number that shows with the info on the general tab in system properties. I will go back through my Microsoft Update history and look for the SP1 update. And yes thats what I was meaning about wasting a product key number. In other words if I could find a disk to match the original system that was put in here. Then I could re-install if needed and update the SP's as needed. No, there is no product key sticker on the case. It was a home build. I am going to check the history out now. Thanks much, Update After checking the update history, all I'm showing is the addition of SP2. Fordtruckmaniac........ Quote And yes thats what I was meaning about wasting a product key number. In other words if I could find a disk to match the original system that was put in here. Then I could re-install if needed and update the SP's as needed Yes , thats exactly correct . Happy New Year , dl65 Will it be relevant, the registration number not having OEM in it, as to what I would need, disk wise. I had just put in the above post, that all I found was SP2 being installed. It was also in the "Control Panel", "Add or Remove Programs". Thanks much, And Happy New Year to you, as well.

Answer»

Is it possible to determine the age of a Windows XP Pro operating system by the product key number?

I have what I know is an older XP Pro because I updated it to SP2 when I came into possession of the computer. So its EITHER a SP1 or the "Original Release", and it was updated to SP1 before my having it.

I do not have the original disk that was loaded into it. I would like to have something as a back up though.

I have found Microsoft disks with SP1, but I have seen a couple that did not say it contained a SP. Just said XP Pro.

I saw on Microsoft's site when I built some boot disks for XP Pro SP2 that there was a XP Home and XP Pro that had no SP and were just called "Original Release".

I have read the product keys need to match the age of the operating systems they originated from, so they will re-validate properly from a fresh install.

Well, long story short now. Is there a WAY to tell if my computer started out as XP Pro, Original Release or SP1?

I would hate to waste a good product key if I needed to re-install.

Thanks, Quote

I would hate to waste a good product key if I needed to re-install.

:-? I don't get it. If you needed to format your hard drive and reinstall Windows, you'll need a valid product key. If you try to use a product key that's won't work with a particular Windows CD, you simply won't be able to complete the installation. So, what exactly do you mean by "waste a good product key"?Are you talking about when you have it installed and right click on my computer go to properties then under system it shows you version?

I probably owe you some punctuation on the above sentence,but
I ain't doing it. :-?

SNAP!Fordtruckmaniac..... I THINK I understand what your asking .........
As I understand it ....... UNIQUE product serial code was (is) associated with the VARIOUS O/S releases and versions.
So , you aquired the machine and for some reason were not given the original win XP pro cd ........ When you aquired it , it had xp pro on it c/w sp1 .......
If the machine was originally loaded with xp pro ( without sp1 ) then if you go
the windows update page , you should be able to look back at what updates were installed ....... If you see sp1 as a update you should be looking for the earlier version. If it doesnt appear in the update list , Then it's the xp pro with sp1 your looking for .
I have that situation with one of my machines ........... I purchased it in 2002 and it shipped with XP home ......... "OEM" version 2002 , which I keep in the vault.
SP1 came along later that year as a update and SP2 was released several years after that .......
Does your pc have the original sticker afixed to it with the product code and version ?
The other thing you could do would be to call Microsoft and they should be able to tell you which version you have installed by the product code ..... If you suspect that the original install may not have been legal , I wouldn't suggest doing this.
With regard to wasting a good product code , you won't waste it ....... ( assuming it's not a pirated code ) ...... If for example you do a format using a xp pro disk with SP1 and your code is for a XP Pro with out SP1 it will tell you that your code doesnt match the version your attempting to install.
The other thing is ...... Is your XP pro a corporate version ?

Hope this helps you .

dl65

dl65

You got exactly what I was trying to say. Sorry for the confusion.

Sorry, to soybean and street1, I thought long and hard about what I was trying to say and thought I had it as being understandable.

dl65, I have a good number, it alway passes the Microsoft validation update that comes around every so often. And before I put SP2 in it, I tested it on Microsoft's site, and it showed as being a good number then too. It always downloads the Microsoft Updates fine.

Whether its a corporate edition, I do not know. I do know, it does not have OEM with the the registration (I guess thats what its called) number that shows with the info on the general tab in system properties.

I will go back through my Microsoft Update history and look for the SP1 update.

And yes thats what I was meaning about wasting a product key number. In other words if I could find a disk to match the original system that was put in here. Then I could re-install if needed and update the SP's as needed.

No, there is no product key sticker on the case. It was a home build.

I am going to check the history out now.

Thanks much,

Update After checking the update history, all I'm showing is the addition of SP2. Fordtruckmaniac........
Quote

And yes thats what I was meaning about wasting a product key number. In other words if I could find a disk to match the original system that was put in here. Then I could re-install if needed and update the SP's as needed

Yes , thats exactly correct .

Happy New Year ,

dl65 Will it be relevant, the registration number not having OEM in it, as to what I would need, disk wise.

I had just put in the above post, that all I found was SP2 being installed.

It was also in the "Control Panel", "Add or Remove Programs".

Thanks much,

And Happy New Year to you, as well.

Solve : Determining XP Pro OS age by the product key??

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