Question : How do OEM OS reinstallation CDs determine serial numbers without user input?

I did a clean reinstall of XP Home onto a Dell Dimension 8200, onto an empty partition / new HD.

IT never asked me for a serial number / cd key.

I understand that the dell OEM cd works only with a certain series serial numbers. ANd those numbers are on a sticker on the side of the PC (as with HP's)

What I don't understand is:

(1) In this case, was the serial number contained somehow on the CD, or was it read somehow from the PC motherboard / bios?

(2) If I copied that exact Dell OEM os CD and used it on a different Dell PC of a SIMILAR or SAME model, would the resulting copy of windows use it's own unique serial number (that's on the side of it's case) -- or would it be using the same serial number as the one I installed previously?

thanks

Answer : How do OEM OS reinstallation CDs determine serial numbers without user input?

What you could do is insert your XP CD whilst in windows - then navigate to:

cddrive:\I386   and open up a file called "winnt.sif"  (if it exists) in notepad

this file automates some of the XP setup process, and if you scroll down the text file you may see the serial already typed in there to prevent you from losing it - it will just use whatever answer was found in this file. you may notice other settings in the answer file as well (such as regional settings, usernames, network settings, etc)

so in short some CD's load the serial key directly from the CD

for more info, see here: http://unattended.msfn.org/unattended.xp/view/web/19/


Ryan R