TheTechGuide Forum

General Category => Software => Topic started by: DERAN on December 31, 2001, 12:25:35 PM

Title: OEM to RETAIL
Post by: DERAN on December 31, 2001, 12:25:35 PM

Is there a way to convert a win 98SE OEM to retail version?
I want to use it to upgrade and repair old systems. Thanks

Title: OEM to RETAIL
Post by: Anonymous on January 01, 2002, 04:04:51 PM

Yes there is a way to do it, but you have to have a retail copy of Windows 98, however, to do it.  Basically what you do is extract the setup files from the retail CD and then add them to your OEM CD.  I did it once with an OEM win95B and the 1st release of win95 so that I could do a clean install with the win95B and it worked like a charm. Should work on win98 too.  There is a long list of files to copy; here are the directions I followed:

You have a CD with all of the OSR2 files except the setup program (\"setup.exe\"). This CD is distributed by some large OEMs with complete systems. The idea is, you have all the OSR2 files, in case you want to add or remove OS components, however, you have no setup.exe file, so you can\'t install OSR2 on another system. However, if you copy all of the files from the CD onto a hard disk, and then copy dossetup.bin, oemsetup.bin, oemsetup.exe, setup.exe, setup.txt, suhelper.bin, and winsetup.bin to the same directory from any version of Windows 95, you can then run setup and install from that directory.

Good luck

Title: OEM to RETAIL
Post by: Batchell on January 01, 2002, 11:12:36 PM

I don\'t follow here. By OEM are you refering to a restore disk or are you talking about the copy of windows that ships with a new computer.

If the later what is the difference between the two? I see the files but what are the usefull differences?

Title: OEM to RETAIL
Post by: bmbk on February 19, 2002, 08:38:25 AM

how to change windows xp oem to retail,so i can upgrade current os,

Title: OEM to RETAIL
Post by: Anonymous on February 25, 2002, 08:44:57 PM

W98: OEM -> Full

Extract the W98 CD content to your hard disk (e.g. F:W98)with WinISO as a bootable .iso-file

Within this file find: Precopy2.cab

Open it with WinRar

In WinRar, find setupx.dll & extract  it to somewhere.

Open extracted setupx.dll using eXescope

In eXescope, expand \"String\" & find number \"96\"

Click on \"96\", on the left you will see this number \"1526,111\" or \"1526, 121\" or \"1526, 115\"... ... The last 2 digits may vary depending on the version you have got. In any case, change \"1526,1xx\" into \"1526,100\" and save.

Import the modified setupx.dll with the help of WinISO into the same folder where precopy2.cab (and a bunch of other cab-files) reside. Save and burn this .iso-file with CDRWin.

Now, each time you run Windows 98 setup, you won\'t have to enter any serial number, nor will there be an upgrade/OEM/full check. You can do either a clean install or an upgrade as you wish, because it became a full version.
********************************************************************************
****************************************************************

W2k: OEM -> full

extract with WinISO from CD the full content as a bootable .iso file

find i386setupp.ini

change PID = xxxxx??? -> xxxxx270

save and burn back with CDRWin.

********************************************************************************
****************************************************************

WXP: OEM -> full

extract with WinISO from CD the full content as a bootable .iso file

find i386setupp.ini

change PID = xxxxx??? -> xxxxx335

save and burn back with CDRWin.

********************************************************************************
****************************************************************

Does anybody eventually know the trick to render an OEM -> Retail with NT4??

Title: OEM to RETAIL
Post by: Anonymous on February 27, 2002, 09:56:29 AM

I own the OEM version of Windows XP and decided to try your modification of conversion from OEM to Full.  It does work, but there\'s a catch, it will not accept the 25 character product key number I have been using all along.

It\'s asking for the product key on a yellow sticker on the Windows CD folder, whereas the OEM setup is asking for the 25 character product key number on the certificate of authenticity.

It\'s obviously verifying the number I am entering against the number coded in the setup file, how do I check it?

Title: OEM to RETAIL
Post by: Josetann on February 27, 2002, 10:02:29 AM

If you just alter the first digits instead of the last ones, that should work.  The first set alters whether it acts as an oem, retail, upgrade, etc. while the second set (the last three) alters what serial numbers it will accept.

Title: OEM to RETAIL
Post by: Anonymous on February 27, 2002, 10:27:57 AM

Thanks for the info, but it didn\'t work.  If I change the last 3 characters from OEM to anything else, 2 things happen. First, I now have 2 install options and I cannot use the OEM product ID code I\'ve always used.

