Using the Windows Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that require the reinstallation of your operating system and possible loss of data. TechRepublic does not support problems that arise from editing your registry. Use the Registry Editor and the following directions at your own risk. Change at least one character of this value to either a number from 0 to 9 or to a letter from A to F, then click OK and close the Registry Editor.
This renders the current product key invalid and deactivates Windows. Now, it's time to reactivate Windows using your new product key. Click Start Run and enter the command:. In many cases, this command will look like:.
When Windows reboots, your next step will depend on which Windows XP version you are using. If you have XP Home or Professional, you'll be prompted to reactivate your copy of Windows through the normal activation process. When the wizard loads this time, you should see a message indicating that your copy of Windows has already been activated. Although the registry editing process is effective, it can be tedious and impractical if you need to change the product key on more than a few machines.
Copy the appropriate script's code into a text file and save it as either ChangeVLKey The scripts can act in conjunction with a valid product key as part of a login script to change the product ID on multiple machines. You can also execute the script from the command line to change the key on a single computer. For example, if you wanted to change the product key on an XP machine without SP1 and had already saved the script to root directory on the C: drive, you would click Start Run and enter the following command:.
The script should take only a few seconds to run and won't prompt you for further action unless there's a problem, such as an invalid product key.
He is technology enthusiast and an English teacher. This article has been viewed 3,, times. This wikiHow teaches you how to bypass the trial version of Windows XP, either by using a stock product key or by using software to display your own product key. Note that you should only use the following information if you are unable to activate even though you have a legally-purchased copy of Windows XP. Download Windows Keyfinder. Unzip the file. Double-click the WinKeyFinder program.
Find a key next to "Product Key. Yes No. Log in Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers. Please log in with your username or email to continue.
No account yet? Create an account. Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article methods. Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Article Summary. Note: The three methods presented here may need to be used together depending on the situation: Changing the Windows XP Product Key Manually - includes instructions for how to use a stock product key to activate Windows XP.
Using the Windows Key Finder - provides the detailed steps to get the product key from your device using Windows Key Finder. Fixing the Windows Activation Loop - is only required if you have already reached the time limit for activation and need to reset the loop.
Method 1. This will open the "Run" program from which you can access your PC's registry. Doing so will launch the Registry Editor tool. Review the options tree on the left side of your screen. You'll need to navigate through several of the folders listed here in order to reach your destination. Since the registry holds most of your computer's sensitive system information, consider clicking File and then Export in the top left corner of your screen to back up your registry before proceeding.
Click the "WPA Events" folder. Don't expand this one. You should see its contents listed in a window on the right side of the Registry Editor page. Click Modify. These should be several pairs and sequences of random numbers. Tap Delete. This should remove the values listed here. Type in new numbers. It doesn't matter what you put here, but you'll need to keep the format consistent for example, if you deleted four characters, you'll need to replace that section with four characters.
Click OK once you're done. This will save your changes. Open the Run tool again. Exclude the quotation marks. Entering this command opens the Windows XP activation wizard. For best results, simply copy and paste this text into the Run field. Click OK. Select the telephone option.
This option should say "Yes, I want to telephone a customer service representative to activate Windows" and there should be a clickable check box to the left of it. If you see a note that says "Windows XP is already activated", changing your key manually isn't working.
Please proceed to the Windows Key Finder method. Click Next. Click Change Product Key. This is at the bottom of the "Activate" window. Enter a Windows XP product key. Note that you may have to attempt this step a few times with different keys. If you don't know the version of Windows XP your computer is currently running, consult your computer's manual to verify before you proceed with trying the linked product keys.
Click Update. After this process completes, you'll need to confirm your activation of Windows XP. Click Back. Check the "Activate Windows over the Internet" option.
This will allow you to activate your version of XP quickly. Note that calling Microsoft using the "telephone a customer representative" option likely won't work since Microsoft discontinued support for Windows XP on April 8th, Follow the on-screen instructions.
After you've completed your Windows XP activation, you should be able to use it without getting locked out of the system. Method 2. Related Articles. Author Info Last Updated: June 3, Method 1. Type 'Regedit' in the white text field, and click OK.
This should open the Registry Editor. Navigate to the following registry key. Select 'Yes, I want to telephone a customer service representative to activate Windows', then click next. Type the new product key into the small white text fields and then click update. Check that you get a message similar to 'You have successfully activated your copy of Windows.
Method 2. Click Next. This tool will scan your system for any inconsistency or errors. Wait for the scan to finish. Type in the new product key. You might be required to activate your system again. Restart your computer. This will allow the changes to take place. Jarod Smith. If the product key isn't working, there is something wrong with the OS. It also might be due to the fact that Windows XP has stopped being supported.
You can try updating Windows. Yes No. Not Helpful 0 Helpful 6. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
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