ProductKey (Standard 8 Module Reference)
7/8/2014
Review the applicable Embedded Core modules and any examples for the ProductKey setting in Windows Embedded 8 Standard (Standard 8).
This setting contains a string with a maximum length of 29 characters that specifies a product key to use during Windows Embedded 8 Standard (Standard 8) Setup.
This value cannot be empty.
Important
If you enter an invalid product key in the configuration file, Setup will fail. Product keys must in the format xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx and must include the hyphens in order to be valid.
When you install Windows Embedded 8 Standard (Standard 8) with a single-license product key, you have 30 days during which you must activate that installation of Standard 8. When the generalization pass is run on the device, the 30-day activation clock is reset.
To manage the activation clock, use SkipRearm in Security-SPP.
Comparison of ProductKey Settings
There are a couple of places where you can set product key information, as shown in the following table.
Setting |
Description |
|---|---|
Microsoft-Windows-Setup\UserData\ProductKey\Key |
Setup\ProductKey specifies the Windows image to install during Setup. |
Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup\ProductKey |
Shell-Setup\ProductKey specifies a product key used to activate Windows. This setting can be used with Shell-Setup\Key. .gif "JJ962967.note(en-us,WinEmbedded.81).gif") Note:
If keys are specified for both settings, the key that is specified for this setting takes precedence.
|
Modules
The following table shows the modules that you can apply this setting to. In Image Configuration Editor (ICE), you can follow the corresponding path to set this setting for a module.
Module |
Path |
|---|---|
Products/Embedded Core/Shell-Setup/ProductKey |
XML Example
The following XML example shows how to set the product key.
<ProductKey>AAAAA-BBBBB-CCCCC-DDDDD-EEEEE</ProductKey>
Add a Product Key to Your Configuration File in Image Configuration Editor
You can add a product key to your configuration file so that the deployed image can be installed on your device without prompting for a product key.
To add a product key
In the Configuration File pane, expand the Product node and then click Embedded Core.
In the Settings and Properties pane, found to the right of the Configuration File pane, click the Settings tab.
In the Filter view by drop-down list, select 1 Windows PE.
In the Settings pane, expand UserData, and then expand ProductKey.
Double-click the Key node. In the text box, enter your product key. Include the hyphens as part of the key, for example, xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx, and then press Enter.
Double-click WillShowUI.
Click the WillShowUI drop-down list and select OnError. OnError instructs the installer to prompt for a product key only if there is an error using the one that you provided earlier in this section.