How to Change Product Key on OEM WinXP machine

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

I have been reading alot about changin WinXP product key but have had
problems with OEM machines. The best way to do it is as followed.

Make a search in Windows/System32 folder for WPA. You should come up
with a few files. Now you want to cut/paste the next two files to a new
folder:

- wpa.dbl
- wpabaln.exe

Once these files have been removed from the system32 folder you want to
activate your copy by doing the following. Click on Start then Run and
enter the following line:

%systemroot%\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe /a

Then click on Activate by phone and hit the Change Product Key. You
should now be able to change an OEM Product Key to another one.

Actually; after an -exhaustive- search myself, this process does in fact work; but as you noted the wpabaln.exe repopulates itself.

However, combining this procedure with the standard one ("change one character in HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WPAEvents\OOBETimer" ) did the trick. Change one character, THEN remove those two files, now reactivate with the good 'ole "%systemroot%\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe /a"

I use a ghost image to copy machines I build for customers, but post-SP2 I was having to run a quick repair/install to change the #$%#@$ key; this procedure have saved me oodles of time.

Thanks.