How to deactivate and uninstall Windows Product Key. Before you sell or dispose of your computer, you would probably back up your data and then format the drives. But there is something you must do if you wish to dispose of it without uninstalling the Windows operating system. Backup Restore Desktop Icons Locations on Windows 7, Vista XP with IconRestorer freeware utility supports multiple profiles backup. WINDOWS3/large/Ad-Aware/Ad-Aware%20web%20protection.png' alt='Prevent Restore Activation Key' title='Prevent Restore Activation Key' />After you back up your data, you should uninstall the Windows Product Key. In this tutorial, we will see how you can deactivate and uninstall the Windows Product Key. Although the screenshots I have used are from one of my Windows 7 laptop, this applies to Windows 1. We will have to make use of Windows Software Licensing Management Tool or slmgr. It is a Visual Basic script, used to manage and configure licensing in Windows OS. To begin with, you will need to know the Activation ID of your Windows installation. To view licensing status and Activation ID, open an elevated command prompt windows, type the following and hit Enter slmgr. To get all the Activation IDs for all the installed version of Windows, you can use slmgr. The dlv parameter will display detailed license information for the installed operating system. Specifying the all parameter displays all applicable installed products license information. You may click on any of the images to see the larger versions. You will see a Windows Script Host window open up giving you details about your Windows licensing and activation status. Here look for Activation ID and note it down. Now in the same command prompt window, type the following and hit Enter slmgr upk lt Activation ID Here upk stands for uninstall product key. The upk parameter uninstalls the product key of the current Windows edition. How to reset iPad without password, how to reset iPad password if forgotten, iPad factory reset without password If you forgot the passcode for your iPhone, iPad, or. Two researchers claim to have found a way to bypass the activation lock feature in iOS thats supposed to prevent anyone from using an iPhone or iPad. Activation Products Product Catalog featuring products such as Oceans Alive Marine Phytoplankton, EASE Magnesium Transdermal Spray, and Panaseeda Oils. MacKeeper-Full-Version-For-Mac.png' alt='Prevent Restore Activation Key' title='Prevent Restore Activation Key' />After a restart, the system will be in an Unlicensed state unless a new product key is installed. If you entered it wrongly by mistake, you will see the following error message Product key not found. If you entered it correctly you will see the message Uninstalled product key successfully. Now if you check your Windows activation status in the Control Panel, you will see Not available. Once you have done this, you could sell or dispose off the laptop and use the Windows Product Key elsewhere, provided its licensing terms allow it. If it is a Retail key, you could do so, but if it is an OEM key, it would be tied to the machine. Re install Windows Product Key. In case you wish to reinstall this key, you can again take the help of slmgr. Type the following command in a Command Prompt Admin and hit Enter. The ipk parameter will install a 55 product key. Here ipk stands for install product key. If the key is valid and applicable, the key is installed. If a key is already installed, it is silently replaced. If the key is invalid, an error is returned. Windows Product Key Do note that now you have to use your genuine Windows Product Key or License. It is the 2. 5 character Product Key or Software License that we have to use here. It is this serial that is required during installationactivation of Windows, and proves your ownership. If you did it correctly, you will see Installed product key successfully message. Now if you open your Control Panel you will see Windows is activated message. Additional parameters you may find useful The cpky option removes the product key from the registry to prevent this key from being stolen by malicious code. To help prevent software piracy, Microsoft requires Windows 10 to be activated before it can be used. All HP computers and tablets that come with Windows 10 installed. The rearm option resets the activation timers. Additional links that may interest you How to find Windows Product Key. Skip. Rearm lets you use Windows without activating. How to change the Windows XP Product Activation Key Code. Checking the Windows XP Product Activation Key During the installation of Windows XP Professional, you are prompted. By submitting your personal information, you agree that Tech. Target and its partners may contact you regarding relevant content, products and special offers. You also agree that your personal information may be transferred and processed in the United States, and that you have read and agree to the Terms of Use and the Privacy Policy. Windows XP Product Activation Key Code, which Windows XP promptly converts it into the systems product ID. Because of security concerns about piracy, Microsoft does not provide a tool that allows you to view the Product Activation Key or CD Key that was used to install the operating system. However, Windows XP Service Pack 1 ships with a list of the two product IDs that are created by the pirated product volume license product keys. The