XP Corp, SP1 and Fresh Install

[binarydesire]

OK, this message might be a little long so bear with me.

This is all *hypothetical* :) so bear with me...

I have two computers.

Computer A has XP Corp installed. I understand that SP1 won't install unless I change the key. I change key and install SP1. It works and peace flows throughout the world...or at least my body.

Computer B has no OS installed. I start to install XP English with SP1 (Please for those that don't know - don't try to tell me it doesn't exist. I'm downloading it from MS itself - Windows XP Pro with SP1; Guess it's kinda like Win 98SE huh?) Now how do I install the OS (and at the same time SP1 will be installed) without "activating"? Has anyone downloaded this ISO from MS and installed it with any success?

My questions:

1) NewXP CD will be retail I assume and not CORP. If this is the case can I use the serials provided by the program key gen used on Computer A? Or are these only Corp Keys?

2) If I can't use those keys because of the NewXP CD not being Corp. How would I go about making it Corp? Could I use the previous method (I already did it once with a XP Pro CD - remove and readd new files, etc.) or would this defeat the purpose and make the NewXP CD now some sort of freakish "hybrid" XP. It has most of the features of XP SP1 but could have some old code from orig XP.

I'm going to end it here cause I'm getting a headache from trying to think this all the way through. I'm going to try to work around it and install it on a machine and see if it takes corp numbers and then when it boots if it will require activation.

If anyone is interested I will post my findings and would also like to hear from anyone that perhaps has already ventured down th road I'm about to travel down or is at least looking down...of course this is *hypothetically* speaking... :D

-Kevin

[BCan]

Let's clear up one myth....

There is NO special Corp Edition, it is just a key. As with Windows XP, Office XP, Office 2K and Windows 2K, there are VLK - Volume Licence Keys, which are the infamous Corporate Keys, since this is where they are used. A VLK is used by corporations, ie businesses where activation, etc is a waste of important time. Win and Office XP and 2K have it written into them already to accept a valid VLK.

So a valid Corp Key will go into any version of XP Pro -

[binarydesire]

Thanks for setting the record straight and dispelling that myth. I was always under the impression it a seperate version.

I guess this reasoning comes from when XP first came out there was numerous sites and references to the mythical but real "corp" files.

Could you perhaps tell me what the purpose was with these files? What did they do or not do by replacing the original files with the Corp files?


Thanks yet again....

[BCan]

I think when it originally came out, I think it was changed XP Home files, rather than any XP Pro files that were changed. They were different sizes totally, so this is my assumption, they ruined my first install of XP Pro. I think someone found a way to make XP Home accept XP Pro licence keys, and therefore the XP Corporate Keys, which don't need any activation.