Changing the first 3 digits did aboslutely nothing, I believe the whole thing hinges on the last 3 digits. If I change the last 3 digits back to OEM, I only have 1 installation option and I can use my original product ID.

Is there a specifuc number I should use? there are a total of 8 digits on this Setupp.ini file

Title: OEM to RETAIL
Post by: Josetann on February 27, 2002, 10:41:19 AM

Try this, it explains how the setupp.ini works:

www.thetechguide.com/howto/setuppini.html (http://\"http://www.thetechguide.com/howto/setuppini.html\")

Title: OEM to RETAIL
Post by: Anonymous on February 27, 2002, 09:44:04 PM

If You render an OEM -> Retail as proposed above, You\'ll obviously need a retail key. The OEM won\'t work.
Where to get a retail key? Well, get the keygen from BlueList. This will produce billions of retail keys. But don\'t try corp-keys, cuz these will only work on special corp-versions, which don\'t need activation, while Your retail version still needs it.

Title: OEM to RETAIL
Post by: Josetann on February 27, 2002, 10:06:07 PM

No, if he modifies the first five digits of the PID then it will act as a retail CD.  As long as he leaves the last three as OEM then it should still take OEM keys.

Title: OEM to RETAIL
Post by: Anonymous on February 28, 2002, 08:21:44 PM

hey, you know something, for my version of windows xp, the pid is writen this number 55277OEM, mean while at the example given by other member here is 51882 . so it is different .

i change the last 3 word to 270 . but i cannot use a coprorate key to install this windows. i still need to use my existing serial. so how this pid really works huh ?.

then . you know something. i change the 55277 to 51882, but not the oem word., so i use oem key to install it. then it have changed to retail version. but after installation , when windows load up and at welcome screen , it shows \" a problem is preventing windows accurely checking the licance for this computer \" . and it automaticly log off.

so , it there any chaanges i should do ?.

Title: OEM to RETAIL
Post by: Anonymous on March 02, 2002, 08:24:39 PM

it\'s 335 not 270 (which is for W2k). You should read more carefully!
Take PID = 51882335 This should work.
270 only works with WXP corporate versions (besides W2k). They differ from the professionals in some files. You can render a pro -> corp, though, but have to replace some files in this case. Search in google for \"corporate files\".

BTW, am not sure if it\'ll work for home version, probably will.

Title: OEM to RETAIL
Post by: Anonymous on March 03, 2002, 09:03:39 PM

hey what is going on.  i having win xp home . oem version.
first i change the last 3 word at the setupp.ini from oem to 335. and it change to retail version. but i cannot use anykey to install it. my actual pid number  shown is 52277oem. so then i change the word oem to 270 and this also dont work ?.i cannot use my key or even corporate key to install it,

so i chnage the first 5 letters to 51882, but not the oem version. i able to install the windows in upgrade mode using my oem key when the installation is complete, when boot up to windows , it show : a problem is preventing windows of accurely checking the licence for this computer. and i cannot use the pc. i have to restart and uninstall windows xp in safe mode.

so anyone can help me ?. i also have change the last 3 word from oem to 335, then try to use a key that is generated by blue list, it also does work. it shows : the pid for this media is invalid , you need to replace the pid with the one in the windows xp cd \" so how ?

hmm. so help me. please come up with a new idea  guys.  
i also tried this. i change the pid=55277oem to  55277270 then copy the pidgen.dll from the corporate version to my home ed. i able to install with corporate key, but after installaion is complete, it  show : a problem is preventing windows of accurely checking the licence for this computer. is i cannot use the pc.

so what else i should try

Title: OEM to RETAIL
Post by: Josetann on March 03, 2002, 09:13:06 PM

Ok, this is a shot in the dark...but try installing it first by changing the first  five numbers in the pid to 51882 but keeping the OEM at the end.  After it\'s done it\'ll give the error message.  Go to safe mode, and install XP again except this time, leave the PID alone.  I dunno if this\'ll work, but perhaps XP won\'t mind letting you install the OEM version of XP over the retail version (only because it\'s the exact same version of Windows).

Again I dunno if this will work and have not tried it, but it\'s worth a shot.

