How to change serial in Win 2000 without reinstall

[vbnew]

Guys,

i accidentally install the windows 2000 with the same key to another machine in my corporate.. now i wish to just change the serial in my machine to another legal serial key.. please help.. how can i do it on the fly? without the need to reinstall the whole os again ... because my machine contains lots of important files... and software.. and for reinstallation may takes up a lots of times...

[plenderj]

Windows 2000 does not require product activation so you don't need to use a different product key.
Anyway, in a corporation, the same product key would be used to install the majority or all Windows 2000 installations.

[dglienna]

there is no way to change the serial number without re-installing W2K. You can call M$ to get a new product key if you happen to lose the case. They charged me $10 for XP Home last year. I had to read some info off of the CD first. They generate them on the fly.

:D

[vbnew]

well, if that is the case will i be charged for applying same serial key on 2 machine (whereby it is suppose to apply each with a specific key is the correct way to go).. because i have 2 copy of original windows 2000 professional with me..

i need confirmation .. thank you ...

[dglienna]

best defense is a good offense.

Call them, and explain it to them. Ask them what to do...

They prolly will not care about 2 machines. On the other hand, if there were 200 or 2000, then they might gripe.

Here is where to start:

link (http://support.microsoft.com/common/international.aspx?rdpath=fh;en-us;cntactms)

[vbnew]

Thank you dglienna and plenderj , i know what i should do ... hehe

[plenderj]

I would not ring them. It is agains the EULA to install it on two machines. However, if you have licenses (i.e. A Microsoft Open Licence Agreement), then you can.

But, nobody would ever know if you've two, three, or nintety installations of 2K Pro with the same product key.

[dglienna]

that's why he wanted to change the serial #. if you call them, they may tell you that you have to change it, but even if they do, you still could take your chances.
I doubt that they'd make house calls even if they had a phone number. they have enough to worry about with pirated copies out there with hundreds of users with the same #