XADM: Exchange 2000 Server SP1 Beta Update Changes Product Identification Number in the Registry (297057)

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

CAUSE

This problem can occur if you apply certain beta versions of Exchange 2000 Service Pack 1; the product identification number (PID) that is stored in the registry is overwritten with a value of 52983. This problem occurs in all language versions of these beta versions. The 52983 value corresponds to Exchange 2000 Enterprise Edition - Volume Upgrade - U.S. English.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

301378 XGEN: How to Obtain the Latest Exchange 2000 Server Service Pack

If you installed a beta version of Exchange 2000 Server SP1, you still retain the PID of 52983 even after you install the release version of Exchange 2000 Server SP1. If you want, you can manually change the first five digits of the PID to reflect another type of installation, as described in the "Workaround" section of this article.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, manually change the first five digits of the PID to reflect another type of installation. The ProductID registry entry is located in the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Exchange\Setup

To do so, you need to edit the registry.

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To manually change the first five digits of the PID:

Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
Locate the ProductID value under the following key in the registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Exchange\Setup
On the Edit menu, click Edit, String, type a new value (from the list that follows these steps), and then click OK.
Quit Registry Editor.

The following list describes which five digit numbers are associated with each type of installation:

52981 = Exchange 2000 Enterprise Edition - Non-eval - U.S. English
52867 = Exchange 2000 Standard Edition - Non-eval - U.S. English
43280 = Exchange 2000 Enterprise Edition - 120 day Eval - U.S. English

This value does not affect the functionality or role of Exchange 2000 Server. For example, if you change a "Standard" server to a PID of 52981, the server does not become an Exchange 2000 Enterprise Server. You cannot change an evaluation version of the software to a non-evaluation version.