How to Replace a Windows XP License Key
- 1). Click the "Start" button on your Windows task bar. Select "Run" from the menu. In the opened text box, type "regedit" and click the "OK" button. This opens your Windows registry editor.
- 2). Navigate to the "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\Current Version\WPAEvents" key in the registry. Right-click "OOBETimer" and select "Modify." Delete the value listed to deactivate the invalid product key. Click "OK" and close the Windows registry.
- 3). Click the "Start" Windows button again and select "Run." Enter the following command into the text box:
%systemroot%\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe /a
This starts the Windows license editor. The "%systemroot%" variable is an environment variable that signifies the root Windows directory where the operating system is installed. - 4). Select "Yes, I want to telephone a customer service representative to activate Windows" and click "Next." If you have a purchased Windows XP license, you do not need to call a representative. Otherwise, call the number displayed to purchase a valid XP license.
- 5). Enter the Windows XP license into the text box and click "OK." This changes the Windows XP license key for your computer.
