Microsoft KB Archive/837494

= You are prompted for the product key while the Windows XP Setup program is running, although you use an answer file that contains a product key =

Article ID: 837494

Article Last Modified on 5/11/2004

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows XP Professional

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Notice
Important This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry



SYMPTOMS
When you encrypt a product key in an answer file, you may be prompted for the product key while you are running the Setup program to install Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1). During mini-setup of a Windows XP SP1 sysprep image or of a Windows XP riprep image, you are prompted for the product key. This problem occurs although you included an encrypted product key in the Sysprep.inf file.



CAUSE
This problem may occur if you have performed the following steps:
 * 1) You encrypt your product key in your Sysprep.inf file by using the winnt32.exe /encrypt command with a Windows XP sysprep image or with a Windows XP riprep image.
 * 2) You install the sysprep image or the riprep image, and then you update the image to Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) by running the update.exe command to install SP1.
 * 3) You run the sysprep -reseal command or the Riprep command on the image again.



RESOLUTION
Warning If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

Before you run the sysprep -reseal command or the riprep command, you must modify the registry. To do this, follow these steps:
 * 1) Click Start, and then click Run.
 * 2) In the Open box, type regedit.exe, and then click OK.
 * 3) Locate the following registry key:


 * 1) Write down the first 5 digits of the ProductId value.
 * 2) Locate the following registry key:
 * 3) On the Edit menu, point to New, click Key, and then type PID.
 * 4) On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click String Value, and then type PID.
 * 5) Right-click PID, and then click Modify.
 * 6) Type the 5 digits that you wrote down in step 4, and then type 270.

Note If you wrote down 12345 in step 4, the correct value to type is 12345270.
 * 1) On the File menu, click Exit.
 * 2) Run the sysprep -reseal command or the riprep command.



MORE INFORMATION
If the original Sysprep image or the original Riprep image was first installed by using a Windows XP Professional SP1 integrated I386 installation source, this problem does not occur. For additional information about how to encrypt product keys in answer files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

328356 Windows XP Service Pack 1 volume license product key encryption

For additional information about deployment using Sysprep, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

302577 How to use Sysprep.exe tool to automate successful deployment of Windows XP

299840 How to use Sysprep with Windows product activation or with volume license media to deploy Windows XP

Additional query words: pid cdkey setup

Keywords: kbsyspreptool kbprb kbsetupman KB837494

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