Product ID's - Lunarsoft Wiki

[Fren Banklin]

Matching workable XP installation disks with broken machines is my interest. I don't know where else to put the topic, if it's better somewhere else, please move.

On the wiki, it descrives the Microsoft Product Code (MPC) with the letters "XXXXX", and the Channel ID as "YYY". Then there's the "ZZZZ...." codes, and nothing is said about them.

I'm looking at a registry entry right now on a machine that needs a Repair Install/In Place Upgrade. hklm\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion

Has a registry entry "ProductID" as "555274-640-0426986-23489"

I know that "555274" is the Product Code and "640" is the channel ID. What I want to know is what the remaining numbers are in the code (the "ZZZ..." numbers), what they are used for and should I incorporate them into the custom XP disk I am creating in order to do the Repair Installation.

Also, I'm not sure what the wiki means when it says that the "640, 641, 642..." channel ID's are for volume licensing and that they are somehow "created" by the channel CID of 270.

Here's the link:

https://wiki.lunarsoft.net/wiki/Product_IDs

And here's the quote:

640 through 652 : Volume License (usually generated via 270 CID in setupp.ini)

In general, what's the relationship between the codes in the setupp.ini file, and the registry entry: hklm\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\ProductID ?

I get the idea that only the MPC and CID are relevant, the volume label MIGHT be relevant which sort of implies that everything else ISN'T relevant, but I want confirmation of this and a reason why. Included in the Wiki would be best, I think.

Also, to the issue of the need for matching the volume lables, I would like to participate in a group effort to acquire .ISO images of original XP disks with accurate volume labels and make them available to people. How this can be done, and if anyone else is willing to help is also what I would like to know.

[0_0]

...acquire .ISO images of original XP disks with accurate volume labels and make them available to people.

Hmmm, this sure sounds illegal - you want to collect and distribute to people the XP operating system, with or without Microsoft's permission?

What am I missing in this request, are you a licensed OEM, otherwise I would say you are looking to get yourself put in some hot water?

[Fren Banklin]

...acquire .ISO images of original XP disks with accurate volume labels and make them available to people.

Hmmm, this sure sounds illegal - you want to collect and distribute to people the XP operating system, with or without Microsoft's permission?

What am I missing in this request, are you a licensed OEM, otherwise I would say you are looking to get yourself put in some hot water?

There are a lot of misinformed people regarding the legality of the duplication and distribution of Microsoft software. Many people mistakenly believe that the copyright of the software is the equivalent of copyrighted printed material. It is not.

When one purchases a legal copy of XP (or other MS software) one does not actually purchase the software; one purchases a License to use the software. The validity of the license is tied to the product key, and not the software itself. Meaning that, if you are legally licensed to use the software, you can acquire that software from any source. There is nothing illegal about sharing copies of (in my case) Windows XP. Circumventing the license mechanisms (activation, validation, volume licenses, etc...) is illegal. Simply copying and distributing the software is perfectly legal.

None of the above, however, is on topic, and even if it were that is completely secondary. I am less concerned about my desire to help others fix their legally licensed systems by providing for them copies of the original data, and more concerned about the question regarding Product ID's. Given that you've made an issue of the least relevant question and ignored the most relevant (and most difficult), I assume it is because you are equally uninformed about Product ID's.

[0_0]

@Fren Banklin

I didn't mean to insult you or get off topic, I was trying to adhere to the rules, if I am mistaken about the rules and your intentions - sorry.

BTW, I will leave this topic alone with this post.

Requests or links to illegal material will not be tolerated.

...Respect the requests of companies who do not permit redistribution of their products without express permission -

Now, I have looked high and low for any glimmer of hope from Microsoft that duplicating and distributing any Microsoft product is perfectly

legal (within guidelines) and I can't find anything. If you could specifically define your role - ie: System Builder OEM, or Direct Microsoft OEM,

and point to a Microsoft page that explains in detail the legality of your endeavor I would appreciate it.

Again, you may not see the problem here but it is illegal what you asked and forums can get their tails in a crack by allowing discussions like this...

...acquire .ISO images of original XP disks with accurate volume labels and make them available to people.

...my desire to help others fix their legally licensed systems by providing for them copies of the original data,

Bottom Line Here, system builders can't even do what you ask, that is make a COPY of an "OEM" or "Volume" installation disk, for sure not with a "Retail" disk.

[cluberti]

There are a lot of misinformed people regarding the legality of the duplication and distribution of Microsoft software. Many people mistakenly believe that the copyright of the software is the equivalent of copyrighted printed material. It is not.

Unfortunately, at least in the United States, acquiring a copy of the Windows media is indeed a violation of copyright, as the person who made the copy was only granted copyright to make a backup copy for him or herself. Distributing the copy violates the copyright, as does acquiring a copy of the media from anyone other than an authorized distributor, OEM, or Microsoft directly. In this case, at least in the US, it *is* a correct reading of copyright law. Acquiring a copy from just anywhere is indeed a violation of the copyright on the contents of the media. Anyone making a copy for public consumption, because software in the US and Canada is considered a literary work, would need the requisite agreements with the vendor (in this case Microsoft) to duplicate and redistribute the contents and/or the media containing the copyrighted work. Considering all but the very large OEMs do not have the right to duplicate media for redistribution, and retail media explicitly does not grant you the right to make copies of the disc other than for fair-use personal backup, doing this is indeed a copyright infringement and would be actionable in court. The gray area, as with books, is whether or not you can give or re-sell actual media (including the documentation and COA) to another - in the US, and I believe in Canada, the rights of the OEM are preserved and you cannot give away or resell an OEM license and transfer ownership of the software without also transferring ownership of the original machine where it was installed. In other countries, however, OEMs do not have that pull and you can resell or give away OEM software (again, has to include the manual(s) and the COA sticker/product key as well) without violation of the EULA or any copyright. Retail of course can be given away or resold (transfer of the retail package, including COA sticker, product key, and media) without issue. However, downloading a copy from the 'net, especially if you don't actually have in your possession the original, is most definitely not legal in the US (it's debatable in Canada, although it would probably be considered legal on any serious challenge in a court of law). Whether or not Microsoft actually cares if someone is doing it is up for debate, as it seems they only care to stop large-scale piracy, but it doesn't make it less legal because they likely won't spend the time or money to stop you.

As to the OP's question, the last digits of the product ID are created when the software is installed, and are generated based on the product code and the channel ID, along with the actual product key input during install, the machine hash, and depending on the Windows version there could be other things affecting the generation of the product key as well. There's no way to easily track these back to product keys or channel installs, and as such you should go on the first portions of the product ID assuming you no longer have the COA and product key available to denote OEM, VL, Retail, etc. And as to acquiring all of the CD images to distribute, without a formal agreement with Microsoft to do this you would find yourself on the other end of a lawsuit shortly thereafter I would suspect if you are in the US. You could find legal ways to acquire the media, however, and if it is important you should consider your options (talk to Microsoft, they have programs to handle these situations).

[Tarun]

Closed per request.