How to Change the Product Key on Windows XP SP3
- 1). Click the Windows "Start" button and select "Run."
- 2). Type "regedit" in the resulting field and click "OK" to open the Windows Registry Editor.
- 3). Double-click the following Registry sub-folders to open them: "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" > "Software" > "Microsoft" > "WindowsNT" > "CurrentVersion" > "WPAEvents."
- 4). Right-click the key on the right-hand side of the screen labeled "ODBETimer" and select "Modify."
- 5). Change at least one character of the key value to a number between 0 and 9, and then click "OK."
- 6). Close the Registry Editor.
- 7). Click the Windows "Start" button and select "Run."
- 8). Enter "%systemroot%\system32\oobe\msoobe /a" (without quotation marks) and click "OK" to open the Windows Product Activation Wizard.
- 9). Select the option labeled "Yes, I want to telephone a customer service representative to activate Windows" and click "Next."
- 10
Select "Change Product Key," enter the replacement key value in the corresponding fields, and then click "Update." You can find the product key on the yellow sticker attached to the back of your Windows XP installation disc case. Click "Remind Me Later" if the Activation Wizard returns you to the previous screen. - 11
Restart your computer. - 12
Reactivate your copy of Windows XP with the new product key by following the on-screen prompts that appear after your computer restarts.
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