Product ID can be found by right clicking My Computer and choosing Properties. To determine eligibility for the update, Service Pack 1 compares the Windows XP product ID on the system to this list. The comparison and the list reside locally on the users PC and no information is sent to Microsoft as part of this process. Service Pack 1 for Windows XP will fail to install on installations of Windows with one of the following product IDs XXXXX 6. XXX and XXXXX 6. XXXThe following message will be displayed if installation fails for this reason Service Pack 1 Setup Error The product key used to install Windows is invalid. Please contact your system administrator or retailer immediately to obtain a valid product key. You may also contact Microsoft Corporations Anti Piracy Team by emailing piracymicrosoft. Microsoft software. Please be assured that any personal information you send to the Microsoft Anti Piracy team will be kept in strict confidence. How to change your Product Activation Key in Windows XPIf the product ID matches the invalid keys above, you may need to change the key re enter a valid key in order to install Windows XP service pack 1, and to make sure your environment is legal. You could completely re install Windows XP Professional or you can try the method below. Please backup your system before attempting this. This workaround is only for the corporate editions of Windows XP Professional using a compromised or illegitimate key. Windows XP Home Edition and retail versions of XP Professional are not affected by Service Pack 1. Although this procedure may work with other versions of XP, we have only tested it on the corporate edition volume license version of Windows XP Professional. Note 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. Backup your RegistrySystem State. Imprint Shadow Font. Backup your system state by clicking Start Run and typing ntbackup. Click the Advanced Mode button in the Backup Utility Wizard. Click the Backup tab, then in Click to select the check box for any drive, folder, or file that you want to back up, select the System State. As an alternative, you can backup just the Registry by clicking Start Run and type in Regedit From within the Regedit screen, right click My Computer, choose Export, name the file whatever you choose, and click Save. To change the product IDLog in as the local Administrator. Click Start Run and type in Regedit. Browse to HKEYLOCALMACHINESoftwareMicrosoftWindows NTCurrent. Versionwpaevents In the right pane, right click OOBETimer, and then click Modify. Change at least one digit of this value to deactivate Windows. Click OK and close regedit. Click Start Run and type in systemrootsystem. Click Yes, I want to telephone a customer service representative to activate Windows, and then click Next. Click Change Product Key at the bottomEnter your valid Corporate Product Key. Press Update and close the window. If you are returned to the previous window, click Remind me later. Restart your computer. Verify the change. After the workstation restarts, click Start Run. Type in systemrootsystem. Make sure the dialog box says your copy of windows is already activatedIf you performed the above steps incorrectly, or used an invalid key, your system may not be able to boot. Use the F8 key to boot to the last known good configuration and retry with a valid key. Troubleshooting. If you tried the above steps and nothing happens Make sure you are logged in with the local administrator account, not just an account with Administrator privileges. Try replacing the systemroot variable with the actual drive letter that your actual directory path, especially when dual booting, or if the system path is on a drive other than C On a normal Windows XP installation, your systemroot should be C windows so the command should be C Windowssystem. On systems upgraded from Windows NT2. C Winnt so the command should be C winntsystem. Make sure you include a space between. Correct C winntsystem. Incorrect C winntsystem. Product keys for XP Home Edition and retail versions of XP Professional will not activate a corporate or OEM version of XP Professional. The algorithms are different. If you do not have a valid installation key for Windows XP, DO NOT e mail us asking for a key, keygen or a crack. Scripting the process. Microsoft has provided sample scripts for remotely updating the Product ID on multiple machines in KB Article Q3. You can follow Search. Windows. Server. com on Twitter Windows. TT. The top 1. 0 tips of 2. Introduction Tip 1 How to change the Windows XP Product Activation Key Code Tip 2 Create a bootable USB flash drive in a flash Tip 3 Create a bootable Windows Server 2. CD Tip 4 8 common causes for delayed write failed errors Tip 5 Ultimate boot CD packs in recovery, repair utilities Tip 6 Install Windows Server 2. Tip 7 Uninstall stubborn programs Tip 8 What to do when your hard drive fails Tip 9 Windows XP and Windows Server 2. Tip 1. 0 Unlocker reveals processes that lock files. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Bernie Klinder is a technology consultant for a number of Fortune 5. He is also the founder and former editor of Lab. Mice. net, a comprehensive resource index for IT professionals who support Microsoft Windows NT2. XP2. 00. 3 and Back. Office products. For his contributions to the information technology community, Bernie was selected as an MVP Most Valuable Professional by Microsoft.