Title: OEM to RETAIL
Post by: Anonymous on March 04, 2002, 07:04:43 AM

I\'ve got 51882, but my last original PID was not OEM,
but just Zero\'s...000....so should i let it be it this way,
or changing to 335`?

greetx

Title: OEM to RETAIL
Post by: bmbk on March 07, 2002, 06:38:33 AM

i heard of 270. 335 and oem. this is first time i hear there are 000 at the ending.  your version is oem or pro or corporate

Title: OEM to RETAIL
Post by: bmbk on March 12, 2002, 06:25:53 AM

hey guys , do anyone have come up with idea on how to convert a oem version windows xp to retail version

Title: OEM to RETAIL
Post by: Anonymous on March 12, 2002, 10:52:37 AM

if you want to use the Win98/WIn98se oem cd to upgrade, it\'s very easy. Simple use a boot disk to boot. Then goto the c:windows folder and ren win.com to something else. don\'t delete it until you have upgraded successfully. Then run the setup off the cd and it will upgrade the installed version of windows with no problem, it will even keep all the existing settings. The oem cds look for the win.com, if found it gives you the \"existing OS\" msg. Renaming it, solves that problem.

Title: OEM to RETAIL
Post by: Anonymous on March 13, 2002, 09:05:00 PM

Yeah, this trick with win.com is very old and supposed to work. Unfortunately, I tried a few weeks ago and had much problems. In fact it was impossible to update a W95 with a W98 OEM using the win.com renaming ....
In the end tried the trick above with setupx.dll and this one worked flawlessly!

Title: OEM to RETAIL
Post by: bmbk on March 14, 2002, 11:42:33 AM

hello, guys. maybe your way will work for windows 98, but for windows xp i dont think so, you know y,  i cannot install windows xp in dos. so how to run xp setup if i rename the file and i cannot boot into windows  ?

so how ?

Title: OEM to RETAIL
Post by: Anonymous on March 15, 2002, 03:21:17 PM

Hey, do you guys know if there\'s a way to do this with Windows ME? I have the OEM version and would like to upgrade from Win98SE.

Cheers.

Title: OEM to RETAIL
Post by: Anonymous on March 20, 2002, 10:04:52 PM

You have to rename the win.com in the windows directory and also the user.exe in the system directory

Title: OEM to RETAIL
Post by: Anonymous on March 20, 2002, 10:16:39 PM

OEM CD\'s of Windows 95/98 look for win.com and user.exe when seeing if it is an upgrade.  If it finds them, it will not install.  

All you have to do, is boot to dos, rename or delete c:windowswin.com and c:windowssystemuser.exe.  

Then setup will procede ok.

I do it a different waythough..

at DOS i type the following
c:
cd
move progra~1 p1
move windows w1
cd w1
commandmove win.com win.jon
commandmove systemuser.exe systemuser.jon

Then I run the setup.exe

This leaves your old files intact in case you need to recover them.  

Also, if you need a driver and you don\'t have the disk, you can click have disk, then browse to c:w1infother

This allows you to \'pull\' the drivers from the old installation.  You may need to specify c:w1system for system files etc.  You can always use start|find to find the location(s).  

I often have to do this when I repair PC\'s and people have lost their driver disks.  

It is also usefull because you don\'t have to back up your email or many other settings/files.  You can just tell outlook express to import all messages from the store directory within P1 etc.  

I never have to format a hard drive in order to fix a computer.  I never lose data.

Title: OEM to RETAIL
Post by: The_Flames on March 21, 2002, 12:14:23 PM

That is a very intrestign ways of doing things, but I Dont think it would work for NT based os\'s :-), win ME may be diffucult to get working with this mathod aswell, but It\'s a great meathod if theres enought HDD space /smile.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\':)\' />

The benifits of formating

1) clears out all the disk, leaving the OS a defraged HDD to be installed on.

2) users cannot complain that feature X that is built into the OS doesnt work , ether it\'s a addon or activated by a tweek

3) get\'s rid of ll the users porn, or or other rubbish that they never look at /wink.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\';)\' />

4) maked users to look at backing up data when the relise they have lost an important document /smile.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\':)\' />

Title: OEM to RETAIL
Post by: Anonymous on March 23, 2002, 01:40:01 PM

I have a copy of Windows 2000 Professional Upgrade and I want to install on my Windows ME system.  It says it can\'t find some dll file and exits the installation.  Is there anyway I can change this from Upgrade to Retail and have it fully install Win2k?  Will that Win98 OEM to Retail work with Win2k?

Thanks for your help
NewTek

Title: OEM to RETAIL
Post by: SethAndCheese on April 22, 2002, 04:32:36 PM

bmkb:

You can install XP in Dos Mode only by booting from the CD. Check your BIOS options and make sure \"Boot From CD\" is first. Put in your XP CD, and reboot.

Cheers,
SethandCheese

--Setharoni -n- Cheese: The College Heights Youth Group Treat