Tricks[Windows Xp]

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Windows Xp Tips 'n' Tricks, Windows XP Tips 'n' Tricks

Please note that some of these tips require you to use a Registry Editor (regedit.exe), which could render your system unusable. Thus, none of these tips are supported in any way: Use them at your own risk. Also note that most of these tips will require you to be logged on with Administrative rights.

Unlocking WinXP's setupp.ini
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WinXP's setupp.ini controls how the CD acts. IE is it an OEM version or retail? First, find your setupp.ini file in the i386 directory on your WinXP CD. Open it up, it'll look something like this:

ExtraData=707A667567736F696F697911AE7E05
Pid=55034000

The Pid value is what we're interested in. What's there now looks like a standard default. There are special numbers that determine if it's a retail, oem, or volume license edition. First, we break down that number into two parts. The first five digits determines how the CD will behave, ie is it a retail cd that lets you clean install or upgrade, or an oem cd that only lets you perform a clean install? The last three digits determines what CD key it will accept. You are able to mix and match these values. For example you could make a WinXP cd that acted like a retail cd, yet accepted OEM keys.

Now, for the actual values. Remember the first and last values are interchangable, but usually you'd keep them as a pair:

Retail = 51882 335
Volume License = 51883 270
OEM = 82503 OEM

So if you wanted a retail CD that took retail keys, the last line of your setupp.ini file would read:

Pid=51882335

And if you wanted a retail CD that took OEM keys, you'd use:

Pid=51882OEM

Thanks for posting this, but wouldn't it be a good idea to quote the source of where this information comes from?

The first thing here, is what caught my interest, and I'll look further into this when I get some time.

There is a point where there is a question mark after whether Retail, or OEM CD's will let you perform either an upgrade or a clean install.

I think that you could probably do both of those options with both versions, as only being able to do a clean installation,
seems pretty restrictive, unless it was impossible to upgrade from one version to another, then it would require a new installation.

Also, it wouln't hurt, to add some colors into such a large thread like this,
for example, colored headings etc, as it would break the page up and be a little easier on the eye, but it's just a suggestion.