Windows Activation After Re-imaging

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I have:
Acronis Snap Deploy 3
Windows XP SP3 - with valid license from Manufacturer

I want:
To reimage a computer using the Snap Deploy 3, get a unique SID, set up the computer name, and add it to the domain.

My computers come from the manufacturer pre-built - it seems they used Sysprep because the options like SID, computer name, and adding to the domain don't show up during recovery of the image to the computer. After reading a ton on the Snap Deploy functionality of SID's and Network settings, I realize I have to either build a computer from scratch using the Windows XP Installation CD, or using Sysprep.

I thought Sysprep was the way to go.
1) I built up the HP computer (with a valid license from the manufacturer)
2) Used Sysprep -mini -activated
3) Used Acronis Snap Deploy 3 to image the drive as a master image for future deployment

Problem 1: It wants to Activate the license after rebooting.
Problem 2: Microsoft says the product is not available for purchase that I have to upgrade to Windows 7

The license is valid. I re-image frequently and am in need of doing so for our company, but if I have to activate windows each time (which there are limited activations you can use anyway) I'm going around in circles and will eventually not have any choice but to buy a new license of Windows 7 for a computer that can't support it.

Is there any way I can use Snap Deploy on a computer where sysprep was used previously AND get a unique SID every time?

Fri, 07/29/2011 - 23:18
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truwrikodrorowrelupicugojestutroclulachosaswunuhospikigawakijosaswenomaruclojeueclikaspedrubewidebrisubrohutrurifruuagothunugekedrumucisiuobrobrecrupeslapuswosluprothethibakaslechurathikucli
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Posts: 27
Comments: 1940

If the computers you use are big brands like HP I'd expect them to have SLP activation that in theory should not require re-activation if moved to the same model of computer even if motherboard is different. If it just a 'system builder' oem license that is used by small OEM manufacturers, it will indeed refuse to activate maybe even after the first motherboard change (i.e. after the first deploy), and the previous one will be deactivated. So if you build the reference computer, activate it (it may require it the first time even being SLP), install whatever soft you need and then just plug its hard disk to the other one, it should not require activation.

Sat, 07/30/2011 - 04:04