Win XP – How To Change Product Key
- Open registry editor by typing Regedit at the Run.
- Navigate to the Registry key
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
- Next navigate to Software
- Under Software, navigate to
- Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\WPAEvents
- When you have navigated to the above mentioned key, on the right, lookout for ODBETimer. Right click on ODBETimer and select Modify.
- Here for the value, just change a minimum of one character by deleting or modifying the value. The change in value renders the existing product key invalid and also deactivates Windows.
- Next, Click on Start –> Run and enter the below mentioned command. Replace <windows_directory> with the Windows installation directory for your system. Usually for default installations this is C:\Windows
- <windows_directory>\system32\oobe\msoobe /a
- After this Windows will present to you an Activation screen. The one you would have also seen during the installation. Here, select the Option which says ” Yes. I want to telephone a customer service representative to activate Windows” and click on the button marked Next.
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