The discussion about what type of disks are shipped with the Sager units prompted me to post this. I hope this helps someone avoid some future frustration.
!) XP Retail cd's (media) cannot be used with OEM or volume license activation keys.
2) OEM cd's cannot be used with retail or volume license activation keys.
3) Volume license keys have to be used with a volume license CD. This is I believe the stupidest part of the entire equation.
We decide to upgrade some of the staff stations so we get 20 volume licenses. I don't buy the cd because I have many others (OEM and retail). I start installing and my install of XP kept saying 'invalid key' when it came to activate it. But I had just made a photocopy of the actual license stickers and was using them as a reference. So I called MS and got the above explaination. Nice of them to say something before hand
I point this out because it's great that we receive the OEM CD with the Sager units and not just the 'build your own disk' from the installation put on the hard drive. What if you didn't build your own because you've other XP disks... can you say bend over.
If you are involved with a small business where you don't just have spare licenses sitting around need to keep track of what type of installation you have and from what type of disk otherwise you may find your self screwed if you have to reinstall.
It's not like it used to be where a windows cd was a windows cd and personally I think having to track three different types of disks sucks.
Do I think they will change it... NOT!
BTW, I haven't been able to confirm it but I believe Office XP exhibits similar behavior. That is just one reason that I don't see the organization I work for upgrading to Office XP any time soon.
!) XP Retail cd's (media) cannot be used with OEM or volume license activation keys.
2) OEM cd's cannot be used with retail or volume license activation keys.
3) Volume license keys have to be used with a volume license CD. This is I believe the stupidest part of the entire equation.
We decide to upgrade some of the staff stations so we get 20 volume licenses. I don't buy the cd because I have many others (OEM and retail). I start installing and my install of XP kept saying 'invalid key' when it came to activate it. But I had just made a photocopy of the actual license stickers and was using them as a reference. So I called MS and got the above explaination. Nice of them to say something before hand
I point this out because it's great that we receive the OEM CD with the Sager units and not just the 'build your own disk' from the installation put on the hard drive. What if you didn't build your own because you've other XP disks... can you say bend over.
If you are involved with a small business where you don't just have spare licenses sitting around need to keep track of what type of installation you have and from what type of disk otherwise you may find your self screwed if you have to reinstall.
It's not like it used to be where a windows cd was a windows cd and personally I think having to track three different types of disks sucks.
Do I think they will change it... NOT!BTW, I haven't been able to confirm it but I believe Office XP exhibits similar behavior. That is just one reason that I don't see the organization I work for upgrading to Office XP any time soon.
