Can I use Server 2008 product key to replace Server 2003 product k

Probably the wrong forum, but I couldn't locate any more suitable.

We have 7 servers currently running Server 2003 Std, but the product keys
are owned by the company that used to run the network for us. This has all
been brought back in house now and my boss purchased 7 Server 2008 Std
licenses, so we could initially use the product keys to replace the 2003 keys
with, and eventually do the upgrade to 2008. Since I have a lot of testing to
do with current applications and compatibility with 2008, I went ahead and
tried replacing the 2003 product keys using the "change the OOBETimer
registry value" and then running msoobe.exe /a to start the activation
wizard. This has worked in the past, but when I entered our 2008 product
keys, it gives me an invalid product key message. I know the key is good
(after spending lots of time on the phone with MS to make sure), so is there
an issue with using a 2008 key to activate 2003?

Hello Downtime!,

Never heard about using a 2008 product key to activate 2003 OS. If you buy
2008 licenses you have the right to downgrade but you have to phone MS support
about the way how to do it.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserv...de-rights.aspx

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
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> Probably the wrong forum, but I couldn't locate any more suitable.
>
> We have 7 servers currently running Server 2003 Std, but the product
> keys are owned by the company that used to run the network for us.
> This has all been brought back in house now and my boss purchased 7
> Server 2008 Std licenses, so we could initially use the product keys
> to replace the 2003 keys with, and eventually do the upgrade to 2008.
> Since I have a lot of testing to do with current applications and
> compatibility with 2008, I went ahead and tried replacing the 2003
> product keys using the "change the OOBETimer registry value" and then
> running msoobe.exe /a to start the activation wizard. This has worked
> in the past, but when I entered our 2008 product keys, it gives me an
> invalid product key message. I know the key is good (after spending
> lots of time on the phone with MS to make sure), so is there an issue
> with using a 2008 key to activate 2003?
>