Can I image/clone these old xp laptops with Windows 7 upgrade?

[edutech4schools]

The primary school purchased some laptops way back from Stone and got the option to downgrade from vista to XP. The vista sticker is OEM but if I run a key finder app on the downgraded laptops they all have the same key, this to me indicates they have been re-imaged using a non OEM licence, perhaps a volume key.

 

Recently the school purchased some Windows 7 upgrade licences, I took a test laptop and ran the 7 update and these old laptops seem to be running fine so I want to update all the other laptops.

 

Obviously I do not want to do each one individually so can I install the Windows 7 update then image and deploy, seeing as the XP OS looks like it is not an OEM licence and the Windows 7 update licence I have been given is the same licence number for all upgrades.

 

Note: The school does not have any type of ESS agreement directly with MS etc but buy all the Windows software from the local authority who I believe do. They once sent me a MAK key for one of our orders along with the product key.

 

Cheers

Edited November 9, 2013 by edutech4schools

[FN-GM]

OT but are these laptops MR052's? You may have issues with these if they are.

[edutech4schools]

I was interested in the licensing side of things and if I can legally image and deploy.

 

They came with oem which was re-imaged by stone and also can you legally image and deploy and windows 7 upgrade (not a full windows 7 install).

[FN-GM]

I know but if they are the MR05X range you will struggle getting Windows 7 on them at all. Had experience in the past had to use modified bios and stuff.

[Norphy]

The upgrade license that you get from Microsoft requires a qualifying operating system to have been purchased with the system for it to be legal. It doesn't matter what license scheme your school is using, be it EES, Select or Open. Those laptops were purchased with a Vista license so you're covered.

 

When it comes to activation, as long as you have adequate MAK activations left, you'll be OK.

 

/edit or are you saying that your school went out and bought a bunch of retail boxes? If so, you may have to install the key on each one individually using slmgr.vbs but you'll still be able to deploy from a single image.

Edited November 12, 2013 by Norphy