If I run Sysprep on Hp Elite 8200 OEM does the product key reset

Hello

Need help deploying 70 HP Elite 8200 convertable mini towers with Windows 7 Pro. I took one of the desktops with the OEM image and added other applications to the image. I ran Sysprep/generalize/oobe and then captured the image using symantec recovery 2011. I then loaded the image to another unit. The unit starts with the out of box experience. It asks for a new user and computer name. It does not ask for a product key and states windows is activated. Does any one know if the HP desktops already have the OEM image set to re-use the original product key after you run sysprep? Or is there an activation grace period after using sysprep? Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

The factory OEM-SLP activation method Product Key.
System Locked Pre-installation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Todd121 said:

Hello

Need help deploying 70 HP Elite 8200 convertable mini towers with Windows 7 Pro. I took one of the desktops with the OEM image and added other applications to the image. I ran Sysprep/generalize/oobe and then captured the image using symantec recovery 2011. I then loaded the image to another unit. The unit starts with the out of box experience. It asks for a new user and computer name. It does not ask for a product key and states windows is activated. Does any one know if the HP desktops already have the OEM image set to re-use the original product key after you run sysprep? Or is there an activation grace period after using sysprep? Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Theog

Thank you, I really appreciate the information. This gives me a better understanding of how this process works. I am still a little confused. What propmted me to post this is, I spoke with HP about a week ago and asked them if I could modify the OEM image of the 8200 and deploy it to the other 69 Hp 8200 units. They told me it was ok and to just modify and capture the image to the other machines. They did not tell me to run sysprep but I thought I may need to. I put the image on about five pc's, They all state they are activated, none of them prompted for a product key, just the user, computer name and agreements. Using kefinder before and after, they all show the same product key. I am not sure if I am doing this correctly or not. My concern is that in 30 days the units will prompt for activation. I do not want to put the image on the other units and create a bigger headache for my self. If you or anyone could clerify this for me, I would really appreciate it. If I image this way, will it come back to haunt me?

Thank you

Todd

If you have 70 HP Elite 8200 convertable mini towers with Windows 7 Pro,all the same.
HP would have install the OS from a Master Image for that model, using the factory OEM-SLP activation method Product Key.
Therefore all 70 have the same OEM-SLP activation method Product Key.

Thank you very much for your help Theog. It is good to know there are people out there that have a passion to help each other out. That make's this an awesome resource to have available.

Millions of Windows 7 OEM machines are preloaded with the same product key. Those product keys are public and are even available on Wikipedia.

What those machines have is an SLP table in BIOS. If a machine does not have an SLP table, then the installation will not activate genuinely.

Run this command as administrator: "slmgr.vbs -dlv". If you see that there is time remaining, a rearm count, and "Initial grace period", then the machine did not activate properly. If it is activated, it should say "Licensed".

That's works great!! Thank you