XP: Get Updates No Matter What or Change your Invalid Product Key

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From the computer of: William_Wilson (107 recipes)
Created: Mar 23, 2006     Updated: Jun 15, 2007

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If your windows installation has issues, or for some other unmentionable reason is unable to get updates from the windows server, this is what you need to do.

If you have any problems, please check out some of the additional tips in the comments section of this post.

Ok, i've been sitting on this one for a while, but with Vista and all, i don't see as much harm.

Move on over to the updates site Microsoft Updates

now when the page loads it will give you the options for custom or Express, if you were to make a choice now you would be given an error like Invalid CD Key or something to that effect... but if you want your updates any way then put this in the title bar:

javascript:void(window.g_sDisableWGACheck='all') and press enter

Then make your selection. The process will continue normally, just leaving out the little part about verifying your Key :)

*Hoping you are using this for legitimate reasons, if you perhaps entered your key wrong and would like to try changing it do this:

1) change the registry key at path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\wpaevents
key name: OOBETimer
-By double clicking, just replace a letter or number, this will de-activate your windows so you can change the key.

2) open the key changer:
start\run type %systemroot%\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe /a
click the telephone customer support
click next
click change product key

3) Enter your product key carefully:
then click update
*you will be returned to the previous screen and click the remind me later option

4) Restart
this will re-activate your windows and fix your registry key, and if the key is an actual key, that is not already in use (as it's supposed to be) you will now be able to get updates without the above.

Questions/Comments: william_a_wilson@hotmail.com
-William. §