Microsoft Windows Validation

I got this article recently

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/artic...1754864,00.asp

I found on MS's site how to check validity

http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/dow...mspx%3fcc%3dww

Here's my situation - we order lots of new machines at a time - we setup one
PC and create a ghost image to send to all the new PC's to cut down on time
spent setting up machines. This means that we are not - according to
Microsoft - legal - which is not correct.

I'm just trying to see if anyone else has put any thought into this - if you
have the same situation.

Kim Stansel
Public Defenders Office

Computers that run the Windows XP operating system use a security ID (SID) as a unique identifier.
If you use disk-duplication software, you must ensure the uniqueness of these security IDs.

The Microsoft Policy Concerning Disk Duplication of Windows XP Installations
http://support.microsoft.com/default...&Product=winxp

When you clone a Windows NT/2000/XP installation to many computers,
the destination computers have the same SID and computer name as the source
Windows installation. Because Windows NT/2000/XP networks use each computer's
SID and computer name to uniquely identify the computer on the network, you must
change the SID and computer name on each destination (client) computer after cloning.

Visit:
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT...8&osv=&osv_lvl

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/secu...xp/choose.mspx

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"Kim Stansel" wrote:

| I got this article recently
|
| http://www.microsoft-watch.com/artic...1754864,00.asp
|
| I found on MS's site how to check validity
|
|
http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/dow...mspx%3fcc%3dww
|
| Here's my situation - we order lots of new machines at a time - we setup one
| PC and create a ghost image to send to all the new PC's to cut down on time
| spent setting up machines. This means that we are not - according to
| Microsoft - legal - which is not correct.
|
| I'm just trying to see if anyone else has put any thought into this - if you
| have the same situation.
|
| Kim Stansel
| Public Defenders Office

Comments inline...

Kim Stansel wrote:
> I got this article recently
>
> http://www.microsoft-watch.com/artic...1754864,00.asp
>
> I found on MS's site how to check validity
>
> http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/dow...mspx%3fcc%3dww
>
> Here's my situation - we order lots of new machines at a time - we
> setup one PC and create a ghost image to send to all the new PC's to
> cut down on time spent setting up machines. This means that we are
> not - according to Microsoft - legal - which is not correct.

If you followed the words of the EULA - it is correct. No matter how many
copies of the license you actually own, you have not followed the letter of
the EULA and installed one license (CD Key in the OEM/Retail case) on one
computer. Now - does the EULA matter in your own home - that brings up
debates lasting hundreds of responses and dredges up emotions in some that
are best left untapped.

It comes down to a matter of conscience and acceptance. If you are
comfortable doing what you are and (in your case) are "technically"
following the license agreement in that you own as many licenses as you have
installs... Then so be it. I am not here to judge or give you any grief or
praise over what you do in your home.

> I'm just trying to see if anyone else has put any thought into this -
> if you have the same situation.

Dangerous and trolling request in these newsgroups. It may/may not start
the long line of responses usually associated with such things.. If it does
not, it will be because you actually own the licenses in the number you need
instead of having erroneously (by some standards) installed one license on
more than one machine.

The truth of the current state of affairs is that you will likely NOT run
into trouble if all of the machines were activated without trouble. That is
where the problems come in. If you were to reinstall and activate one..
Wait about a week and then try to install and activate the second one from
the same image - you'd likely have to activate by phone.

Now - you could do a few things.. Like using Sysprep when making an image
of the first machine to apply to the rest of the machines.. Then you have an
image that you could type the valid CD key for each machine into. In your
case where everything is working, I suggest ghosting a machine and trying
the methods laid out here for changing keys on a PC..

http://techrepublic.com.com/5100-1035_11-5034890.html

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--